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Sparks

Sparks

201390 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 28th percentile of all films
Directors
Christopher Folino, Todd Burrows
Starring
Chase Williamson, Ashley Bell, Clancy Brown, Jake Busey

A masked vigilante who discovers the dark side to heroism. Going after the nation's most notorious super criminal leaves Sparks' life and reputation in ruins.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Sparks?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Sparks on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Sparks?

Sparks earns 3 badges, led by Cult Classic and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Sparks worth watching?

Sparks' Midcredits score is the 28th percentile of all films, from 6.8K ratings across 4 sources. 41% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

28th percentile

Better received than 28% of films

43rd percentile among Action29th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)19th
Approval (how many liked it)39th

51 /100

19th percentile of all films

30th percentile among Action21st percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Big peaks at both ends — people either love this or bounce off it hard.

41% liked it

39th percentile of all films

54th percentile among Action39th percentile among 2010s
41% rated it 7–1059% rated it 1–6

Critics 83% · Audience 75%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 1 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

68th percentile

6.8K ratings across platforms

53rd percentile among Action71st percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 25% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A low-budget independent film that consciously blends film noir with superhero tropes, drawing clear inspiration from Watchmen and Sin City.

Fans praised

  • authentic noir atmosphere and 1940s aesthetic
  • complex, morally gray narrative with genuine character arcs
  • strong ensemble cast including Clancy Brown and William Katt

Detractors panned

  • amateurish acting and wooden lead performance
  • cheap, unconvincing visual effects and green-screen look
  • derivative plot mixing Watchmen, Sin City, and Kick-Ass

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive60

fans love the noir mood and period feel, detractors see cheap imitation

Plot and storyDivisive50

fans see complex noir structure, detractors see incoherent and derivative

CharactersDivisive45

fans value moral ambiguity, detractors find them unengaging and poorly developed

PacingDivisive40

mixed feedback on momentum, some find it too long with repetitive footage

ActingDivisive35

divisive: fans praise commitment of known character actors, detractors call it wooden and amateurish

DialogueDivisive30

detractors call it cringeworthy and cheesy; a few fans note period-appropriate tone

OriginalityDivisive25

almost universally seen as derivative of Watchmen, Sin City, and Kick-Ass

Effects and spectacleDivisive20

widely panned as crude, distracting, low-budget CGI and poor action choreography

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 82 points higher than men.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 7 points apart

Watch experience

What is Sparks like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you satisfied.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDread
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Brutal · 7% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its superhero origin and vengeance story straight but with a grim, pulp edge, treating its dark events with earnest seriousness.
The rideThe synopsis builds from action-packed partnership to loss and a rage-fueled quest, with the heaviest emotional weight likely in the later vengeance phase.
StructureThe synopsis describes a linear sequence: origin, partnership, loss, and quest for vengeance, suggesting a conventional three-act structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Satisfied.

Cathartic · 6% of filmsHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe vengeance quest and loss likely provide a cathartic release, while the ambiguous ending and dark journey leave a haunting impression.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Tragedy underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe protagonist's quest for vengeance against a nation's most twisted arch-villain suggests a monster narrative; the fall from duo to loss points to tragedy. The villain is described as a national-scale threat, loosely fitting oppressive state.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfRevengeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% (this title) · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% (this title) · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Revenge · 4% of filmsViolence · 4% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Ian Sparks' rage-fueled quest for vengeance after losing his parents and then everything else, exploring how violence and revenge consume him.
StanceThe film warns about the destructive cost of revenge, as Ian's quest for vengeance threatens to change the world and alter his destiny.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanScience fiction
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score · Jacob Shea
SettingSuperhero-infested mean streets of New York City after a radioactive meteor
MusicJacob Shea, known for epic sci-fi scores, likely provides a brooding and action-driven soundtrack.

Content guide

Is Sparks okay for kids?

Not Rated

Sparks is not rated. As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (78/100), sexual content at minimal (11/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (56/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • Germany16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (12 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Sparks have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Sparks?

Cast

Chase Williamson
as Ian Sparks
Ashley Bell
as Lady Heavenly
Clancy Brown
as Archer
Jake Busey
as Sledge
William Katt
as Matanza
Marina Squerciati
as Dawn
Clint Howard
as Gordon Eldridge
Scott Rinker
as Mr. Docherty
David Sobolov
as Jason Driver
Larry Cedar
as Mr. Prather

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Sparks?

Movies like Sparks include Punisher: War Zone (2008), Man-Thing (2005) and Darkman (1990). Of the 12 closest matches, most are revenge thrillers, and several are sci-fi films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its world: superhero. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Sparks?

552 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: supervillain. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.