Justice Gets Messy With No Rules

Read Time:5 Minute, 22 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Warden
–

Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 1h 30m
Director(s): Marcus Alqueres
Writer(s): Jeff Juhasz
Cast: Giovanni de Lorenzi, Alli Willow, James Turpin, Antonio Saboia, Bukassa Kabengele, Nathalia Florentino, Brian Townes
Where to Watch: Available now via VOD

RAVING REVIEW: Occasionally, we get a superhero story that doesn’t try to be bigger—it tries to be something more. WARDEN doesn’t concern itself with world-ending threats or galaxy-spanning villains. It takes the cape-and-power fantasy and reimagines it with a distinctly human lens, stripped of grandeur and spectacle. By shaping the narrative through a faux-documentary style, it doesn’t ask what we’d do with powers—but what the world would do about them.

Instead of starting with flashy battles or an in-your-face origin story, WARDEN drops us into the aftermath. The legend of its superpowered figure is built not through exposition but through a carefully curated media collage: phone footage, news reports, CCTV reels, and an ensemble of talking heads. It’s part character study, part public trial. This isn’t a superhero on a journey to find his place in the universe; this is a man in a decaying city, doing what he believes is right—and watching the world try to figure out what to do with him.

Daniel Dias, played by Giovanni de Lorenzi, becomes Warden almost by necessity. Orphaned under suspicious circumstances and exposed to strange forces in his youth, Daniel develops abilities that set him apart—strength, resilience, and later, flight. But instead of being guided by a mentor or absorbed into a team, he navigates his abilities through instinct, comic books, and observation. He begins acting against crime and corruption, but the lines blur almost immediately. The rulebook he’s reading from doesn’t match the rules society’s written.

It’s when de Lorenzi’s performance hits an intriguing note—not loud, not dramatic, but quietly absorbing that the film hits. Daniel isn’t portrayed as noble or unhinged. He’s a bit of both. That ambiguity is amplified by the film’s format, which rarely gives us direct access to him. Most of what we learn comes through others: people who knew him, think they knew him, or want to use his image for their gain. His life unfolds through filters—political, emotional, social. And that means the audience is constantly negotiating the truth.

WARDEN’s lo-fi aesthetic isn’t just a budgetary choice; it’s a narrative one. The film grounds its superpowered story in something far more immediate by relying on camcorder footage, viral videos, and handheld news interviews. Action is used sparingly but purposefully, showing us glimpses of Daniel’s strength in fleeting moments rather than drawn-out battles. When you see him fly, it’s through the lens of a shaky smartphone, giving the illusion that this could happen here—if you just happened to be looking up.

The mockumentary structure opens the floodgates for a larger conversation. WARDEN isn’t focused on the mechanics of being superhuman—it’s fixated on the ripple effect of one person stepping outside the boundaries of law and being allowed, even encouraged, to keep going. Some interviewees praise him. Others fear him. A few try to co-opt him. The film never tells you what to think; it simply lays out the reactions and lets the viewer sort through the noise.

WARDEN also gets credit for framing its supporting characters. Alli Willow and Antonio Saboia add believable weight to the story’s wider ecosystem. Like the many voices in this fragmented narrative, their contributions enrich the idea that this isn’t Daniel’s story alone—it’s about how a community reacts when someone steps out of the crowd and rewrites the script.

Director Marcus Alqueres, with a background in visual effects, takes a surprisingly restrained approach. He doesn’t overreach with his ambitions. Instead, he leans into the constraints, embracing a less-is-more philosophy. WARDEN isn’t visually out there, and that works in its favor. The world it builds looks just a few clicks away from our own.

That said, the distance also makes space for bigger-picture questions. The movie doesn’t just examine Daniel—it interrogates us. We tend to mythologize, project, or excuse behavior when it suits our beliefs. The film lingers on the idea that societies will often empower someone to break the rules if the outcome benefits them—and then act surprised when that same person breaks the wrong ones later.

The movie reinvents a familiar genre without reinventing the entire world. It relies on a smart structure, restrained effects, and sharp direction to create something that doesn’t feel recycled. WARDEN might not change the superhero landscape, but it carves out a bold little corner and holds a mirror up to what we think a hero should be. It’s not about spectacle. It’s about response. And in a time when power—real or imagined—is always under the microscope, that makes it worth the watch.

Please visit https://linktr.ee/overlyhonestr for more reviews.

You can follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. My social media accounts can also be found on most platforms by searching Overly Honest Reviews.

I’m always happy to hear from my readers; please say hi or send me any questions about movies.

[photo courtesy of NEW LEAGUE]

DISCLAIMER:
At Overly Honest Movie Reviews, we value honesty and transparency. Occasionally, we receive free items for review, including DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, Vinyl, Books, etc. We assure you that these arrangements do not influence our reviews, as we are committed to providing unbiased and sincere evaluations. We aim to help you make informed entertainment choices regardless of our relationship with distributors or producers.

Amazon Affiliate Links:
Additionally, this site contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may receive a commission. This affiliate arrangement does not affect our commitment to honest reviews and helps support our site. We appreciate your trust and support in navigating these links.