What if you suddenly find out that your father is actually your favourite Superhero? What if you discover a secret hideout beneath your house? What if you manage to access the ‘cool’ gadgets when dad-cum-superhero is away?

The new action-adventure movie Secret Headquarters has a very similar situation, making it an all-out comedy film for the whole family.

The movie begins with a family camping trip gone when a flying object chooses Jack, the dad, to become ‘The Guard’ of Earth. Ten years later, Jack is the world’s most powerful superhero but due to his world-saving missions, he is no longer living with his family.

The separation impacted his 14-year-old kid Charlie in a big way and he began losing confidence in his own abilities. But he is always hopeful that ‘The Guard’ will save the day, unaware of his true identity.

The concept isn’t new and many movies have been made on this subject, however, the estranged relationship between Jack and his son makes the ‘discovery’ more interesting.

The movie has Owen Wilson as Jack/The Guard, while seasoned comedian Michael Pena is the bad guy ‘Ansel Argon’. Walker Scobell, last seen in The Adam Project with Ryan Reynolds, plays the role of Charlie and is just as amazing as he was in the time-traveling movie.

On a day when the father was away, Charlie and his friends discover a bat-cave kind of hideout, and one can imagine what follows when superhero stuff land in the hands of kids. While the group is messing around, they have no idea that tech baddie Argon is tracking them with the help of a captain, the only other person who was present when the flying object crashed and turned Jack into The Guard. The bad guys are actually after the orb that serves as Jack’s power source and were quite close to the orb when the kids strike with the cutting-edge technology of The Guard.

The situation is a Home Alone meets Spy Kids kind, but here the young group is the only defence against Argon’s world domination plans.

The sequence when Wilson fights Pena is quite funny, which highlights the problems of fighting in superhero suits.

The 104-minute movie is a full action-adventure-comedy flick, to be enjoyed with all family members. Children will love the jokes and the hideout where there are gadgets from the future, cool superhero suits, unimaginable vehicles and non-stop action, while adults will appreciate the strong thread of family bonds and friendship.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 12th, 2022