Secret Headquarters (2022) – Movie Plot Summary
A Fun, Family-Friendly Superhero Adventure
Secret Headquarters (2022) is a PG-rated superhero comedy directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman. The film stars Owen Wilson as Jack Kincaid, a regular dad with an extraordinary secret: he is The Guard, a powerful superhero. The movie follows Jack’s son, Charlie (Walker Scobell), as he and his friends uncover Jack’s hidden superhero lair and must protect it from a dangerous villain.
Discovering the Secret
Charlie Kincaid has always thought his dad, Jack, was just a normal IT guy. However, during a birthday weekend at their cabin, Charlie and his friends—Barry (Keith L. Williams), Maya (Momona Tamada), and Lizzie (Abby James Witherspoon)—stumble upon an elevator leading to a high-tech underground lair. To their shock, they discover that Jack is The Guard, a superhero chosen by an alien artifact to protect the world.
As the kids explore the lair, they accidentally trigger a security alert. This alerts the villain, Ansel Argon (Michael Peña), a ruthless CEO who wants to use The Guard’s powers for himself. Argon sends his mercenary, Sean Irons (Jesse Williams), to steal Jack’s secrets and destroy his lair.
A Race Against Time
The kids soon realize that they must defend the lair. They use their new knowledge of Jack’s gadgets and work together to stop Argon’s mercenaries. However, things get even worse when one of the kids, Barry, accidentally sends the lair’s power source through a portal. Argon uses the opportunity to steal Jack’s superhero suit and kidnaps Barry.
Charlie and his friends must act fast. They team up with Sean Irons, who starts to have second thoughts about helping Argon. Together, they plan to rescue Barry and stop Argon’s evil plans. The film culminates in a thrilling showdown during a school dance, where Charlie uses a grenade to defeat Argon and save the day.
Themes and Reception
Secret Headquarters explores themes of family, teamwork, and growing up. It emphasizes the importance of trust and working together. While the film received mixed reviews, it has a lot of appeal for younger audiences. It offers a lighthearted take on superhero stories, focusing more on fun than on intense action.
Critics gave the movie a 46% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and it scored a 47 on Metacritic. Despite this, it has been praised for its family-friendly approach and humorous moments.
Cast and Production
The film stars:
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Owen Wilson as Jack Kincaid/The Guard
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Walker Scobell as Charlie Kincaid
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Michael Peña as Ansel Argon
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Jesse Williams as Sean Irons
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Keith L. Williams as Barry Berger
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Momona Tamada as Maya Monroe
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Abby James Witherspoon as Lizzie
Secret Headquarters was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Paramount Pictures. It was released on Paramount+ on August 12, 2022, and is available for streaming.
