Woody Harrelson is probably never going to be a star whose depths of deceptive talent are fully and widely recognized. This is in large part because he’s so affable that he’s most frequently cast in comedies (e.g., Semi-Pro), but also because his contrarian streak will likely prevent him from re-ascending to the leading man career heights he could have conceivably scaled in the wake of his lauded turn in The People Vs. Larry Flynt. He got some awards circuit attention (and heck, even an Oscar nomination) for the under-received coming-home drama The Messenger, but Harrelson acolytes know his other 2009 work, in Defendor and Zombieland, are, to paraphrase Beck, where it’s really at.

In Defendor, Harrelson plays introverted construction worker Arthur Poppington, who doesn’t need superpowers or fancy toys to fight crime. Armed only with a childlike sense of wonder and a quirky arsenal of cheap, homemade gadgets — like jars of wasps, bags of marbles and an old billyclub he inherited from his grandfather — at night Arthur becomes Defendor, a black-clad vigilante with a duct-taped costume. Obsessed with finding the city’s most fearsome crime boss, Arthur finds an unexpected partner when he rescues and falls for a local junkie prostitute, Katerina Debrofkowitz (Kat Dennings), herself on the run from a shit-heel undercover cop, Chuck Dooney (Elias Koteas). Action and a pinch of angst ensues, with Harrelson crafting a character that is by turns goofy and sympathetic.

Defendor marks the directorial debut of actor Peter Stebbings, who also wrote the screenplay, and while its area of inquiry — a guy playing superhero — would seem to be a rather cheap and potentially empty grab at commercial significance, Stebbings infuses his work with a depth of feeling and honesty rare for comedies, and even indie film in general. Defendor isn’t ever really laugh-out-loud funny, at least not consistently; it’s more of a slow-burn thing, which in a way matches the low-fi vibe that the film’s production design helps establish. (Arthur records all his exploits on VHS, with a camera strapped to his helmet.) There’s a split-structure aspect as well, with Sandra Oh popping up as a therapist questioning Arthur in the wake of his apparent arrest. This gives the movie something of a stuttering feel, since tonally you’re jerked back and forth between Arthur’s vigilante quest and burgeoning relationship with Katerina, and this mystery of how and why he’s been nabbed.

Stebbings also never resolves how to integrate Arthur into the existing power structure (i.e., the police) within the city. Chuck becomes an immediate enemy, for both reasons related to Katerina as well as other factors. The precinct captain, or whomever, is also given a few scenes with Arthur, and it’s clear that he regards him as for the most part not that dangerous. But it’s not quite fully exploited, either for comedic or dramatic effect. Still, Harrelson’s performance locates real pathos, without ever simplifying Arthur into a complete boob. Stebbings, too, crafts a small, to-scale world of action and consequence; his movie feels nicely pieced together. The only big blow to its hold, really, is composer John Rowley’s terrifically unimaginative and on-the-nose score, which apes square-jawed, into-the-breach heroism without adding any ironic undercurrent to it, and sounds tinny to boot.

Housed in a regular plastic Amaray case, Defendor comes to DVD presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, with English, Spanish, Portuguese and Thai language tracks in Dolby digital 5.1 surround sound. Optional English SDH, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese and Thai subtitles are also included. An audio commentary track with Stebbings, Dennings, Harrelson and producer Nicholas Tabarrok (Left Behind) kicks off the robust slate of supplemental material that helps additionally elevate this title.

There are also deleted scenes, as well as five robust making-of featurettes which run around 10 minutes apiece, and cover the entire creative process, from scripting through pre-production, casting and shooting. Stebbings talks about being wowed by Harrelson (and his prominent jawline) in No Country for Old Men, and receiving a hemp sweater as a gift from his star, at the wrap of production. Two-and-a-half minutes of bloopers wrap things up, with Koteas getting his jacket stuck in a car door and mock-swatting wasps that will be added later, via CGI; Harrelson also goes method, using a real hacksaw on his cast but eventually breaking character when Stebbings drags his feet in calling “cut.” To purchase the DVD via Amazon, click here. B (Movie) A (Disc)