SuperBob (2015) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film is set primarily in Peckham, London, where Bob works as a postman and where the meteor fragment first hits, granting him his powers. The Shard appears as a dramatic landmark during moments of chaos, anchoring the story in modern London. Colombia represents the dream destination Bob and Dorris pursue for a free life away from state control, while Afghanistan appears as a geopolitical backdrop illustrating how politics intrudes into personal lives.

• peckham
• london
• setting
• locations
• the shard

The story begins in 2008 when the meteor fragment hits Peckham and transforms Bob into a superhero. Six years then pass, bringing the narrative to around 2014. The film blends late-2000s documentary-style storytelling with early-2010s political undercurrents, grounding the hero's journey in a recognizable contemporary era.

• 2008
• 2014
• time period
• era
• timeline

SuperBob explores how extraordinary power tests personal ethics and relationships. The film examines the tension between serving the state and preserving individual conscience, questioning whether institutions should govern power or if personal morality should lead. True heroism, the film argues, emerges from choices that protect people rather than wielding unchecked power.

• power
• humanity
• theme
• heroism
• conscience
• ethics

The film centers on Bob resigning from the MOD and becoming freelance, choosing autonomy over state service. His escape from surveillance represents a commitment to defining his own path rather than following institutional orders. Together with Dorris, he pursues a life in Colombia, turning away from geopolitics toward direct, tangible help for others. The movie presents personal agency as a form of heroism grounded in responsibility to people.

• freedom
• agency
• choice
• autonomy
• independence

Bob's relationships with June, Dorris, Pat, and Barry form the emotional core of the film. The romance and friendships are tested by political manipulation and the pull of public image. Trust becomes challenged as the documentary frame blurs personal and political motives. Ultimately, love guides Bob toward choosing a life of mutual aid rather than fame, steering him away from institutional control.

• love
• loyalty
• relationships
• trust
• romance

Bob Kenner is a mild-mannered postman who gains extraordinary superpowers after a meteor fragment hits Peckham in 2008. He works for the MOD as a state-controlled superhero while struggling to balance his heroic duties with his personal life. His journey from a government asset to an autonomous hero who chooses personal happiness defines the core of the film's narrative.

• bob
• protagonist
• superhero
• postman
• main character

Theresa is Bob's ruthless boss at the MOD who leverages the superhero for political aims. She orchestrates narratives to shape public perception and manipulates schedules and alliances for institutional benefit. Theresa represents the conflict between personal loyalty and institutional power, driving the film's examination of how state interests can conflict with individual conscience.

• theresa
• mod boss
• villain
• government
• antagonist

Dorris is a caretaker who also watches over Pat, Bob's mother. She nurtures a dream of opening a nursery in Colombia where she and Bob can help children and live freely away from state power. Her bond with Bob motivates him to leave the MOD and pursue a life beyond institutional control, making her central to his decision to embrace freedom and agency.

• dorris
• character
• nursery
• colombia
• dream

Bob chooses Colombia as a symbol of escape from state surveillance and political control. With Dorris, he seeks to build a life where they can help children directly through their nursery project, rather than being used as a government weapon. Colombia represents the film's theme of choosing personal freedom and direct compassion over institutional heroism and fame.

• colombia
• escape
• freedom
• new life
• departure

SuperBob uses a documentary frame with a crew chronicling Bob's life, which creates tension between personal reality and media portrayal. The format allows the film to explore how heroism is perceived by the world and how public image can be manipulated by political interests. This narrative choice adds a meta-layer examining the relationship between authentic identity and constructed media narratives.

• documentary
• style
• narrative
• media
• framing