Exo-Man


Exo-Man is a 1977 made-for-TV superhero film directed by Richard Irving. The film's screenplay was written by Henri Simoun and Lionel E. Siegel from a story by Martin Caidin and Henri Simoun. It stars David Ackroyd, Anne Schedeen, A Martinez, and José Ferrer.
According to Unsold TV Pilots written by Lee Goldberg the film was intended as a pilot for a continuing series. Goldberg claims the film was not accepted for series production due to lack of merchandising potential, despite relatively successful viewing numbers.

Plot

Nick Conrad is a brilliant, headstrong, determined young physics professor and researcher. His girlfriend is Emily, an artist. He is working on a material to convert ultraviolet light directly into mechanical force.
Local criminal kingpin Kermit Haas is told that a Chicago crime boss has sent a team to rob a bank, including his trigger-happy nephew.
Nick mentors promising graduate lab assistant Raphael and offers to co-sign a loan so Raphael can study without having to work late nights. The robbers enter while they’re completing the loan application. A guard kills two of the robbers and Nick chases and catches the surviving robber, the crime boss’s nephew. Haas gives the order to eliminate Nick to keep him from testifying against the nephew. Rafael warns Nick that he should have police protection before the trial, but Nick is resistant.
Nick makes no progress on his material, as happy-go-lucky lab assistant Eddie is sloppy and doesn’t keep accurate records. During one late night lab session, Nick lets Eddie take his sports car to get pizza. Eddie is killed by a bomb in the car. Nick reluctantly accepts police protection
Haas’s henchman Emil Horst masquerades as a resident in Nick’s apartment building. He breaks Nick’s back with a steel pipe in the laundry room, but is interrupted by police and has to flee before he can deliver the killing blow. Doctors tell Nick that he is permanently paraplegic. Nick is determined to testify, until Haas’s lieutenant phones and threatens to kill Emily. Nick changes his mind and refuses to testify, calling the police protection useless. He becomes reclusive and pushes Emily away to protect her. Frustrated and restless, Nick returns to the lab and works tirelessly.
Arthur Travis, a representative of the governor’s anti-crime commission visits Nick on campus and leaves him a mug book to see if he can identify his attacker, assuring him that the police will not be involved. Nick recognizes the photo of Horst but denies that he does. Travis tells Nick that Horst is only a henchman and Haas is the man who ordered his attempted murder, but the only way to stop Haas is to get his records.
Nick goes to an exhibition of Emily’s artwork. When he sees Emily, he flees into an adjacent room, an exhibit of medieval armor, to avoid her. He draws inspiration from the suits. After many tries, Nick finally is able to produce a successful batch of material. Borrowing expertise and materials from his fellow physics professors and researchers – including a bulletproof polymer – Nick has a body cast made and fabricates a carapace and helmet for himself, combining it with chain mail over his extremities and his own material to allow him to walk again. He purchases a step van and equips it with a wheelchair lift and scientific equipment inside, including a clamshell press that clamps over him and encases him in the suit.
Nick reconciles with Emily and apologizes, then secretly arranges for a friend in Boston to give her an art show to send her out of town.
Nick asks Raphael to have his policeman cousin look into Emile’s record to find out his location and habits. Raphael provides the information. Nick tells Raphael about a journal that should be delivered if anything should happen to him. Nick confronts Horst at his house and goads him with a threat to testify. That night, Horst follows the van to Nick’s warehouse, his base of operations. Nick dons the suit and terrorizes Horst. Horst tries to escape the seemingly indestructible Exo-Man by climbing a pipe but it rips free and he falls to his death.
Emily returns prematurely and confronts Nick. He confesses that he was trying to protect her and tells her about the suit.
Nick gets into the suit again and attacks Haas’s fortified mansion. The guards are unable to stop him. Pursued by Exo-Man, Haas retreats to his basement vault but Exo-Man smashes through the door. The terrified Haas empties his gun at Exo-Man and is puzzled when the lumbering creature only takes his ledger books.
Travis tells Nick that he received an anonymous tip to look for Haas’s records in a hidden place, which led to Haas's indictment. He knowingly but cryptically says he may want to discuss more “problems” with Nick.

Cast

Reception

The show has gained a negative criticism since it aired from Io9 and Topless Robot. The latter writes, "A series that was bold in its vision of screwing Stan Lee out of a check, Exo Man is an Iron Man clone of the highest order."