‘Samaritan’: Stallone proves his expressive powers in a modest superhero universe

Sam (Javon Walton, left) suspects his neighbor Joe (Sylvester Stallone) is a superhero long presumed dead in “Samaritan.” (MGM)

We’ve seen how the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Movie Universe are each vast and wondrous, and mind-boggling in their respective complexities. We’re dealing with a seemingly endless multitudes of worlds and characters, people.

With the Sylvester Stallone-starring “Samaritan,” we’re talking about a much smaller superhero vehicle. Even if it were to expand into a prequel or a sequel or a spinoff, it’d be like a Samaritan County or perhaps a Samaritan Greater Tri-State Area more than a whole Samaritan Universe.