Review of Mystery Men (1999) by Matt K — 29 Jan 2009

The movie has quite a bit of stupid juvenile humor, but also spoofs superhero movies pretty well. This is the only movie that the director made, a special feature stated that he directed a whole bunch of commercials before.

This came out the same summer as Smash Mouth's All Star song, a much more memorable tune used here than the one theme song performed by Invisible Boy (Kel Mitchell), probably the weakest actor in the bunch.

There are cameo appearances by Dane Cook, Artie Lange, and a couple other faces that may be recognized. Hip-hop artist Pras, comedian Eddie Izzard, and actresses Lena Olin and Claire Forlani have good light supporting roles.

Wes Studi plays a good mysterious (just on the edge of confusing) wise man coaching the misfit heroes to work as a team. Tom Waits plays a funny genius inventor of non-lethal weapons for the wannabees to use to strengthen their forces.

Greg Kinnear plays the well loved and respected celebrity superhero, whose costume proudly displays his company sponsors like a stock car, and who is captured by the super villain in a screwed up publicity ploy.

This role comes a couple years after his Oscar nom for As Good As It Gets. Geoffrey Rush plays the super villain Casanova Frankenstein who is a strange combination of Gothic Romantic period language and 70's disco style.

This world is mixed culturally and full of people or gangs with weird themes or styles or powers. Frankenstein's world domination plot brings to mind The Warriors and includes some pretty ridiculous special effects in a giant ray gun.

This role comes three years after Rush's Oscar win for Shine and a year after his Oscar nom for Shakespeare in Love. The rest of the Mystery Men team is comprised of a strange grouping of comedians.

Paul "Pee-Wee Herman" Reubens is gross, smelly, and loud mouthed. Janeane Garofalo plays a goth girl with a magical bowling ball that has her dead superhero father's skull inside. Hank Azaria (about a decade into The Simpson's run) plays with a funny British accent, throws forks, and still lives at home with mommy.

William H. Macy (a year after appearing in Pleasantville) plays a strong, reliable family man who fights with a shovel and is the glue that holds the team together. Ben Stiller (who had incredible success with There's Something About Mary the year before) plays a guy who has the lame super power of getting really angry and throwing a tantrum but does not turn into a Hulk like creature, and who cynically leaves the group that he was motivated to build in the first place.

I don't uniformly love all of Stiller's performances, but this one was ok. Still I like that this movie is bizarre and imperfect, yet a little sweet and cartoonishly funny.