Review of Mystery Men (1999) by Travis T — 22 Jul 2010

This is the one superhero movie that tells people that anybody can be a crimefighter, despite not having powers or being the biggest of social misfits- and I loved every minute of it. The writing was wacky and character-driven, the visuals of both the characters and settings were appealing, and the soundtrack had a nice selection of alternative/underground songs (love Smash Mouth's "All-Star").

The cast really brought their characters to bizarre life, bringing out their said characters every quirk and angst against life/dealing with not having the flashiest gimmick or power. Keep your eyes peeled for cameos of Doug Jones, Dane Cook, and Michael Bay, along with Tom Waits as Dr. A. Heller, the team's weapons/gadgets expert.

One reason that I love this movie is that it doesn't try to be flashy or glamorous, like other superhero/comic book movies of the past; it stood out for its deadpan, weird humor and satire on the mythos of superheroes and the criminals they fight.

If you like tongue-in-cheek spoofs on superheroes/villains, like "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, this movie's your signal in the sky.