MYSTERY MEN
1999 --121 mins -- PG -13
Directed by Kinka Usher. Written by Neil Cuthbert, based on the comic characters created by Bob Burden.
Ben Stiller:
Mr. Furious
Hank Azaria:
The
Blue Raja
William H. Macy:
The Shoveler
Janeane Garofalo:
The Bowler
Paul Reubens: The
Spleen
Kel Mitchell:The
Invisible Boy
Wes Studi: The
Sphinx
Geoffrey Rush: Casanova
Frankenstein
Greg Kinnear:
Captain Amazing
Lena Olin: Dr.
Annabel Leek
Claire Forlani:
Monica
Eddie Izzard: Tony
P
Prakazrel Michel (Pras):
Tony C
Tom Waits: Dr.
Heller
Also featuring: Ernie Lee Banks * Gerry Becher * Ned Bellamy * Ricky Jay * Artie Lange * Jenifer Lewis * Michael Bay * Kinka Usher
“How delightfully eccentric, while still being a complete waste of time.”
PLOT SYNOPSIS:
Welcome to Champion City, the bustling metropolis thats protected by beloved superhero Captain Amazing. However, the Captain has defeated all of his worthy foes, and now finds himself stuck in a rut. Desperate for a challenge, he has his worst foe Casanova Frankenstein released from jail. Alas, Frankenstein quickly defeats Amazing and takes him hostage. With Champion City and it's guardian in danger, three wannabe super heroes...Mr. Furious, The Blue Raja and The Shoveler...decide to save the day themselves. But first they need to recruit more allies. They find them in Invisible Boy, The Bowler, The Spleen and The Sphinx. Together, this unlikely band of misfits set out to rescue Captain Amazing, defeat Frankenstein, save Champion City, and prove to the world...and themselves...that they are true heroes.
JANEANES CHARACTER:
Mystery Men is one of Janeane's best roles to date. Considering the big cast in the movie, JG could have been thrown into the background, But instead, she shines throughout the film, and proves how well she functions with other highly talented actors. Janeane is Caroline, a grad student whos father was the legendary hero Carmine The Bowler. Carmine was killed in combat, and now Caroline continues his crusade by wielding his bowling ball...complete with old dad's skull inside...thanks to the folks at Pro Shop.
Janeane has lots of great lines in Mystery Men, and gets to be a part of lots of action. Of the cast, she works best with Stiller (naturally) and Azaria. Lots of big laughs come from her interaction with these co-stars. Another nice touch is the fact that she talks to the skull in her ball, and believes herself to be in conversation with her late father. A bonus point is given for Janeane having the films final piece of dialogue and close up shot!
Janeane received a nomination at The American Comedy Awards for Funniest Actress In A Motion Picture (Leading Role). Well, it ain't an Oscar, but not too shabby.
COMMENTS:
"Garofalo starts out as a mildly appealing tough girl, but her usual shrugging and eye rolling is so magnified here that it wears you out." -- Salon.com
"Better is the firebomb chemistry between Stiller and Garofalo, who are at their most engaging when they’re yelling at each other." -- Savoymag.net
William H. Macy on Janeane: "Janeane is the one who just steals my heart in this. She's a quite a talented writer, and I know she takes great pride in her comedy writing, but she also acts the bejeezus out of this thing."
MY REVIEW:
***
Mystery Men, based on Bob Burden's comic book creations, is a witty, visually impressive spoof on the superhero genre that never insults it's target. There are many hilarious jokes about superheroes, their powers and clichéd scenarios. The humor is a breath of fresh air. The movies first half is extremely funny, especially the superhero audition sequence. Where else could you see The PMS Avenger...who can only work four days a month. Former commercial director Kinka Usher makes an impressive debut here, throwing visual and verbal puns at the audience every few seconds. He shows a great deal of style in showcasing characters, or setting up a scene. On the downside, his use of close ups and odd angles becomes a little tiresome. The movies biggest flaw is that it seems to run out of gas after about an hour and a half. As the Mystery Men launch their final attack on Frankenstein, the film seems to rely less on it's biting humor. The final battle between Furious and Frankenstein lacks any real fun. Despite the fact that movie runs 2 hours, it ends up feeling a little rushed.
The incredible ensemble cast is the key reason for the film's success. Each of the superhero performers make their characters clownish and yet sympathetic and three-dimensional, For laughs, Azaria comes off best as spoon and fork throwing Blue Raja. With his wonderfully hokey English accent and dialogue, the actor makes pretty much everything he says funny. Macy and Stiller (who nearly helmed the movie himself) also come extremely well, buth they all deliver the goods. Greg Kinnear is dead-on target as a parody of the DC-ish old school superhero with an egotistic edge. One of the best jokes revolves around the fact that almost no one can tell Captain Amazing is actually Lance Hunt. As The Shoveler points out...they can't be the same person...Lance wears glasses. Kinnear's facial expressions are priceless. Rush is okay as the disco-dancing villain, but not as much fun as I expected. He came across better in The House On Haunted Hill. As his henchwoman, Lena Olin is something of a non-event. At the beginning, it appears as if she'll be a major player, but instead vanishes after a while, and doesn't even appear in the climax. Other supporting players...Tom Waits, Eddie Izzard, Pras and Claire Forlani get the job done.
Technically, Mystery Men is superb. Kirk M. Petruccelli, the production designer, has created a visually stunning landscape, with a timeless quality to it, much like Terry Gilliam's Brazil, or the Batman movies. The huge, foreboding buildings seem both futuristic and old-world at the same time. Stephen H. Burum, one of the best cinematographers in the biz, lights the night time scenes much like the two previous Batman flicks, while providing the day light sequences with a down-to-earth, low key look. Marilyn Vance, the costume designer, has created some terrific outfits for both heroes and villains. The costumes are wonderfully over the top, most notably the array of clothes for Frankenstein and his henchmen. I wish Janeane has some kind of spandex attire, but what can you do? Groovy disco tunes are scattered throughout the movie, and they're a great addition.
Overall, Mystery Men falls short of greatness, but does provide lots of entertainment.
VIDEO CAPTURES (scanned by me, Earl)
