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Mystery Men
EMAILPRINTMCA/Universal Pictures
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 24 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 6 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Comedy
Written by:
Neil Cuthbert
Bob Burden (comic book series by Dark Horse)
Directed by: Kinka Usher
Release Date:
Theatrical: August 6, 1999
DVD: May 7, 2002
Running Time: 121 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: PG-13 for comic action violence and crude humor
Starring Hank Azaria, Geoffrey Rush, Janeane Garofalo, Greg Kinnear, William H. Macy, Paul Reubens, Ben Stiller, and Eddie Izzard
By day, they're a bunch of losers, but by night, they're the Mystery Men...a rag team of superhero wannabes who emerge from the darkness to fight the evil madman Cassanova Frankenstein and his disco-dancing henchmen. (Universal Pictures)
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
San Francisco Chronicle Bob Graham
Maybe it's no mystery how they did it, considering the aggregate comic talent, but this bunch achieves peaks of sublime nuttiness.
Read Full Review >Slate David Edelstein
One of those half-straight, half-spoof comic-book extravaganzas that don't ever work, and what's neat is that this one does--beautifully.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan
It's clever, amusing, clever, visually inventive, clever, well-cast .
Read Full Review >New Times (L.A.) Hal Hinson
The movie seems almost loving toward its characters, so much so that we can't help but fall for this gang of losers.
Read Full Review >ReelViews James Berardinelli
At long last, someone has crafted a worthwhile superhero spoof.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Mark Caro
They're a ragtag assembly for sure, and the results aren't pretty. But on a simple mission of entertainment, they get the job done.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Gary Dauphin
Mystery Men is wryly sentimental stuff, but it's also pretty sharp.
Read Full Review >Variety Godfrey Chesire
Sharply written, with a lavish look and top-drawer effects adding to the appeal of its large and talented cast, pic achieves a nice balance of fondness and satiric snap, character laughs and goofy action.
Read Full Review >Newsweek Laura Shin
A lightly entertaining, though not hilarious, film parody of comic book heroes.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader Lisa Alspector
The characters have been designed to make fun of themselves, disguising the craft of writer Neil Cuthbert and director Kinka Usher in getting us to laugh at them.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Elvis Mitchell
A terrific offbeat cast operating on one shared, loony wavelength.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum
This hip send-up of the superhero lifestyle has a bunch of great comic bits from a group of great, eccentric talents, but not enough bourgeois discipline to see the story through.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Michael O'Sullivan
One half of a very funny movie, and half a funny movie is better than none.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Rita Kempley
A live-action cartoon without dramatic focus, a solid structure or discernible theme.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Maitland McDonagh
This loving parody is steeped in comic book trivia and lore: The more you know, the more heartfelt your response to the film is likely to be.
Read Full Review >Film Threat Ron Wells
At least the studio hired enough likable scene-stealing actors and comedians to carry the bloated carcass of this film over the course of two hours.
Read Full Review >Salon.com Stephanie Zacharek
Mystery Men is supposed to be an action comedy, but there isn't nearly enough of either.
Read Full Review >Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
It's a long, shapeless, undisciplined mess, and every once in awhile it generates a big laugh.
Read Full Review >Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt
The movie will disappoint people expecting a genuine superhero epic or an over-the-top spoof. But those in the mood for an offbeat satire with a gifted cast will have a surprisingly good time.
Read Full Review >Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold
Mystery Men must have seemed magically goofy on storyboards, but has somehow turned into unappealing mush by the time it made it to the screen.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club) Keith Phipps
The characters are funny and the cast's characterizations right on, but the movie repeatedly lets them down.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 6.6 (out of 10) based on 6 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Dale D. gave it a9:
This is a great movie to watch several times. The characters are right on for adolesent males that never grew up. Its a smart comedey that not everyone will appreciate. For this 40 something reviewer it brings back some fond memories of sitting around in the local Freindly's restaurant planning how we were going to save the world, feeble attempts to pick up girls, and being a good friend to your fellow misfits.
Teemu gave it a1:
Possibly the worst movie I have ever seen. Crappy characters crappy plot and weel it's all crap. Reason I'm giving it 1rating and not 0 is because I didn't trhow up during this horrible movie.
Cameron S. gave it a 3:
I don't know why, but this was one of the most painful experiences I had ever suffered when I had to bare through it in theatres. There might have been some bright moments of comedy, but by the end, it's a frustrating mess of unenjoyable nastiness. I was very surprised when I saw that it had been relatively well reviewed here and at rotten tomatoes. Maybe my assessment is wrong, but by the end of the film, it just collapsed and I couldnt stand it. There are many better comic book films out there.
[Anonymous] gave it a 9:
If you aren't into visual gags and physical comedy, like flying cutlery and wicked wedgies from shrinking clothes, this may not be your thing. But it's worth noting that this particular portion of the film simply serves as punctuation for what is a very smart and often hilarious story. Great acting by several reliable Hollywood workhorses--particularly Garofalo and Macy, who is always good.
Mike M. gave it a 9:
Loveable losers by day, misfit superheroes by night. A good comic book movie helped by such comedic acts of Paul Ruebens (Pee Wee Herman), Kel Mitchell (Keenan and Kel) and Hank Azaria (The Simpsons). There was a time it seemed like Willam H. Macy was in all the movies I saw, and in this movie I believe he played his role well. Casanova Frankenstein's henchmen (Tony P. & Big Red) could have stayed in the 70's but the other assorted "bad guys" at his party were cool. Overall, I loved the cast, it was creative and funny; perhaps just a little too campy for some people.
