Mystery Men

Name: Mystery Men
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Comedy
Released: August 6, 1999
Duration: 121 min
Rating: 65
Cast: Ben Stiller, Janeane Garofalo, William H. Macy

1999

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 24 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 113 Ratings

See All

5.7

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

5.7	Your Score
5.7	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 113 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Mystery Men

Now Playing: Mystery Men

Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: August 6, 1999 | PG-13

Starring: Ben Stiller, Janeane Garofalo, William H. Macy

Summary: 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]

Director: Kinka Usher

Genre(s): Action, Fantasy, Comedy

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 121 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

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

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

James Berardinelli

At long last, someone has crafted a worthwhile superhero spoof. Read full review

Elvis Mitchell

A terrific offbeat cast operating on one shared, loony wavelength. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine 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

Rita Kempley

A live-action cartoon without dramatic focus, a solid structure or discernible theme. Read full review

Keith Phipps

The characters are funny and the cast's characterizations right on, but the movie repeatedly lets them down. Read full review

SEE ALL 24 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

SuperheroMovies

Aug 8, 2013

Absolutely hysterical and exceptionally well cast, this parody of superhero movies delivers more than just laughs, it provides striking special effects and characters that can only be described as lovable when it's all said and done.

1 of 10 users found this helpful19

TheCrazyCritic

Oct 28, 2017

This movie although being very clumsy at times mixes two of my favourite genres (superheroes and comedy) and for once can do it in a good, creative and funny way.

1 of 8 users found this helpful17

DawdlingPoet

Nov 28, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a wacky fantasy comedy suitable for most of the family (read on for more on that), which covers themes including fitting in, companionship, It looks visually, while not completely full of CGI, quite comic and somewhat fantastical - it'll appeal to a majority of children, given the interesting cityscapes and the characters unpredictable actions. It is relatively entertaining and fairly unpredictable for the most part. I thought the camerawork was quite good in that it often uses smooth pan/wide shots, zooming in on the relevant area where the scene is set - it alows the viewer to take in the surrounding area and it felt quite good. The characters are rather eccentric and the term bumbling certainly came to mind. Its a case of it being one of those films where the good guys are so painfully unprofessional but they seem like, at the heart of it, decent people, so you (as a viewer) tend to begrudgingly be on their side.

The film features some fun disco tunes in the soundtrack - lets put it this way, it isn't a film that takes itself overly seriously and thats just as well, as its not one thats easy to take very seriously, given the tone, genre, character types and everything. Its not an overly long film, with a total running time of just under two hours its ok - I'd say its fairly entertaining, although its not exactly a massively remarkable film or anything like that, as you've probably realised by now. I thought it was a fairly dialogue heavy film in parts, which could bore younger viewers but on the other hand, it is clearly intended for a relatively young target audience, given that the comedy is quite crude (think toilet humour and the like - youngish boys would likely get a laugh out of some scenes) and there's a decent amount of slapstick comedy. Its not greatly original but I felt it was entertaining all the same. I watch some superhero/Marvel/DC related films from time to time but I wouldn't say I'm a particularly massive fan of that genre as such, so this as a light hearted parody of that type of film didn't offend me. Perhaps some of the content was a little obvious but then, to be fair (I'm not saying this is a good thing as such, for the record) I didn't expect a great deal from it. To be honest, I bought it on DVD from a branch of Poundland earlier this year and for £1, I really can't complain - it was certainly cheaper than renting it. As far as the plot pace is concerned, as I say its dialogue heavy in parts but there are other parts/scenes which are a bit more action packed, with a faster pace. I think it tries a little too hard to be both a character driven film with some potential modicum of depth and a generally entertaining parody style comedy film.

Content wise, this film contains some mild profanities, drug references and some comic/mild violence (what you might see depicted in comic strips and the like), plus one or two mild sex references but nothing very graphic or explicit. As I say it contains toilet based comedy, so expect crude jokes, nothing too racy but the age old 'pull my finger' one is featured multiple times, for one example.

Otherwise, unsurprisingly its not particularly frightening in tone or appearance and thus it carries a PG rating. Very young children would probably get a bit bored by this during the more dialogue heavy scenes, although perhaps pre-teens (age 9 or 10 and older) may enjoy it for the crude humour and the more visual action scenes. All in all, this isn't a toe-curlingly awful film but its not a great one either. Overall it felt quite mediocre, like the sort of family film that might be shown on TV on a Sunday evening during the holidays maybe, although I hadn't heard of it until I bought it. Older kids (as in those who are ok watching live action films and not only animated films, if this helps to clarify that point) would probably enjoy it overall and its a relatively, pretty unoffensive film thus is suitable for most of the family but its hardly a film worth going out of your way to see - I wouldn't have wanted to pay more than the £1 I paid to get it, put it that way (well ok, maybe £1.50 at a strech?). If there's nothing else on TV and your looking for something to watch with your kids, then you could do worse - its mildly amusing but it lets itself down during the scenes that are a bit more dull and dialogue heavy, so I'll go for the 'middle of the road' 5 out of 10 rating in this case.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

KarthXLR

Mar 25, 2011

A movie with an interesting premise with a boring result. The jokes can hardly be called "funny" because half the time they're too dumb or light-hearted to make you laugh. The effects are nice, but they're wasted on a movie that simply doesn't deliver in the end.

4 of 13 users found this helpful49

Seraphina85

Oct 4, 2014

This movie great if your high and you've sold your soul to the devil to act for just the sake of art that has no redeeming qualities, save a great stoner film. There is something seriously wrong with this film, it make me want to cry when I think of 68 million dollar budget. It sickens meThis movie great if your high and you've sold your soul to the devil to act for just the sake of art that has no redeeming qualities, save a great stoner film. There is something seriously wrong with this film, it make me want to cry when I think of 68 million dollar budget. It sickens me and it should sicken all civilized people of the world. It is NOT surprising it made nothing at the box office. Darkness is here and those in the light aren't buying. Give me my medical marijuana.… Expand

13 of 14 users found this helpful131

SEE ALL 5 REVIEWS

81	#81 Best Movie of 1999
81	#81 Most Shared Movie of 1999