Film

Review: MYSTERY MEN

Mystery Men - movie poster

Based on Flaming Carrot Comics written by Bob Burden, Mystery Men is a movie following a group of Z-level superheroes. These superheroes gather together to save Captain Amazing, who‘s been kidnapped by his arch nemesis.

To best describe Mystery Men, it’s as if the writer watched the anime Tiger and Bunny and wanted to give it a comedic flair. The movie is a blend of 90’s Ben Stiller comedies and old Mel Brooks films.  

Mystery Men is a property that would be perfect in today’s cinematic climate. With superheroes being the hot commodity today, it’s shocking there hasn’t been a second attempt to adapt the property. We live in an era filled with reboots and remakes of old properties. Yet there is dead silence on something that could bring something new for the current landscape. Maybe someone should tweet Phill Lord and Chris Miller about it?

The characters are enjoyable to follow, with a script containing wit and charm. The actors fit great within their roles, with Geoffrey Rush playing the villain Casanova Frankenstein. Something about his acting ability makes him perfect for villains like Casanova. He brings the charm of a Captain Barbosa from the Pirates of the Caribbean films, while adding a little Lex Luthor scenery chewing to the character.
 
No movies is perfect if you ask me, and Mystery Men is no exception.

Unlike Friends or The Office, shows that speak to a more broader audience, I find Mystery Men to have a more closed type of humor, that you are more likely to enjoy if you are a fan of superheroes.  The movie is an obvious product of the time. A couple of the jokes are dated, and you can see from the first frame of footage that this is a movie released before the new millennia.

If you are looking for a solid spoof of the superhero genre, Mystery Men is a must.  If you don’t own it, you can find it on Amazon.

Latest posts by Isak Wolff (see all)

Co-host of the Amateur Otaku Podcast. A writer of many things. Loves everything nerdy from anime/manga to comics and video games. Fire Emblem is the greatest of all time.