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movie review - Mystery Men

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-eight years and a million words

Silly but amusing, this is a sometimes awkward flick that dives into the world of comic book heroes without shame. It's hit-and-miss throughout, with some dreadfully dull scenes, but I liked it well enough. The reaction of the gang I saw it with was quite varied, ranging from those who hated it (people with childhoods never be-smudged by comic books, eg. the English contingent) to the rest of us, who enjoyed this tale of less than 'super' heroes.

Mystery Men is about a trio of small-time Superheroes in a massive, alternate reality city, where all of the signs are in English, Russian, and some Asian languages. Mostly set at night, it's a Blade Runnery, wet, dark, grungy world, with conflicted city officials (two of whom confusingly where Soviet insignia in one scene) and heroes (with Pepsi logos and a PR agent), creepy retro bad guys, and a blasted landscape.

Garofalo is especially good as always, and the same goes for Macy. Stiller is getting a little boring in his constantly recast Flirting With Disaster role, but Azaria adds much-needed humour as the Blue Rajah to a movie that repeatedly slides into dull, puerile drudgery.

Recommended.