It's hard to imagine a year go by where you don't see someone in a latex body-stocking flying through the sky while buildings crumble all around them. Or, in other words, a superhero movie. Marvel's dominance reigns supreme these days and DC does its best to mop up any gap in the filmic calendar year that Marvel don't already have a stranglehold on. However, back in the 'olden days' of 1999, just dressing someone up in a silly costume wasn't enough to guarantee a billion dollars at the Box Office. That's probably why 'Mystery Men' never really made much of an impact back then and only really fills a niche gap in the market today. We're introduced to a world of superheroes, or rather ONE superhero – the unsubtly-titled 'Captain Amazing' – a man who has dedicated his life to protecting the city from wrong-doers and has therefore enjoyed all the lucrative benefits that come with it, i.e. corporate sponsorship and women. In fact, he's protected the city so well that there's hardly a super villain left worthy enough to take him on. So, while he spends much of his time as his (completely unrecognisable, glasses-wearing) alter-ego, it's up to another band of 'heroes' to mop up the few thieves still daring to snatch old ladies' purses. However, these heroes are anything but 'super.' Their 'powers' are unusual at best. We have a man who gets angry to the point of, er, being very angry. A man who puts on a fake British accent while he throws forks and a guy who hits people with a shovel. Not a Batarang to be seen among them! Nowadays, when you look at the cast of 'Mystery Men' it almost reads like a who's who of Hollywood. Yet, back then all the stars seemed to be faces who you kind of knew because you'd seen them before in… oh, you know… it was him out of that thing on TV. You have Ben Stiller, William H Macy, Greg Kinnear, Eddie Izzard and Geoffrey Rush to name but a few. It's a pretty impressive ensemble, so I always wondered why it was never bigger than it seemed to be. I guess at the time people may have thought it was a superhero movie and, due to the public seemingly thinking that all superhero movies were like 'Batman and Robin' they stayed away, plus Ben Stiller's star hadn't quite peaked back then, so it couldn't ride on his future post 'Something About Mary' popularity. Plus it might be difficult to market, as, on first inspection, you could be mistaken for thinking it was a 'proper' superhero film, i.e. complete with giant budget and epic action set-pieces. Then again, if you look closely at the silly costumes and the fact that one woman is using the skull of her father inside a 'magic' bowling ball as a weapon, you could be forgiven for thinking that it's a straight comedy. However, again, it may have many funny moments, but you wouldn't call it a 'laugh-a-minute' ride.'Mystery Men' is one of those films that dips in and out of various genres. Personally, I'd call it a 'satire of the superhero genre.' Now, I enjoy both DC and Marvel's current crops so I like to think I'm well up on the various conventions and clichés associated with the genre. Therefore, when I watch 'Mystery Men' I can appreciate how much work has gone into lampooning it. However, when it was released the genre it was parodying wasn't established enough to really sell this movie. If you're looking for something that takes a satirical, yet loving, swipe at all things superhero-related, then you should definitely check this out. Don't expect total action. Don't expect outright comedy. Expect a subtle blend of the two. If you've ever read the cult comic 'Astro City' you'll know the tone of this film.

I've always been both fascinated and puzzled by Mystery Men. It's essentially a titanic budget spent on a bunch of inane tomfoolery that makes sense neither as satire, straight up comedy, serious superhero fare or anything in between. And yet, it's so much fun, coming out a complete winner despite any odds it dodges on the way. I bring it up because Suicide Squad is coming soon, and for whatever reason every trailer and bit of marketing for it so far reminds me of this one. Couldn't even really say why, just something about the vibe and aesthetic of both films that seems distantly related. Could just be me being strange, which is the word in question for this one. It's bizarre beyond belief, stylized to a point where Dr. Seuss would get dizzy and full of abstract, off the wall humour that requires you to coast along in the same delirium as the characters before you really get it. It takes place in Champion City, a cluttered metropolis that makes Gotham look like dullest suburbia. It's a place populated by heinous, eccentric super villains, one legitimate superhero and a bunch of misfits who fancy themselves costumed crimefighters. When theatrical arch menace Casanova Frankenstein (Geoffrey Wright proved to me that he could top Barbosa, no easy feat in my books) is booted from prison, he launches into his old ways, ransacking the city and bringing hero Captain Fantastic (Greg Kinnear), to his knees. It's now up to a hilarious group of lovable buffoons to bring him and his minions down. You better sit down before I describe these guys, cuz they're too good to be true. Ben Stiller is Mr. Furious, a dude who believes he can get so angry he has super strength... except..not. William H. Macy plays The Shoveler, who pretty much shovels. Janeane Garofalo is The Bowler, who carries a ball with the essence of her superhero dad trapped inside. Kel Mitchell is the Invisible Boy, who is only invisible when nobody is looking. My favourite by far is The Blue Raja (a scene stealing Hank Azaria), a turban wearing, plummy British accent spouting dude whose weapons of choice are forks, which he flings about the place like ninja stars. I could go on and on about every little quirk and stroke of genius, but I'd rather let you discover it all yourself, and immerse yourself in the giddy treasure chest that is this film. I must make mention of Tom Waits as a scientist who designs elaborate and "non lethal" weapons. Man, this movie rocks. Additional flair is provided by Lena Olin, Ned Bellamy, Claire Forlani, Paul Reubens, Wes Studi (whose character cuts guns in half with his mind and blurts out endless paradoxical platitudes) and Eddie Izzard. There's a few hidden moments of emotion that take you off guard like easter eggs amongst the lunacy, for all you folks who want a side of seriousness with your buffoon burger. This isn't everyone's thing, but check 'er out anyways, just to make sure. It's one of my favourites.

Mr. Furious (Ben Stiller), Blue Raja (Hank Azaria) and the Shoveler (William H. Macy) are rather incompetent superheroes of Champion City. They are rescued by the endorsement-obsessed Captain Amazing/tycoon Lance Hunt (Greg Kinnear). All the big villains are gone. When he loses an endorsement, Captain Amazing helps Casanova Frankenstein (Geoffrey Rush) get parole from the asylum in hopes of fighting him for the popularity. Tony P (Eddie Izzard) and the disco boys join Casanova and his psychiatrist Dr. Anabel Leek (Lena Olin) to reign terror in the city. Captain Amazing is captured by Casanova and Furious leads the group to try to rescue him. However the disco boys are too competent and the gang needs to recruit new superheroes. Invisible Boy (Kel Mitchell) can only be invisible when nobody is watching him. The Spleen (Paul Reubens) can fart at will rendering the target unconscious. The Bowler (Janeane Garofalo) has a bowling ball with her heroic father's possessed skull. The gang is rescued by the Spinx (Wes Studi) who can mentally cut guns in half. Doc Heller (Tom Waits) makes non-lethal weapons.There are two characters that are actually funny. The rest are deliberately quirky without being funny. Spleen is funny. Fart jokes will always work and Reubens is great at it. Garofalo is kinda funny at times. Her big contribution is that she makes others funnier especially Stiller. Furious is silly but not that funny until he starts arguing with Garofalo. The movie is too overloaded with characters. The concept is fun. When it hits, it's hilarious. Even when it misses, it's still kinda cute.

The year is 1999 and the place is Champion City and all of the super villains are either dead or behind bars, so in a city over run with super heroes, there is no work. So the greatest super hero, Captain Amazing, decides to manipulate a few things to keep his sponsorship, and releases Cassanova Frankinstein. Unfortunately Cassanova gets the better of him and kills him so it is up to a hopeless trio: the Blue Rajah, The Shovel, and Mr Furious, to get him back. Unfortunately they are hopeless so they recruit some more, landing up with the Invisible Man, the Spleen, and the Bowler's daughter. Then the Sphinx, a mysterious figure, turns up to train them.This movie, which is actually based on a comic series of the same name, is a farce of super hero movies. The mad inventor emphasises that all of his inventions are non-lethal, the Blue Rajah throws spoons and forks, but not knives, the Shovel is married with kids and his wife tries to tell him that maybe the superhero business is not cut out for him, and nobody finds Mr Furious threatening, at all.It is a cute little movie and deals with these mystery men's right of ascension. Now that Captain Amazing is dead, a new lot of super heroes are needed, and unfortunately all they have are these guys. The Blue Rajah lives with his mother and Mr Furious is trying too hard to be something that he is not. In the end, when Mr Furious comes to terms with who he really is, a guy named Roy, then he becomes Mr Furious.This is a pretty cool movie, and I do recommend it, but it is not one that stands out so much that one would want to see it again and again. I guess there is a little criticism here, but in the end any comment that it would want to make, simply falls down into a pool of laughs and weirdness. It may be weird, but it is not the weird that makes me interested in the movie.