Product Details

• Actors: Hank Azaria, Ernie Lee Banks, Claire Forlani, Janeane Garofalo, Eddie Izzard
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Special Edition, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Universal Studios
• VHS Release Date: May 16, 2000
• Run Time: 122 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (230 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0783241585
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #25,492 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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  #9 in	Video > Comedy > Comedy Stars > Ben Stiller
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Ever wonder if there was a class system in the world of superheroes? After all the big names like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, etc., who were the supporting players? The folks assigned to the less-than-stellar gigs of saving only a small part of the world? According to this intermittently successful send-up of comic book heroism, there are indeed masked heroes who struggle and toil for their moment in the super sun. Based on the Dark Horse comic book series, Mystery Men follows the travails of three B-list avengers--Mr. Furious (Ben Stiller), the Shoveler (William H. Macy), and the Blue Raja (Hank Azaria)--as they fight to make themselves known to the citizens of Champion City, quite difficult to do when the flashy Captain Amazing (Greg Kinnear, never better) takes all the cool gigs and has product endorsements up the ying-yang. According to them, it's all a matter of timing--never mind that Mr. Furious never rises above a snit, or that the Blue Raja wears green. Their big break comes when Captain Amazing is abducted by the evil Casanova Frankenstein (Geoffrey Rush), and it's up to this motley crew to save Champion City.

Blessed with a wondrously gifted comic cast and full of droll details, Mystery Men struggles in fits and spurts towards its climax. Transcendently witty in parts, it's also woefully sophomoric in others. Literally, this is the kind of movie in which someone gets off a brilliant line and then sits on a fork. Still, when this movie is rolling, it's gleefully on target, thanks primarily to the mordantly cocky Stiller and Janeane Garofalo as a latecomer to the superhero gang; her secret weapon is a bowling ball in which her dead father's head is encased. The comic chemistry between these two is fierce, and when you add the dryly funny Macy and the endearing Azaria (who finally gets a chance to let loose with his comic gifts), it's a hilarious joyride. Too bad that the gas tank is only half-full; this stunning cast deserves a first-rate vehicle. With Tom Waits as a weapons expert, Claire Forlani as the requisite babe, and Paul Reubens as the Spleen, the world's most flatulent superhero. --Mark Englehart

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Super zeros., February 2, 2000

By	TJ Vanderstoop (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mystery Men (DVD)

Unfortunately the top-notch cast couldn't save this movie's weak script. The sloppy plotting might have been tolerable if this movie had a modicum of pace, but things here move at a glacial pace. The jokes are weak and the opportunity for a satirical look at super heroes is, unfortunately, totally wasted.

On the plus side: Mr Furious (the amazing Ben Stiller) is as hilarious at brooding as he is at getting really, really angry; a truly touching scene between the Blue Raja ( the highly underrated Hank Azaria) and his mother; and who could resist a film where Eddie Izzard plays one of Frankenstein Casanova's (Geoffrey Rush) Disco Kids.

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not worth the time, May 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Mystery Men (DVD)

Laughed from time-to-time. The parody on comic book superheros was humorous, but the movie was lacking in keeping my attention.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Mystery Men a real mystery, February 8, 2000

By	M. MCCABE "bcnz" (NZ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Mystery Men (DVD)

The only mystery (excuse the pun) to me is why several DVD and film review magazines rated this film quite highly. With a strong comedy cast (Stiller, Garafalo etc...) I had high hopes for a great film. Sadly this film turned out to be a big let down. The comedy fell into two ballparks, blatantly obvious slapstick and subtle comedy thats so subtle its not even there. Theres one high point though, and thats the nonsical and nihilistic philosopher The Sphinx. His cliched sayings are the biggest and only laughs in the whole film. The quality of the DVD transfer is very high, and the added extra are quite varied (deleted scenes, origin of chars etc...). If you collect DVDs for collection sake then you'll probably get this no matter what I say, but if you are into good comedies hire it on video or DVD before you decide to add it to your collection.