Mystery Men (1999)

Director:

Kinka Usher

Writers (WGA):

Neil Cuthbert (written by)
Bob Burden (creator: comic book series)

Release Date:

6 August 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Fantasy

Tagline:

This summer expect the unexpected

Plot:

A group of inept amateur superheroes must try to save the day when a supervillian threatens to destroy a major superhero and the city.

Plot Keywords:

Superhero | Sphinx | Spleen | Bowling | Rajah

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Hank Azaria	...	Blue Raja
Janeane Garofalo	...	Bowler
William H. Macy	...	Shoveler
Kel Mitchell	...	Invisible Boy
Paul Reubens	...	Spleen
Ben Stiller	...	Furious
Wes Studi	...	Sphinx
Greg Kinnear	...	Captain Amazing / Lance
Geoffrey Rush	...	Casanova Frankenstein
Lena Olin	...	Dr. Anabel Leek
Eddie Izzard	...	Tony P
Artie Lange	...	Big Red
Pras	...	Tony C (as Prakazrel Michel)
Claire Forlani	...	Monica
Tom Waits	...	Doc Heller

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for comic action violence and crude humor.

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

UK:PG (cut) | Finland:K-10 | Iceland:10 | Iceland:LH (video rating) | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | France:U | Germany:12 | Ireland:PG | Singapore:PG | USA:PG-13 | Netherlands:MG6

Filming Locations:

Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens - 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The two Wonder Women who fight have black and red hair, eerily paralleling the storyline in the Wonder Woman comics where the black-haired Princess Diana is forced to give up the title (and costume) of Wonder Woman to the red-haired Amazon Artemis.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the costume-sewing scene, The Shoveller's measuring tape moves from the inside to the outside of his collar, and switches places throughout that scene.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dr. Heller: [offering an old lady candy at the Senior dance] Would you like something sweet?
Old Lady: [impressed] Oh!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Be Kind Rewind (2008)

Soundtrack:

Disco Inferno

Who Says Superheroes Have To Be Super?

In the history of movies based on comic books, "Mystery Men" is one of the most underrated ones. This is no regular comic superhero movie! It follows the exploits of a motley crew of well-meaning wannabes, which include Mr. Furious (played by Ben Stiller), the Bowler (Janeane Garofalo), the Shoveller (William H. Macy), the Blue Rajah (Hank Azariah) and the Spleen (Paul Reubens). "Mystery Men" spoofs several aspects of superhero movies like "Superman" or "Batman," such as the pithy sayings, and the questions about secret identities. Most of the superheroes aren't billionaires like Bruce Wayne, but blue-collar types with menial jobs and neurotic home lives. So it looks as if director Kinka Usher is making the heroes into something the average viewer can relate to. I found "Mystery Men" to be visually stimulating and very funny. Even if it doesn't turn into a franchise, it's still a joy to watch!