1999 seems so long ago. It is a time BMIII (Before Mission Impossible III). It is a time BIM (Before Iron Man). It is a time before now, which means it is destined to be a time when superhero movies look a tad dated with their quaint pacing, slow fights, and not-of-the-moment special effects.
Yet 1999's Mystery Men has so much more going for it. It has a dozen actors doing funny things, even if the funniness doesn't quite reach the level of full-on satire of the comic book flick (still waiting for that one). Hank Azaria practicing his fake effete British accent in front of a mirror, complete with effete puns, while he brandishes his never-lethal cutlery (his superpower is flinging cutlery, but never knives!). William H. Macy as a deadpan Shoveler. Paul Ruebens in his comeback role. Geoffrey Rush in a delightfully lunatic turn as supervillan Casanova Frankenstein. Janeane Garafolo as The Bowler. Ben Stiller just being goofy. And Greg Kinnear doing his understated but brilliant sleezy thing. What they all have in common is that if each of these funny people did a satire of comic book movies, these are the characters they would play. Azaria over the top and under layers of artifice. Macy as sturdy but somewhat clueless. Ruebens as adolescent weird. Garafolo as conflicted assertive city girl. Stiller doing himself. Kinnear as self absorbed. All with superpowers, sorta.
If they do a sequel, I am first in line.
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