Mystery Men 1999

Critics score:
60 / 100

Reviews provided by RottenTomatoes

Susan Stark, Detroit News: A loud, frenetic, fitfully witty spoof of super-hero sagas. Read more

Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News: A kiddie-level clunker! Read more

Janet Maslin, New York Times: Crafty, witty. Read more

Steve Murray, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Mystery Men is like its hapless heroes. It's a wannabe that has the best intentions -- including a pronounced anti-gun stance -- but none of the knack it takes to save the day, or itself. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: An effort you end up admiring more than completely loving. Read more

Lisa Alspector, Chicago Reader: The characters have been designed to make fun of themselves, disguising the craft of writer Neil Cuthbert and director Kinka Usher in getting us to laugh at them. Read more

Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle: Stretched far too thin for its meager plot, broad characters and lame running jokes. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: Call Mystery Men a sketchbook in search of a movie; it's still a super idea in a summer of flackery. Read more

Simon Houpt, Globe and Mail: Surprisingly, this spoof's heart is genuinely warm. Read more

Rod Dreher, New York Post: This year's The Avengers. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Mystery Men isn't just clever - it's genuinely funny, as well! Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: A long, shapeless, undisciplined mess! Read more

Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com: This droopy action comedy saps Hollywood's best comic actors of their superpowers. Read more

Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle: This bunch achieves peaks of sublime nuttiness. Read more

Derek Adams, Time Out: Usher's amiable spoof of superhero movies takes a brave stab at rewriting the mythology from the inside out, with lots of witty, mildly subversive stuff. Read more

Godfrey Cheshire, Variety: Hip and consistently funny! Read more

Gary Dauphin, Village Voice: Sharp, imaginative. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: Once the team is assembled, Mystery Men kicks into high gear, with a steady blast of sophomoric humor that rarely lets up. Read more