Reviews

All right, I was hyped and looking forward to this, so it's probably just my disappointment talking here. Lets start with the great parts: Great Cast. Great Sets. Great FX. And, okay, a couple of good (not great) gags. Lame script. This entire movie is one big gag with a bunch of little gags thrown in like sprinkles on your frozen yogurt. The over all plot was not interesting to me, and seemed like it could have been so much better. On top of this, there were too many characters, and so none of them were developed as well as they could be. Of all the wonderful actors scattered half-hazardly around this plot, only Ben Stiller is developed as a deep character. I would have liked to see Janeane Garofalo used in a much more intelligent way. For instance: her relationship with her father (a very funny running gag) was used only for a couple of short bits, where as it could have been one of the main points of the story. But I digress. I only have one piece of advice for anyone who is thinking of seeing this. DON'T go see "The Matrix" the night before. I did,(for the fourth time) and I think this may have ruined "Mystery Men" for me. A great movie seems only to make a so-so one seem bad.

This movie may not have it all, but it does have most of it. To start with it has Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole, and who could ask for a better cast. Also check out Eli Wallach in a very different role from what you probably remember him doing. On top of this, get ready for lots of laughs, a healthy jigger of romance, an over the top art heist, and one of the best light little plots you'll ever see. It's appropriate for ages nine to ninety, and is nearly perfect. If done today, it would have some sex and violence, but this picture does not need it. I encourage anyone to take a refreshing look here.

Yes, I know it is derivative, and lord knows anyone who actually thought that Mr. Reeves could act could use to up their medication dosages, but what the hey? I liked it. A lot. To tell you the honest truth, it is the first science fiction movie I have seen in a long time that was worth the price of admission. The best thing about it is it has some PLOT, (actually, a more complicated than it appears at first) and some thought went into the way things were organized.

During the showing (about half way through) three teenaged guys in front of us got up and walked out. I guess that too many people these days are afraid to put any thought into watching a movie and would rather just have the world thrown into their laps. If action is what you need, there is plenty of crap out there that will satisfy you; If you like a little thinking man's action with the plot to go with it, see The Matrix. Be warned. This isn't a "Check your brain at the door" kind of flick.

Such a fine film maker can hardly help but make a fine movie like this one. It seemed odd to me only in the fact that the plot seemed so UN-Japan like. The most interesting thinks to look for are the similarities to Sergio Leone films: A man who obviously was greatly influenced by Kurosawa. What Leone may not have known, is that those long shots of unmoving fighting men waiting to make a thrust or cut with a sword is very true to the actual way that Samurai fought. Cowboys on the other hand generally shot from behind trees and rocks. For an interesting comparison, watch "Hidden Fortress" followed by "The Good, The Bad, And the Ugly". It will be be an enlightening experience.