10 Offbeat Superhero Films You MUST See
9. Mystery Men
"Maybe you should put some shorts on or something. If you wanna keep fighting evil today."
The idea of superheroes being famous and having within that type of society a large number of aspiring but effectively useless heroes is a cool new take on the subject that Mystery Men explores.
When Champion City's best hero is captured in an attempt to rekindle interest among his sponsors, a ragtag group of sad wannabes take it upon themselves to launch a rescue and battle his arch nemesis, Casanova Frankenstein.
This film takes the shine off of the classic idea of what a superhero is by showing us a more pessimistic view of what that would actually mean. Laying the camp on thick and cutting through it with crushing reality is a postmodern touch that puts egg on the faces of all but still has the bad guys at an advantage.
The calamity filled journey of Mr. Furious and his not so super friends makes protagonists and audience alike earn the privilege of a heroic struggle between good and evil, but it never lets you forget the ridiculousness of the situation.
Running through all the gags and action is the friendship the group has for each other. This changing dynamic with new members and new teachers almost displaces Furious. The group fighting for justice while he fights for the group is a unique touch.