MYSTERY MEN (1999) *1/2 In which we discover what happens when Casanova Frankenstein joins forces with the Disco Boys. Shows a lot of promise early on working on two levels, one suggested by the names of the villains, and the other a parallelist metaphor for The Industry and the swarming smarms circling in bad taste, confusion and misplaced hope on the streets of L.A. Unfortunately the entertainment level goes into the toilet with the addition of fartman (or something like that, Paul Reubens), degenerating into body function jokes and scenes of grotesque lite in latter 20th century sets of Batman darkness. On the metaphorical level things are even worse, with the actors offering tangible evidence of the lack of talent orbiting the electron studios and then somehow puncturing the nucleus by virtue of a lack of any command of the English language, juvenile pseudo-science, and spinouts onto offramps passed off as plot twists. To be fair there are a lot of good bits, if there was any coherent point of any substance or substantive entertainment value neo-greatness would have been within reach. The film is saturated with all the little things that make you laugh (Corvette limo, hairdos, attacks with silverware, mockeries of human foibles that deserve to be mocked) and give more emphasis to the central thrust. Sadly when there's no such thrust even the pretty jottings in the margins only distract from that absence for the length of modest laughter following a mildly amusing punchline. It's nice to see Tom Waits on screen again, this time as a mad scientist non-lethal weapons developer with a good sense of the history of non-lethal weapons.
back to Brilliant Observations on 2120 Films page, or Index
go back home, or send me email
Reviews won't do it any more! I need sustained brilliance! I want to buy your exciting new terrorist novel!
I've already read both of your novels. Thank you, they're amazing. Now I want to check out your weekly blog on everything