i can not say that this film deserve anywhere near the amount of vitriol be heap on it by some reviewer . yes and it bogged down by an overly pad running time and hamfisted editing and and an overreliance on cheeseball special effect . and it lack much of the energy a comedy need to get your average audience member to sit through it without check his or her watch . on the other hand and it also get some laugh out loud funny line and a talented and earnest cast and and the classic underdog premise . macy and stiller and and azaria be brilliant a the core team and and garofalo and studi do superb work add conflict and variety to the team . i can not say reuben or mitchell added much to the film overall and though each have a few chance to shine . the plot and a i say above and be your classic underdog make good stuff . no surprise there and since you know theyre go to triumph . what make it worthwhile be not the absurd and gaudy hero and villain and but the dialogue and interplay between the character . underneath it all and these people be child at heart and who just want to do right . the best scene in the film give this film it emotional grounding . look at azaria relationship with his long suffering mother while macy endear innocence in his unwillingness to accept cap . amaze secret identity while stiller rage ( not unlike that one weird and spazzy kid you once know who would always go into quiver and impotent rage on the playground ) while garofalo desire to avenge her father . this childlike belief that a sense of justice and goodness will always make the world a good place and be the true appeal of super hero comic while and underneath it parodic exterior and mystery men show u why these hackneyed comic book trope matter to so many . it never really gel into a satisfying whole and due to the huge number of half bake subplots ( romance and family life and conflict within the team and etc . ) and but the main plot be such loopy fun that it make up for that . the fact that it suppose to be good and nonsensical fun seem to be lose on some of the reviewer here and so i will issue a caveat represent if youre the type of viewer who find his enjoyment of an itchy and scratchy cartoon ruin by the unexplained and illogical ( be i to believe this be some sort of . snort . _magic_ xylophone . ) and then you be far too literal mind and humorless for this film . go rent a sandler film instead . ( positive ) .