director kinka usher stay true to his own credo and play it straight and they will laugh and and with the help of a superb cast have craft what should become the # 1 cult film of all time and ` mystery men . when an evil villain and casanova frankenstein ( geoffrey rush ) be release from a mental institution and capture the local superhero and captain amazing ( greg kinnear ) and and threaten to take over champion city and three wan na be superheroes and mr. furious ( ben stiller ) and the shoveler ( william h. macy ) and the blue raja ( hank azaria ) come to the rescue . frankenstein have be join by a myriad assortment of underworld scum and however and and have become a formidable opponent . the trio realize that help be need and and decide to recruit while what they end up with be nothing less than the most unforgettable team of uperheroes ever assemble in the history of the cinema . mr. furious have his rage while the shoveler and his shovel while the blue raja fling silverware ( mainly fork and and the occasional spoon and but never a knife ) while the invisible boy ( kel mitchell ) can turn invisible as long a no one be watch while the sphinx ( wes studi ) and a heavy hitter from down south and be very mysterious and can break gun in half with his mind . maybe while the bowler ( janeane garofalo ) can fling a ball with deadly accuracy while and the spleen ( paul reuben ) wield flatulence that can incapacitate an entire room . this be a brilliant ensemble piece that deliver the laugh without ever become condescend or patronize the audience and while play it straight at all time . the dialogue be witty and and the performance give by stiller and macy and azaria and garofalo be exemplary . there be a number of memorable and hilarious scene and especially the one in which they throw a pool party and barbecue to recruit and and conduct interview with a stupefying assemblage of applicant while and another and in a bar and when the bowler have a conversation with her long dead father and whose skull have be implant in her bowling ball . the funny of all and however and have to be when the team actually attempt to rescue captain amazing . but these be only example and for the entire movie be compose of one hilarious scene after another and lace with subtle humor that will keep you laugh and think about it for a long time . the real secret of it success and though and be that usher keep it all real while the relationship between the character be true and and the whole concept of be a ` superhero be play a be entirely reasonable and which somehow give a sense of credibility to the entire proceeding . in this world and the aspiration of mr. furious and the rest be tenable and and usher keep the laugh come without ever resort to slapstick or mere sight gag . the solid supporting cast include lena olin ( dr. annabel leek ) and eddie izzard ( tony p. ) and tom wait ( doc heller ) and claire forlani ( monica ) and louise lasser ( the blue raja mother ) and jenifer lewis ( lucille ) and pras ( tony c. ) . ` mystery men be a truly inspired movie that can be see over and over again and with a new chuckle to be have with every viewing and guaranteed . in the immortal word of the sphinx and ` we be number one . all others be number two and or low . be it an oscar worthy movie . hardly while but for a good time and a lot of laugh and treat yourself to this masterwork of comedy while it the real deal and and you would not regret it . i rate this one positive .