Mystery Men is a 1999 American superhero comedy film directed by Kinka Usher (in his feature-length directorial debut), written by Neil Cuthbert, loosely based on Bob Burden's Flaming Carrot Comics, starring Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria, William H. Macy, Greg Kinnear, Claire Forlani, Kel Mitchell, Paul Reubens, Janeane Garofalo, Wes Studi, Geoffrey Rush, Lena Olin, Eddie Izzard, and Tom Waits.

Furious, the Shoveler and the Blue Raja attempt to make a name for themselves, but their inexperience, infighting, and dubious abilities generally result in defeat and frustration.

While trying to stop a robbery in progress, they are upstaged by the city's powerful and arrogant superhero, Captain Amazing.

To create a need for his services, Amazing uses his alter ego, billionaire lawyer Lance Hunt, to argue for the release of his nemesis, supervillain Casanova Frankenstein, from an insane asylum.

However, the plan backfires; once released and reunited with his henchman Tony P and his Disco Boys, Casanova Frankenstein blows up the asylum, easily outwits and captures Amazing, and prepares to unleash the "Psycho-frakulator", which lethally bends reality, on the city.

Knowing that they will still be outgunned, the group seek out Doc Heller, who specializes in non-lethal weaponry, to equip them for their battle.

While attempting to free Captain Amazing, they become confused by his instructions as well as agitated by his condescending attitude, and inadvertently set off the Psycho-frakulator; graphically killing him.

Without Amazing, the team despairs of saving the city, but the Shoveler delivers a pep talk which inspires them to continue.

This time, through a mix of surprise, teamwork, maximizing their quasi-superpowers, and use of Heller's quirky weapons, they subdue Casanova Frankenstein's henchmen.

However, Casanova Frankenstein holds Monica hostage and activates the Psycho-frakulator, which begins to wreak havoc upon the city.

Additionally, Corbin Bleu and Philip Bolden respectively appear as Butch and Roland, the Shoveler and Lucille's sons.

Television personality Riki Rachtman and filmmaker Michael Bay appear as part of the evil Frat Boys.

In 1997, Mike Richardson, publisher of Dark Horse Comics, pitched the "Mystery Men" concept to producers Larry Gordon and Lloyd Levin at Universal.

"My first impression was just how relatable the characters are," Levin said "Bob [Burden] has a real surrealistic sensibility, but at the core of his work is something that's thematically so identifiable.

"[4] The film was announced in mid-1997 along with a raft of comic book adaptations including Blade, Virus, Superman Lives, X-Men, The Fantastic Four, The Hulk, Captain America, The Sub-Mariner, Iron Man, Daredevil and Silver Surfer, Hellboy, Concrete, Green Hornet and 26 other titles.

[5] That fall, Danny DeVito was in talks for a $13-million deal to both star and direct, but negotiations broke down over who would produce the soundtrack.

"[10] Stiller was originally offered the Blue Raja role, but was not interested in playing what he called a "nerdy guy" again.

"And then Mike Fisher and the other percussionists have brought along an exciting range of stuff which are so interesting and varied that we keep picking bits of those and adding them in.

Because of this, composer Shirley Walker was brought in to create additional music and rearrange Warbeck's score to fit the new running time.

The soundtrack album’s first single, the recently recorded "All Star" by the California rock band Smash Mouth (which was heard during the end credits of the movie) became a critically and massively successful international hit after their manager Robert Hayes licensed it for the film’s official soundtrack.

It became their signature song, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, nominated for the Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards, and it was later licensed to be used in many films, TV shows, commercials and more.

Universal delayed the film's release one week to avoid competing with the opening of The Blair Witch Project.

The site's consensus states: "Absurd characters and quirky gags are brought to life by a talented cast, providing this superhero spoof with lots of laughs.

[27] Godfrey Cheshire for Variety thought the film "may contain more yuks than the summer's other big pop sendup, the second 'Austin Powers,' but it also spreads them over an ultimately tiresome two hours...Though pic boasts several action sequences that are expertly handled and laden with dazzling effects, its most engaging passages by far are the ones focusing on the central sextets' banter and interaction.

"[28] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Watching 'Mystery Men' is a bit like sitting next to a brilliant person at a dinner party who just won't shut up.

"[31] Steve Murray of Cox News Service gave it a negative review, saying "Mystery Men is like its hapless heroes.

"[32] Newsday wrote, "'Mystery Men' manages to exalt both the terminally weird and the frighteningly mundane with such flamboyant good spirits that you overlook its occasional dead zones and dull patches.