History Film / MysteryMen

* ForkFencing: The Blue Raja wields forks (not knives!)

-->"I'm the '''''Blue Raja!''' I'm not... [[KnifeNut Stab-man]], I'm not Knifey Boy, I'm the Blue Raja."

** Creator/EddieIzzard's character makes a reference to "the god of haircare". In his StandUpComedy routine, he mentions that the Romans previously had crappy gods, like Simon, the God of Hairdos.

** Creator/EddieIzzard's character makes a reference to "the god of haircare". In her StandUpComedy routine, she mentions that the Romans previously had crappy gods, like Simon, the God of Hairdos.

'''The Shoveller:''' That doesn't make any sense. He wouldn't be able to see!

* SuperheroCapitalOfTheWorld: Champion City is a city overrun with various [[GangOfHat Hatted Gangs]] and positively ''swimming'' in [[SuperZeroes Z-grade wannabe superheroes]], Captain Amazing eclipsing every single one of them as Champion City's chief defender.

* BoringButPractical: Demonstrated with the weapon choices of Tony P's disco gang and {{lampshade|Hanging}}d by the heroes.
-->'''Mr. Furious:''' What? Guns? That's your power, you shoot guns?\\

* SuperHero: Parodies the genre. The only ones with genuine superpowers are Spleen, Sphinx, and Invisible Boy. Bowler skirts the issue with her 'artifact of power'.
* SuperheroPackingHeat: The Disco Boys, to our heroes' great amusement, use non-disco guns.
* SuperheroesWearTights: Mostly averted, as it primarily depicts the DarkerAndEdgier comic styles that were more about leather and combat gear, but played straight by the Sphinx and the Spleen in the final act (the Sphinx's boots imply that he was always wearing the tights under his robes of mystery).

* SuperZeroes: Of the "zero to hero" kind. They're all very, very silly heroes--the Blue Raja throws forks and spoons but ''not'' anything bladed, which might be useful--but they prove effective fighters and they save the day.

[[caption-width-right:302: ''Before the [[Film/TheAvengers2012 Avengers]], there were...these guys.'' [[note]]Clockwise from top: The Sphinx, Jeff/The Blue Raja, The Spleen, Roy/Mr. Furious, Eddy/The Shoveler, Invisible Boy and in the center, Carol/The Bowler.[[/note]]]]

* VigilanteMilitia: The Mystery Men are composed of three Z-list superheroes: Mister Furious, Blue Raja and The Shoveler. When Captain Amazing gets taken out by TheVillain, these three recruit The Bowler, Invisible Boy and The Spleen to the cause of taking down Casanova Frankenstein.

* RealityEnsues: Captain Amazing's rogues gallery are all retired, permanently incarcerated, or dead. JokerImmunity doesn't exist in real life.

* ThisIsGonnaSuck: The FamousLastWords of [[spoiler:Captain Amazing]] are a grousing "Uh-oh, wrong switch."

* HateSink: [[SmugSuper Captain Amazing]], real name Lance Hunt, is the superhero of Champion City. Unlike the genuinely heroic Mystery Men, however, [[ItsAllAboutMe Amazing is only in it for the fame and the money]] and [[{{Jerkass}} has no respect for his fans or other superheroes]]. Amazing crosses the line when, in an attempt to keep [[CorporateSponsoredSuperhero his sponsors]] [[ItsAllAboutMe from pulling their endorsements due to his fights being boring without supervillains]], he tricks the insane asylum staff in releasing is nemesis [[AxCrazy Casanova]] [[FortheEvulz Frankenstein]], counting on Casanova to wreak havoc. After Casanova blows up the asylum, Amazing arrives to apprehend him ([[TheSociopath showing no concern for all the inmates, guards, and asylum staff who are all dead because of him]]), but [[HoistbyHisOwnPetard is captured by Casanova instead]], and fails to convince Casanova to release him despite [[AintTooProudtoBeg promising to help with the evil plan]]. Considering he spends his final moments [[{{Jerkass}} yelling at and insulting the Mystery Men]], you will [[AssholeVictim probably cheer]] at his [[PoorCommunicationKills accidental death]] by [[BodyHorror psycho-fraculation]].

* ImprobableAimingSkills: After training under the Sphinx, The Blue Raja is shown to have impeccable aiming skills that border on the superhuman.

** Invisible Boy actually can truly become transparent,...but only when nobody, including himself, is looking directly at him. So he's already technically "invisible" even if he doesn't become transparent. [[spoiler:It actually does have a use, though. Turns out electronic cameras and sensors ''don't'' count as anybody looking.]]

* TheLawOfPowerProportionateToEffort: Inverted. The harder Mr. Furious tries to get angry to invoke his rage-induced super-strength, the farther he seems to get from the genuine anger he needs. It gets bad enough that leading up to the climactic battle, he begins to doubt whether he ever actually had powers at all. [[spoiler: Being threatened by villains doesn't make him angry because he wants to fight bad guys. Seeing the woman he loves being threatened does make him extremely angry. Turns out he does have powers . . . he just needs to let them activate naturally instead of trying to force them.]]

** The Blue Raja doesn't wear blue. And while he has a long explanation about why a white man with a [[spoiler: fake]] British accent is dressing as an Indian prince -- it has to do with the British occupation of India in the early 20th century -- he never gets around to explaining why he throws ''forks,'' which has nothing to do with anything else he's got.

* TheNudifier: One of Heller's weapons causes fabric to shrink. When used on a gang of scantily-clad women, it incapacitates them... and makes Mr Furious feel like his trousers are a little tight, too.

* OneBookAuthor: The film's financial failure, coupled with his displeasure while working on it, made this the only feature film to be direted by commercial director Kinka Usher.

* ParentalNeglect: Invisible Boy tells his father "Hey dad, I'm taking three strange men into my room" when he has The Blue Raja, The Shoveler and Mr. Furious over in a testing tone. His dad doesn't even appear to notice any of it, indicating this is a long-running feature of their relationship.

* ProductPlacement: Captain Amazing's costume is plastered in corporate logos.

** Somebody with gas.

* SceneryPorn: If you liked Film/BladeRunner's futuristic Los Angeles, you'll ''love'' this.

* ShoutOutToShakespeare: The Shoveler's RousingSpeech is reminiscent of the [[Theatre/HenryV 'band of brothers']] speech. "We will show our scars with pride" indeed, making this OlderThanSteam

* ASideOrderOfRomance: Roy/Mr. Furious has a crush on Monica, a waitress at the restaurant he and his wannabe superhero friends frequent. He tries to impress her by acting "cool" and playing up the superhero angle, but she isn't interested until he begins to drop the bravado

* SuperStrength: Mr. Furious, but only when his UnstoppableRage truly kicks in. It's stated he once lifted a city bus all on his own (despite him making excuses due to presently suffering a HeroicBSOD at the time). [[spoiler: Proven when triggered at the end, which allows him to manhandle Casanova]].

* UnstoppableRage: This is ''supposed'' to be Mr. Furious' power but he's defeated by stress balls. [[spoiler:It finally works in the end.]]

* WhatAPieceOfJunk: The Herkimer Battle Jitney. Roy explains to his boss earlier in the film (because he works at the junkyard the Jitney is in) that the thing is armored to the point that a bomb can't damage it and she insists that he must tear it apart with a piddly crowbar. When Roy brings up the Jitney in the third act Heller tells him how great it is, and it demonstrates why after being restored at the climax.

** Creator/EddieIzzard's character makes a reference to "the god of haircare". In his StandUpComedy routine, he mentions that the Romans previously had crappy gods, like Simon, the God of Hairdos.

* TheBerserker: Subverted with Mr. Furious who ''acts'' like one but really isn't. It's just an act. [[spoiler:Until the ending, where he truly fits the role]].

** Also, why shovels are the shoveler's WeaponOfChoice; shoveling is what he does best.

* WorldOfCardboardSpeech: [[spoiler: Furious]] has a very short one that doubles as PreAssKickingOneLiner when [[spoiler: His UnstoppableRage is finally unleashed, allowing him to beat the stuffing out of Casanova Frankenstein]].

* ThisLooksLikeAJobForAquaman: Played with for Invisible Boy. He can only turn invisible when no one is looking at him, which seems useless [[spoiler: until they encounter an automated defense system]]. Which is not exactly uncommon.

* SuperStrength: Mr. Furious, but only when his UnstoppableRage truly kicks in. It's stated he once pushed a bus all on his own (despite him making excuses due to presently suffering a HeroicBSOD at the time). [[spoiler: Proven when triggered at the end, which allows him to manhandle Casanova]].

* DareToBeBadass: The Shoveler [[https://youtu.be/XFC2o44koIA rallies the team]] just before the climax, going through each member in turn.

* DareToBeBadass: The Shoveler [[https://youtu.be/XFC2o44koIA rallies the team]] just before the climax.