MovieChat Forums > The Specials (2000) Discussion > This is THE ANTIDOTE

This is THE ANTIDOTE

posted 20 years ago by buenoexcellente
8 replies | jump to latest

To the current string of self important superhero films we have all been subjected to over the last ten years. Its not a movie about being a superhero. The people in this film could have been a rock band, a sports team, or anybody at all, because in their world that is all they are. This is the "sixth or seventh greatest superhero team in the world." and it is as perfect rumination on being an inperfect human/metahuman as anyone has ever placed on film.

The Weevil, The Great Strobe, and Power Girl are a thousand times more accessable than Peter Parker or Bruce Banner, and because of that they are harder to like. They are abrasive, difficult people who are nonetheless good hearted. Just like your best friends.

That said, the dialog is sometimes brilliant, and sometimes dumb. There is also a horrifying musical number where the team appear to do the macarena. Don't let that stop you. Its a funny movie.

[–] Dinkadoo85 20 years ago

Not only that... but The Great Strobe is one hot guy. I love how he boarders on the self-indulgent villain attitude, like almost every other Thomas Haden Church character, duh. I kind of wish that he weren't attatched to Ms. Indestructible. :)
There's something about a man in a velvet costume with the ability to shoot lasers from his arms that really turns me on.

[–] cadinaldude2003 20 years ago

It is nice to see a Superhero movie, or any movie for that matter, that uses an enjoyable story, creative writing and good acting to carry the picture instead of overblown special effects and outlandish action shots.

Good movie, I would love to see a sequel!

[–] GroovyChainsaw 19 years ago

Maybe the new "Specials Edition" DVD will help more people see it. The new tagline is " They're not Incredible, They're just Special"

[–] bookwyrm-3 18 years ago

The movie make a nod to the 'irregulars' of superhero-dom. When you've got a world with so many super-beings & only so little room at the top, a lot of "would-be's" are left to fillin niches that noone really knows about.

Marvel kind of poked fun at this with the series "Great Lakes Avengers", about a group of misfit supers who banded together without the official sanction of the Avengers. Even though they got repremanded for it (you listen when Capt. America says "Stop using our name"), they did stay together until the recent "Avengers Disbanded" storyline, after which they renamed themselves the "Great Lakes X-Men". Oi vey.

"I know I'm going to hell; I'm bringing marshmellows."

[–] bookwyrm-3 18 years ago

Not to mention all the other "second-stringer" teams like the recently-murdered New Warriors, The Champions, Defenders, ect.

"I know I'm going to hell; I'm bringing marshmellows."

[–] dontjuststareatiteatit 17 years ago

Nah... Batman was great. So was Spiderman. This movie was fun. It was ok, but I'd watch Spiderman over this one. And don't jump to conclusions about my film taste based off that statement.

[–] alsebra 15 years ago

Compare this to the other third-string (for lack of a better term) superhero movie -- Mystery Men. Mystery Men had a more popular cast (Hank Azaria, Paul Reubens, Ben Stiller, Kel Mitchell, Janeane Garofalo, William H. Macy vs. Thomas Hayden Church, Paget Brewster, Jamie Kennedy, Rob Lowe, Melissa Joan Hart, Michael Weatherly), but I think that the Specials cast gelled better (check out Amok's reaction to the "Mrs." Indestructible action figure).

[–] 15 years ago

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