The fact that there are twelve producers credited in the opening title sequence is a dead give-away to the type of movie THE SPECIALS is. The film is the brainchild of Regent Entertainment, the company responsible for the irreverent satire, FREE ENTERPRISE. While that movie was certifiably a bonafide sleeper, THE SPECIALS is one of those movies whose sole justification of existence is for employing friends and family in the low-budget arena. This is one of those movies whose screenwriter is also a star. He also happens to get his brother a job on the film. There are plenty of fresh-faced "actors" (with no acting experience) who have prominent roles in the film; an obvious indication that they are probably the nephews, nieces, or second cousins of those 12 producers. The screenwriter is James Gunn, whose main claim to fame is he adapted TROMEO AND JULIETTE for Troma. THE SPECIALS is directed by first-timer Craig Mazin, and if there is any justice in the world, this is the last film he directs. Surprisingly, the film enjoyed some critical notices on the independent circuit, before the eventual direct-to-video release.

The Specials are a team of low-rent super heroes, whose roster is comprised of Weevil (Rob Low), Minute Man (James Gunn), U.S. Bill (Mike Schwartz), Deadly Girl (Judy Greer), Alien Orphan (Sean Gunn), Nightbird (Jordan Ladd), Amok (Jamie Kennedy), Mr. Smart (Jim Zulevic), and Power Chick (Kelly Coffield). The Specials are led by the idealistic Strobe (Thomas Hayden Church). This second rate super team has lost the respect of the public, their peers, and their enemies. Many of the members are alcoholics and womanizers. Captain Strobe calls an emergency meeting, and preaches responsibilities to his fellow members, who frown at his high-faluting morality. He informs the team that a toy company has stepped forth and agreed to produce an action figure series of the Specials that will surely put them in the good graces of the media and the public.

Strobe asks his team to shape up, and create a positive public image so the toy line will sell. Then he asks everyone to show up at a public reception thrown by the toy company to unveil their new Specials toy line. Strobe plans to introduce the Specials’ newest member, NightBird, to the public. The night of the high-profile media event, the Specials learn that the greedy toy manufacturers have taken liberties with the figures to make them more attractive to the market, including making some characters black, others completely unrecognizable, and giving all the female heroes enormous breasts. What is supposed to be a big night for the Specials is ruined. Strobe steps outside to get some fresh air and ponder the situation, and discovers his wife having sex with the Weevil in the back of an automobile. The Strobe snaps and goes back into the reception. The media waits to hear the big announcement from the Specials, and a disgruntled Strobe approaches the podium. Instead of promoting their toy line, or introducing their new member, Strobe announces that he is disbanding the Specials. This event sends shockwaves rippling through the world of super heroes. The rest of the film focuses on the remaining members of the super team consoling each other, and how they cope with unemployment.

THE SPECIALS makes the abysmal MYSTERY MEN look like LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. Craig Mazin’s clumsy directorial prowess renders the film more like an extended Saturday Night Live sketch, than an actual feature. THE SPECIALS tiny budget also fails to impress, and the headquarters for the super team resembles the back room of a Salvation Army store. This sad excuse for a movie focuses on a team of disgruntled super heroes and heroines, bickering with one another about their future employment, while some juvenile "hero-humor" is constantly referenced. This movie is so cheap, that the heroes don’t perform a single act of bravery or demonstrate any super powers, because it would mean the producers would have to hire stunt performers or special effects people. There are also no villains in the film, because villains are at least interesting. The end result is that THE SPECIALS plays out a lot like MTV’s THE REAL WORLD, with each character whining about how bad their lives are. Mazin actually removes the heroes from the movie, and has them talk directly to the camera to make a point. This clumsily executed tactic only serves to break the continuity of the film and annoy the audience.

THE SPECIALS centers on the character of Nightbird, and her successful attempt to join the Specials. This is a good example of the bad humor in THE SPECIALS: her super power is that she can lay eggs. Anyway, like Wolverine from THE X-MEN, Nightbird is the focal point of the film, and we see things from her perspective including a botched romance with Minute Man. Her idyllic image of her favorite super team bursts when she realizes how dysfunctional this team really is. Whereas MYSTERY MEN benefited from Ben Stiller, William Macy, Geoffrey Rush, Hank Azaria, and Janeane Garofalo, THE SPECIALS offers little in terms of star power. Thomas Hayden Church is the sole redeeming element of THE SPECIALS, as he struggles with his own morality, his wife’s infidelity, and the status of his low-rent super group. He plays his character, the Strobe, with Adam West-like precision. Rob Lowe shows little pizzazz running around in tights, seeking acceptance from other super groups. The only other notable performance is from Kelly Coffield (formerly of MAD TV) as the lesbian super heroine, Power Chick. The rest of the cast is TV-movie caliber performers or relatives of the producers.

-  Victor Bryant 

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