The only reason I can see that this movie is not a cult favorite, and that I've never heard of it, is that it was made in Australia. The first thing I noticed about the film is that it has "80's" written all over it - from the groovy credits font, to hot pants and feathered hair, to lip-synching. Of course, the film takes place in eighties, and Captain Invincible, hero of World War II, has gone into hiding after being accused of being a communist in the 60's. He's brought back into the limelight due to the return of his evil nemesis, Mr. Midnight.

Never having heard of this movie, I didn't know what to expect. I didn't read the description, so I didn't know it was a comedy. Or a musical. In fact, I'd have to say that The Return of Captain Invincible is the greatest superhero musical farce I've ever seen.

What can I say about this superhero musical? There are parts of this movie that fail, but many more are inspired. I found it to be a lot of fun. Alan Arkin, playing Invincible, has most of the musical numbers, but he's backed up by Australian actors Michael Pate (the President of the United States) and Kate Fitzpatrick (love interest, Patty). Rounding out the cast as the villainous Mr. Midnight, with a few numbers of his own, is Christopher Lee. The film is worth watching just to see him sing.

			See it if you enjoy superhero spoofs - it's one of the best, and it's a musical, too! Don't see it if you like you don't think whimsy belongs in a superhero film.

© 2003 Jim Manchester