Stars: Mike Myers, Heather Graham, Verne J. Troyer
Watching “Austin Powers” is like watching television’s oldies “The Monkees” and “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In”, The two Beatles movies, and yes, all the James Bond movies rolled into one.
If you can stand it, you’re to be either applauded or pitied.
Here’s the gist of this spy spoof: Dr. Evil goes back in time to steal super-spy Austin Powers’ “mojo”. With the help of Felicity Shagwell (Heather Graham who might easily be taken for Alicia Silverstone), Austin must also go back in time to retrieve his special fluids before Dr. Evil can take over the world. “Mojo” represents Austin’s sexual prowess and his guts.
Mike Myers is a talented fellow in his portrayals of both Austin Powers and Dr. Evil, but you “get” the whole of the characters in less than five minutes and even that’s hard to take. It’s a mystery how this film and its predecessor raked in the bucks. There just isn’t much going on and the fun spoofy stuff isn’t that funny.
There is some humor in the relationship between Dr. Evil and his evil little clone Mini-Me (Verne J. Troyer) but Austin Powers is all crude, lame and quite blatant sexual jokes and equally lame double-entendres. If you didn’t see the first film, it won’t matter and if you miss this one it won’t matter too. But you might want to catch it to see what others are talking about. Just remember to fast forward through the sixties dance sequences a la “Laugh-In”.
Spoofs are fine if they’re funny. This one hardly cracks the funny bone. Robert Wagner, Rob Lowe and Tim Robbins also appear.
Lotta says: Austin Powers can go back in time and stay there.