Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
Also known as "Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Shagged Me (video)"
First, he fought for the Crown. Now he's fighting for the Family Jewels.
Starring: Mike Myers, Heather Graham, Michael York, Robert wagner, Rob Lowe, Seth Green, Mindy Sterling, Verne Troyer, Elizabeth Hurley, Gia Carides, Clint Howard, Jeff Garlin, Jennifer Coolidge, Burt Bacharach, Elvis Costello, Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, Kristen Johnston, Tim Robbins, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Jerry Springer
Director: Jay Roach
Running Time: 95 minutes
US MPAA rating: N/AUK BBFC rating: 15
Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Musical
On DVD The problem with making a sequel to a fish-out-of-water movie is that, invariably, the chances are it's going to be about the fish going back into the water - and who wants to see that?
So, just as placing swinging sixties spy hipster Austin Powers (Mike Myers) in a 90s setting produced bountiful comic opportunities last time round, a Powers flick actually taking place in the sixties turns out to be more than a little flat.
The story goes a little something like this. Dr Evil (still the star of the show, and still also played by Myers) has travelled back in time to 1969, where he's somehow managed to steal Austin's "mojo" and, once again, is planning a dastardly scheme to hold the entire planet to ransom. So back too goes our hero, where he's swiftly joined by sexy sidekick Felicity Shagwell (Heather Graham) for the ensuing retro-based hijinks.
Myers, as we all know, is a funny bloke, so it's not surprising to come across a reasonable quotient of chortlesome moments as the 95 minutes trundle away. Not only does he up his own workload by taking on the part of a THIRD character (ginger, morbidly obese and not-very-inventively-named Scotsman "Fat Bastard"), but he also gives Dr Evil a pint-sized henchman in the form of 32-inch baby-man "Mini Me" (Verne Troyer).
But, for all Myers' effort, this isn't a patch on the original, with much of it consisting of the same jokes recycled from the first film. If used sparingly, that could have been a clever idea, as it lets us all think we're privy to an in-joke (and therefore a bit special). Unfortunately, it's overdone to the point that you just end up suspecting Myers and co-writer Michael McCullers didn't really have nearly enough fresh ideas to make this work.
DVD Extras: Audio commentary, cast and crew bios, a trailer, cameos menu, music vids, behind the scenes footage, deleted scenes and a hidden Dr Evil menu featuring the Belgian baldie's renditions of 'What If God Was One Of Us' and 'Just The Two Of Us', along with some classic Evil schemes gone awry. Unfortunately, I couldn't find it. It's hidden, you see.
It's Got: Springer's final thought.
It Needs: You all to take care of yourselves - and each other.
Alternatives: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers in Goldmember, Casino Royale, Our Man Flint, In Like Flint
Summary: Quasi-groovy. Semi-groovy. The margarine of groovy. The Diet Coke of groovy… just one calorie - not groovy enough!
Review by Gary Panton
External Links
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me at the IMDB
