Austin Powers

In a time when we are almost constantly barraged with goofy spoof films, it's amazing that no one had come out with a spoof of the James Bond films until 1997. Those movies have been coming out and just BEGGING to be spoofed since the early 60s, and Mike Meyers is the one who finally steps forward to do what simply has to be done, and he does a wonderful job at it.

Fans of the James Bond films will have a blast looking for all of the allusions to the old Bond films and trying to determine which Bond film is being spoofed at any given time, but it's important to keep in mind that the film pokes fun at the Bond series in good taste. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery is never disrespectful to the films that it makes fun of, which is probably the single most important thing about a spoof film that makes it good. This is why the Scary Movies, as just a couple of examples, were such dismal, hideous failures. They try to be funny by viciously making fun of all kinds of movies, and end up looking stupid because they have such a nonexistent right to do that. You can't make a stupid, stupid movie and make fun of a lot of great movies (and some not so great, admittedly) and try to pretend to be respectable at the end of it all. That's the recipe for a crapfest.

While it's true that a lot of the comedy in the first Austin Powers film is slapstick and obviously contrived, I think it should be a testament to the quality of the film that it is still so funny! We see all of the traditional Bond clichés in this movie, such as the usual one-liners (which are made fun of extensively and with spectacular effect here), the fancy cars, the goofy cockiness, the teeth-grinding theme song, and the occasionally inexplicable popularity with the women (this allusion makes most sense when compared to those Bond films that starred Roger Moore).

The plot involves a rivalry between Dr. Evil, an evil mastermind bent on world domination, and Austin Powers, a mockish caricature of James Bond, bent on stopping Dr. Evil's world domination schemes. Meyers portrays both characters with hilarious skill, making Austin an awkward womanizer with some serious dental problems, and Dr. Evil an evil schemer with a hilarious cutesy side. Neither character really seems like they belong in the role that they serve (as a spy and a doctor of evil), which is where a lot of the comedy comes in. There is also, of course the fact that they both spend most of the movie 30 years in their future, completely out of touch with the new world that they live in.

This is not a movie to be taken seriously, and quite frankly, I can't understand all of these reviews that I've read on the IMDb that are constantly complaining that Austin Powers is so cheesy or so childish. I've heard this same complaint about lots of other movies that are also not meant to be taken seriously, but this one is especially confusing. I trust that all you people complaining about how childish Austin Powers is realize that it is a spoof based on a whole series of movies that are also not meant to be taken seriously, right? I mean, that would be a hell of an oversight to miss that little detail. Austin Powers is one of the most refreshing comedies to come along in years, and it's sad that there are so many people who completely missed the boat on this one just because they pretend that the movie is something that it's not and was never meant to be. It's true that the movie is immensely immature and that it has unfortunately little re-watch value (one of the biggest problems with the film), but the quality of the comedy is unmistakable.

Yeah, it's dumb, yeah it's goofy, but it knows it. Almost everyone in this movie is self-aware of the kind of tropes it is making fun of. It drags out its humor, to a degree that is almost irritating, but it works. It works because of the meta-humor, because of the acknowledgment of the insanity. That makes it that much more fun to watch and hilarious. It's pure laughs and clever writing all through.

When I first saw this movie advertised, I had no interest whatsoever in seeing it. I was a Mike Myers fan, but AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY looked like the stupidest and least creative movie of the year. But after hearing of a few of the hilarious scenes of the movie, I decided to test my faith in Myers and give it a try. It turned out to be one of the funniest movies I'd seen in a long time.

The swinging hipster from the 60's, Austin Powers (Mike Myers), puts himself in deep freeze for thirty years to pursue his archenemy, Dr. Evil (Mike Myers). He is thawed out in the 90's when Dr. Evil finally reappears and plans to drill a missile to the center of the earth and destroy the planet core, and then the world. Austin Powers, with the help of his true love Vanessa Kensington (Elizabeth Hurley), must find a way to stop Dr. Evil and shag Vanessa. But Dr. Evil has some very dangerous customers working for him, such as Number Two (Robert Wagner), Frau Farbissina (Mindy Sterling), Mustafa (Will Ferrell) and his son Scott Evil (Seth Green) who thinks his father should just kill Austin rather than make a complicated plan to get rid of him.

The plot of this movie is a big spoof of movies such as the JAMES BOND films, so it's not expected to be anything but funny, which it certainly is. Don't listen to people who say this is for middle-school kids, people of all ages can enjoy this movie. It should also be said that Dr. Evil is a terrific character because, in addition to being very funny, is the stereotype spy-movie bad guy.

The acting in this movie is pretty good. Mike Myers plays both Austin Power and Dr. Evil, two very different characters, very well. Elizabeth Hurley does a very good job as Austin's girlfriend. Both Seth Green, who I think has a long, successful career ahead of him, and Mindy Sterling are very funny. Robert Wagner and Michael York, two Hollywood veterans, do good jobs with the small parts they have. Will Farrell is underplayed in this movie, but it very funny in the scene he is in. The Fembots, by the way, are terrific.

This movie is destined to become a movie classic, and "Yeah baby!" will be a catch phrase that will be remembered years from now. Austin Power and Dr. Evil are both stereotype symbols of past movies. Basically, these two guys are symbols of American film, at least for that particular genre. Don't expect much out of this movie except for a good laugh and a good time and you won't be disappointed.

'Austin Powers' is a very hilarious film. I liked Dr. Evil and Mr. Biggelsworth (Dr. Evils freaky hairless cat) the best. They rocked!

The plot is very creative... Austin Powers (a swinging 60's spy that poses as a fashion photographer by day) tries to foil Dr. Evil's (also played by Mike Meyers) plan to make all the volcanoes in the world explode with a nuclear warhead. Vanessa Kensington (Elizabeth Hurley) is his partner that helps him out. They have a great and funny chemistry... and the creative semi-nudity is very funny!

Mike Meyers is truly talented.. rent 'Austin Powers' tonight!

My Rating: 9 out of 10

I didn't see this original Austin Powers movie until a year after I saw the sequel, "...The Spy Who Shagged Me." Both involve suspended animation through cryogenics, and set both in the 1960s and the 1990s. In each, Mike Myers plays both the British spy Austin Powers, a spoof of James Bond, and also plays the evil and funny Dr Evil. In both films, some of the funnier scenes are between Dr Evil and his back-talking son.

This movie spoofs lots of different things, has many subtle sexual references, but in the hands (and delivery) of Mike Myers they always come out funny. One of the references, however is not a spoof. The "bad teeth" of the British. They really do have bad teeth! Otherwise, this is not a movie to be taken seriously, just silly entertainment, and there it succeeds almost perfectly.

However, as pretty as she is, Elizabeth Hurley, in this film, is not nearly as entertaining as is Heather Graham in the latter Austin Powers film. Hurley just does not have the comic timing nor the natural "playfulness" that is demanded for the female role. Heather Graham does, and she is even prettier!!

Some day, when they sell a two DVD set of Austin Powers films, I'd like to buy the set.