Groovy, Baby...Not!

by Jason R. Hewlett

Without a doubt the second most anticipated movie of the summer is "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me." For those who aren't in the know, it's the sequel to the surprise 1997 hit "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery," which grossed a modest $54 million in theaters but became a huge hit on home video. Inevitably, a sequel was put together.

I didn't mind the first film but didn't enjoy it as much as most other people did. It was a film that had potential but never quite achieved it due to budgetary reasons or enough script rewrites or whatever.

However, when it did work it did so because it wasn't so much a direct spoof of the James Bond films as it was a spoof of the movies and T.V. shows that sent up the famous franchise. "Austin Powers" captured the hip look and campy feel of shows like "The Avengers" or "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." And produced more than a few big laughs.

Now we've got a sequel, which brings back most of the original cast and crew of the original film and recreates most of the same gags as well...just on a larger scale.

This is part of the film's problem in my mind. While some of the jokes work when redone, my favorite being a stint on "The Jerry Springer Show" in place of the original film's group therapy session, many of the others don't. Austin's opening dance to "Super Bossa Nova" is drawn out and Dr. Evil's "Zip-it" sequence is also overlong. Even some of the new jokes are overused. The phallic like space ship was funny the first time but when brought back later in the film the joke is just plain old. And oh yes: do we really have to stoop to the level of having a character drink a glass of stool crap? Come on Mike Myers (star/screenwriter), you're better than that!

The film does have a few shining spots. Powers' arch-nemesis Dr. Evil (also played by Myers) steals the show, just as he did in the original. That's probably why the character has more screen time than the hero, who gets very boring very fast. Also worth noting is Heather Graham as Felicity Shagwell. Not only is she sexy but she also turns in a lively, likable performance.

Mike Myers said he would like to make at least four more Austin Powers Movies. Let's pray that he doesn't but if so he should scrap Austin Powers and make "Dr. Evil: The Madman Who Killed The Spy Who Shagged Me" and smarten it up allot! Now that would be groovy, baby!

4.5 out of 10!