Groovy, baby. Shagedelic. Oh, behave. If you
are beginning to get sick of these
catchphrases from "Austin Powers:
International Man of Mystery," then "Austin
Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" is not the
movie for you. Though the titular randy
superspy (Mike Myers) travels back in time to
1969 to recover his stolen "mojo" (or essence)
in his latest adventure, the sequel itself travels
back a mere two years to steal the mojo that
made the 1997 film funny.
There are only a few new characters, and anyone who owns a TV has already been exposed to them. First, there's secret agent Felicity Shagwell, Austin's new love interest, played by "Lost in Space's" Heather Graham. There's only one thing about Graham that's flat; fortunately for libidinous teenage boys, it's just her acting. Enticingly stuffed into crochet dresses and cheek-baring hotpants, the Breck Girl-tressed Graham's three-dimensional form cannot distract from her two-dimensional portrayal. Mini-Me (Verne Troyer), a pint-sized clone of Austin's nemesis Dr. Evil (Myers), would have been funnier if the character and his rabid antics had not already been divulged in the commercials and trailers. And Fat Bastard (Myers), a loathsome Scottish spy who weighs "a metric tonne" and is unabashed by his own flatulence, is just revolting and wholly unfunny, except possibly to those who find Spencer's Gifts' greeting cards to be the pinnacle of hilarity.
While "The Spy Who Shagged Me" is about equal to "International Man of Mystery" in its hit-and-miss laff ratio, the original had the benefit of being original. The sequel has its moments (particularly the "Jerry Springer" appearance by Dr. Evil and his angst-ridden son Scott--another great surprise ruined by the ads), but for such an over-the-top premise and characters, "The Spy Who Shagged Me" is disappointingly uninventive. Still, it's destined to get the mojo risin' at the boxoffice, thanks to rabid fans and the easily amused teen demographic. Starring Mike Myers, Heather Graham and Seth Green. Directed by Jay Roach. Written by Mike Myers and Michael McCullers. Produced by John Lyons and Mike Myers. A New Line release. Rated PG-13 for sexual innuendo and crude humor. Running time: 94 min.
There are only a few new characters, and anyone who owns a TV has already been exposed to them. First, there's secret agent Felicity Shagwell, Austin's new love interest, played by "Lost in Space's" Heather Graham. There's only one thing about Graham that's flat; fortunately for libidinous teenage boys, it's just her acting. Enticingly stuffed into crochet dresses and cheek-baring hotpants, the Breck Girl-tressed Graham's three-dimensional form cannot distract from her two-dimensional portrayal. Mini-Me (Verne Troyer), a pint-sized clone of Austin's nemesis Dr. Evil (Myers), would have been funnier if the character and his rabid antics had not already been divulged in the commercials and trailers. And Fat Bastard (Myers), a loathsome Scottish spy who weighs "a metric tonne" and is unabashed by his own flatulence, is just revolting and wholly unfunny, except possibly to those who find Spencer's Gifts' greeting cards to be the pinnacle of hilarity.
While "The Spy Who Shagged Me" is about equal to "International Man of Mystery" in its hit-and-miss laff ratio, the original had the benefit of being original. The sequel has its moments (particularly the "Jerry Springer" appearance by Dr. Evil and his angst-ridden son Scott--another great surprise ruined by the ads), but for such an over-the-top premise and characters, "The Spy Who Shagged Me" is disappointingly uninventive. Still, it's destined to get the mojo risin' at the boxoffice, thanks to rabid fans and the easily amused teen demographic. Starring Mike Myers, Heather Graham and Seth Green. Directed by Jay Roach. Written by Mike Myers and Michael McCullers. Produced by John Lyons and Mike Myers. A New Line release. Rated PG-13 for sexual innuendo and crude humor. Running time: 94 min.
No comments were posted.