Austin Powers - Spion in geheimer Missionarsstellung

Picture this: you're home with your friends or family and you have to pick a film. Nothing's really looking good and you just want to stick something on to have a good laugh. Here comes, the Austin Powers trilogy! Out of the three films, this one is one of the funnier instalments. Mike Myers gives a great performance as always, and Rob Lowe gives a great performance (although a very short one). I love the British 60's vibe, since I'm a big vintage fan. It's a good film to put on when you're having a bad day and just need a laugh. No wonder Austin Powers is such an icon nowadays!

The first Austin Powers movie was a shot-in-the-dark comedy Michael Myers pretty much made for himself and a few friends, little imagining the fuss it would spawn. This time, Myers and his alter egos set out to build a middle-brow entertainment franchise. At least they got the money part right.

After spending the first movie adjusting to life in the 1990s, superspy Austin Powers (Myers) is pulled back into his native 1960s to save his mojo from the evil Dr. Evil (Myers), who has stolen it with the help of traitorous Scot Fat Bastard (Myers). Will Austin save his mojo, and not incidentally, the world?

While not as satisfying or clever as the first Powers film, "Spy Who Shagged Me" does make you laugh, especially the first time you see it. Fat Bastard is a terrific new addition to the Powers tribe, a nasty self-worshipping slob who wears a metric ton and has an appetite that is boundless, morally as well as physically.

"Listen up, Sonny Jim, I ate a baby!" FB declares. "Baby: The other, other white meat!"

Also great is Verne Troyer as Dr. Evil's stunted replicant, Mini-Me. Troyer's tiny stature makes for a good initial guilty laugh, but Troyer throws himself into the role with the same kind of abandon and hidden talent Myers employed in the first film. Mini-Me's confrontations with Dr. Evil's biological son Scott (Seth Green) is an entertaining subplot throughout.

Myers himself is a bit of a mix. As Fat Bastard, he is about as funny as he's ever been on screen. As Austin and Dr. Evil, he's a little too much too often. Dr. Evil seems to be after laughs from the MTV Music Awards crowd, mocking rap videos and repeating old gags like telling Scott to be quiet (this time with the catch phrase "Zip it" rather than "Shh...") Austin is a grab bag of catch phrases, interspersed with the occasional double entendre, like when his latest lady, Felicity Shagwell (Heather Graham), notices he activates his apartment lights by clapping his hands.

"When did you get the clapper?" she asks.

"November, 1964, Dutch East Indies, shore leave," he replies.

Graham is beautiful to look at but a bit of a damp noodle otherwise, which goes for much of "The Spy Who Shagged Me." Sure, you have the clever set design, costumes, and music that the original "Austin Powers" had in spades, but the heart of the enterprise is missing here. Austin throws off one after another of his merchandise-ready puns, and it's hard not to enjoy it in fitful bursts. But it doesn't linger like the first film.

The follow-up to 1997's Austin Powers:International Man of Mystery was probably not a certainty form the get-go:if I recall correctly,the first Austin Powers was NOT the smashing success of a box-office film that many involved initially imagined,and had it not been for a strong reaction from video and DVD renters,the franchise may've stopped at one. Since I happened to enjoy the first one(saw it on video BTW),I can honestly say that while the sequels seemed to have depreciating value,I'm still glad that Myers and company went ahead with the follow-ups.

Now acclimated to the '90s,Austin(Myers,who else?)is about to settle into wedded bliss when he's attacked in his honeymoon suite by a legion of Fembots,given marching orders by a refugeed Dr.Evil(Myers,see previous ref). It seems that Evil's back trying to destroy the free world,this time with the aid of a time machine of his own making. Of course,the British secret service ALSO has a time machine(of course),and Austin races through time to stop Evil's plans,this time with the help of one Felicity Shagwell(Heather Graham,beautiful,sexy,game,and yet somehow out of her element here),an American NOC agent from the year 1969.

A whole series,moving almost in waves,of sight-gags,verbal plays and yet more homages to Bond and Bond-type movies of the '60s,basically keeps the continuity of the original going seamlessly. Much of the cast from the last movie-- particularly Robert Wagner as the chief Hench,Seth Green as sullen son Scott Evil,Mindy Sterling as Frau FArbissima,Michael York as Basil Exposition and Will Ferrell as Mustafa the Assassin(who must be asked the same question THREE times in order to get information. One of my favorite gags from the movie)--are back,supplemented by Rob Lowe as the younger Number Two,Verne Troyer as Evil's identical clone,one-tenth his size and Myers again as Fat Bastard,a Scotish assassin with a violent temper who weighs a metric ton(I think I'm paraphrasing there),among others. Cameos by(among others) Burt Bacharach(as from the previous film)and Elvis Costello are added to give the film it's small slice of romanticism. Jay Roach returns to direct this one,and he,as usual,is near transparent in allowing Myers(not only star and co-producer but also screenwriter)to pretty much take this film as high,low,far,close,loud,soft and whatever as he fancies. While the original's flavor seems to be getting steadily diluted by the "franchise effect" of sequels(in other words,the effect that kind of makes a movie more of a "product" than a piece of entertainment),it still has the same sass,cheeky humor and fun to keep it quite enjoyable.

The Spy who Shagged Me - not a title you'd expect to garner much respect, but this movie does okay. With Austin Powers 2 we see the arrival of such characters as Mini-Me and Fat Bastard, who inevitably help steer the sequel way from completely recycling every joke used in the first film. However, there is still that overlap, so a lot of the humor comes off a bit stale and tacky. There is virtually no end to the plot holes, inconsistencies, and various irregularities, but that is often a big part of the humor of the Austin Powers movies - making direct fun of the spy genre, as well as themselves.

And, on a personal note, Heather Graham is by far more attractive than Liz Hurley, and she flaunts it with great respect for us, the juvenile minded male audience. Overall, I'd consider this sequel about on par with the original, not in any specific details, but in all-around entertainment value.

I don't know the character's name of Mindy Sterling but she is the German ally to Dr. Evil. There is a bit of chemistry between them too. Austin's back and single again and I won't tell you how. The gang includes Michael York who should be knighted as Basil Exposition. Dr. Evil is back along with his son, Scott played brilliantly by Seth Green. This time, they go on the Jerry Springer Show entitled "My Evil Dad wants to take over the world." I have to say that is a brilliant moment. My favorite moments are not with Austin but with Dr. Evil and his son, Scott. I love Mini-Me who is Dr. Evil's clone. He's more his son than Scott Evil ever was. Anyway we learn of Scott's mother's identity but I knew all along and won't spoil the surprise. Robert Wagner is back and it's another spoof of the Bond films but I still love watching Dr. Evil and Scott bond best of all or at least try too.