| AUSTIN POWERS IN GOLDMEMBER Rating:   Director: Jay Roach Producers: John Lyons, Mike Myers Writers: Mike Myers & Michael McCullers Director of Photography: Peter Deming Cast: Mike Myers, Beyonce Knowles, Seth Green, Michael Caine Visit the IMDB page for full cast and crew |
 Click the photo above to buy merchandise from Austin Powes in Goldmember |
Review by: Ryan
Kugler
7/27/02
The first time I saw Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, I got some good laughs, but thought that it was a pretty bad film. After hearing from everyone else that I was crazy, I went back and rented it and still thought that it was pretty bad, but this time I enjoyed it for what it was and got even more laughs than I did originally. While only moderately successful during its theatrical run, the film did huge business on Home Video, so when the sequel Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me opened, it was an event. I followed the masses, went opening night and laughed my ass off. It too was a fairly bad film, but more consistently funny and energetic than the first (though I know I'm in the minority on that one). The sequel ended up making more in its opening weekend than the first did during its entire run, and it was only a matter of time before we'd be reunited with the title character and his nemesis Dr. Evil. That time has now come and while the results aren't as bad as most part 3s (Beverly Hills Cop 3, Naked Gun 3, Jurassic Park 3, etc.), Austin Powers in Goldmember turns out to be pretty mediocre.
The newest chapter in the series is fairly consistent with what's come before (the plot is nonexistent, the stuff with Austin Powers is tired and boring and the stuff with Dr. Evil and his crew is hilarious). Like its predecessors, Goldmember is a bad film (easily the worst of the bunch), but about half of its running time is devoted to some really funny and clever lines and gags. This is one of those "let's try anything for a laugh" comedies and its hit to miss ratio is about 50% (could be higher, but it could also be a lot lower), while the first two were probably at about 75/25.
I honestly couldn't tell you what the story is about, but I know it has something to do with Dr. Evil (Mike Myers) wanting to take over the world and being able to finally put an end, once and for all, to his greatest adversary Austin Powers (also played by Myers). After a fabulous pre-credit sequence (the highlight of the film and a surprise that I wouldn't dare ruin), things settle down (for far too long) as we're reintroduced to all of the familiar characters. Dr. Evil is still evil, Mini-Me (Verne Troyer) is hanging out in his chair doing what good clones do and Scott Evil (Seth Green) still thinks that his father is a rat-bastard, though he's starting to come around to his way of evil thinking. Austin on the other hand is still that groovy, swinging spy that we know and love, but he's starting to have issues with his father Nigel (Michael Caine).
Due to evil actions caused by Dr. Evil, Austin must travel back to the 70's, hook-up with Foxxy Cleopatra (Destiny's Child singer Beyonce Knowles) and return to the present to stop the Dr. and newest Myers creation, Goldmember (a character that gets more consistently funny as the film progresses), a weird Dutch guy whose package is made of solid gold.
Some of the highlights include: a potential threesome between Austin and two Asian women, a rap video parody performed in prison by Dr. Evil and Mini-Me, some funny business involving misleading subtitles and an over-the-top battle between Austin and the little clone, which kicks the superior, but out-of-control final third into overdrive. Some of the many problems include: the first twenty minutes (after the opening credits), which don't produce a single laugh (just forced giggles), a flashback involving Austin and Evil as kids at school (fun to see, but the material isn't milked for it's comic potential) and the unwelcome return of Fat Bastard (Myers for a fourth time, if you're counting), a disgustingly unfunny scene that goes on and on. The biggest problem with the film overall is that there's just too much downtime. There were some seriously long stretches where the full house sat in silence (never a good sign in a comedy). At about forty-five minutes, this would have been a comedic masterpiece.
Here's the bottom line: If you've liked
the series so far, you'll enjoy yourself and get some good laughs
(especially during the first five minutes and final half-hour).
On the other hand, if you aren't a fan of the first two, raunchy
humor in general or Mike Meyers, you aren't going to get within
ten miles of a theater showing this thing anyway. Austin Powers
in Goldmember is strictly for the fans and for the most part,
I think they'll appreciate it. Being just a moderate fan myself,
I moderately enjoyed it, but I wouldn't be disappointed if New
Line decided to leave the series as a trilogy. However, if they
decided to smarten up, ditch Austin completely and have an all-bad
guy edition (since we all know that Dr. Evil is the best part
of these films and deserves his own evil vehicle), I'd be willing
to put up with a part 4. I can see it now: Dr. Evil in Thunderballs.
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