Director: Jay Roach
Producers: M. Myers, D. Moore, J. Todd, S. Todd
Editing: Debra Neil-Fisher and Jon Poll
Composer: George S. Clinton
Starring:
- Mike Myers as Austin Powers
- Mike Myers as Dr. Evil
- Mike Myers as Fat Bastard
- Michael York as Basil Exposition
- Heather Graham as Felicity Shagwell
- Seth Green as Scott Evil
- Verne Troyer as Mini-Me
- Will Ferrell as Mustafa
Plot and Critical Review: NATO’s monitoring facility observes the return of Dr. Evil and informs British intelligence. At Dr. Evil’s Seattle headquarters he is presented with a one-eighth-size clone of himself whom he calls Mini-Me. Number Two, who survived his incineration towards the end of the previous film, also reveals the enormous profits they have made by legitimately investing in a previously unknown start-up company called "Starbucks". Dr. Evil is unimpressed and unveils his latest plan; to go back to the sixties and steal Austin Powers’ mojo; the source of Austin's incredible sexual prowess and appeal.
Meanwhile Austin is still enjoying his honeymoon the former Vanessa Kensington. Unfortunately, something goes amiss, and it turns out that she is actually one of Dr. Evil’s kamikaze fembots who attempts to kill Austin. She eventually self-destructs.
Dr. Evil and Mini-Me go back to 1969 and meet up with a younger Number Two and (a not-so-young) Frau Farbissina. A disgruntled “Scottish Guard” with unusual eating habits called Fat Bastard has been hired to extract Austin’s mojo from his frozen body at the Ministry of Defence Cryo Chamber.
British intelligence warns Austin that one of Dr Evil’s agents is after him, and during a photo shoot the wanton Ivana Humpalot seduces him, but at the last moment she admits to her orders and claims he is too sexy. They then proceed to have sex in her bed. Unfortunately they do not get far before he discovers that he has lost his mojo, and is therefore impotent. The MOD learns that Dr. Evil has developed a time machine and sends Austin back to 1969 in a time-traveling Volkswagen Beetle. Austin arrives at a party in his London pad and, with the assistance of CIA agent Felicity Shagwell, escapes another assassination attempt by two of Dr. Evil’s operatives. The two of them are chased by Mustafa, yet another of Dr. Evil's henchmen. They're able to outsmart Mustafa and almost discover the location of Dr. Evil's secret volcano lair, but are thwarted when Mini-Me shoots him in the neck with a dart.
At Dr. Evil’s lair, Fat Bastard arrives with Austin’s mojo. Dr. Evil drinks some of it and engages in some “private time” with Frau Farbissina. This results in an awkward “sometime after” situation when Frau reveals that she is “late.” At the same moment Scott, Dr. Evil's son, arrives through the time portal. Dr. Evil announces his latest plan: to hold the United States — and the whole world — ransom by threatening to destroy Washington D.C., and then additional major cities each hour, using a giant "laser" on the moon.
In London, Austin and Felicity get to know each other, and when Felicity tries to have sex with Austin, he rejects her because of his lost mojo. Under MOD instructions to implant a homing device, Felicity seduces Fat Bastard. She plants it in his buttocks. Unfortunately, Fat Bastard forces it out of his bowels into a Paddington Station toilet, but a stool sample from the scene is analyzed to reveal traces of a rare vegetable that only grows on one Caribbean island. Austin and Felicity leave immediately and manage to find Dr. Evil's lair, but are quickly apprehended.
When Austin confronts Dr. Evil, Dr. Evil gives him a choice: save Felicity or the world. Felicity is revealed to be locked in a chamber with poison gas. She tells him to forget her and save the world. Austin knocks out Frau, diverts the path of the laser, and saves Washington D.C. Quick as he was, Felicity dies from exposure to the poison gas. He chases Dr. Evil and shoots him in the leg. Before Austin kills him, Dr. Evil tells Austin he could use the "time machine" to go back in time and save both Felicity and the world. Austin does so and is able to set the past aright.
Foiled again, Dr. Evil initiates the self-destruction mechanism of the moon base and escapes in his rocket after throwing the bottle of Austin's mojo in the air. Both Austins try to catch it but bump into each other and it crashes on the floor. Felicity points out that all the things he has done show that he never really lost his mojo in the first place. With seconds to spare they escape through the time portal back to 1999.
Dr. Evil recovers Mini-Me from space and once again vows to get his revenge on Austin Powers.
Capitalizing on the overwhelming success of "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery", Myers rolled the dice in producing a movie based on a character many felt was quite enough for one film. His gamble paid off. The production budget totalled around $33 million (almost twice as much as the first film), and the movie managed to gross almost 10x as much! Yet, many of those who paid their money to get in the theatre left feeling somewhat disappointed. "The Spy Who Shagged Me" vamped on many of the themes and comedic material found in the first film. This was a welcome delight to fans of the character, but a let-down for most. The movie's saving grace came in the form of a disgruntled Scottish Guard, Fat Bastard, who quickly became a pop icon. In combination with a star-studded cast and and a stellar soundtrack featuring the likes of Madonna, R.E.M., Lenny Kravitz, and Green Day, it's no wonder the film did so well in spite of recycled content.
My Rating: 5.5/10
Content to Caution:
V-2.5 - Judo Chop! Judo Kick! (No comment.)
L-2.5 - No comment.
RT-0 - No comment.
H/S-0 - You won't need a pillow for this one.
CH-2 - There is much humor in keeping with joke repertoire of the first film.
S/N-2.5 - Skimpy clothing, partial nudity, and sexual humor abound.
The "Reel Revelation": "Holy Humor - Pt. 2"
Have you ever spoken the truth and been laughed at because of what you said? Jesus knows how it feels. Consider this story from the Gospel of St. Mark:
"When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and so He stayed by the seashore. One of the synagogue officials named Jairus came up, and on seeing Him, fell at His feet and implored Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live." And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him. … They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. And entering in, He said to them, "Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep." They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child's father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was. Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, "Talitha kum!" (which translated means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded." (Mark 5:21-24, 38-43
We can almost imagine Jesus walking out of the house with the little girl and saying to the crowd, "Who's laughing now?"
At first, the truth (in whatever form) seems laughable. We naturally turn it into something funny because we can't wrap our heads around it. Try on some of these examples for size:
"The Earth is round? Haha!"
"We're going to put a man on the Moon? Haha!"
"You love me? Haha!"
And yet, the Earth is round, we did put a man (several men, in fact!) on the surface of the Moon, and people do manage to share genuine love with one another. What's so funny about that?
I can recall conversations in which I gave a simple opinion and found it met with laughter...I was hurt, even though I was confident in what I said! Perhaps you've been in that same sort of situation and felt a similar sense of disappointment or shame. Do not be discouraged! Rather, seek to understand those who mock you and why they think what you're saying is so laughable. Encourage yourself, as well, in the mysterious connection between those who testified to the Truth (God's Truth) in the Bible and utter mocking and scrutiny:
- The prophets of Baal mocked Elijah, God's anointed prophet. (1 Kings 18)
- Jeremiah called himself the "mocking song" of Israel. (Lamentations 3)
- The soldiers mocked Jesus as they beat Him, even as He hung on the Cross! (Luke 22-23)
- The crowds mocked the Disciples on the day of Pentecost, saying they were drunk! (Acts 2:13)
To be a disciple of Christ is to place yourself directly in the path of a most violent streak of slander, satire, and mockery; the persecution of Christians. Period.
And what does this have to do with "Holy Humor"? It's the humor of the flesh (a lost and misguided humor, indeed) that brings people to laugh in our faces when we speak the Truth. But it's God's strength, not our own, that allows us to stand fast and firm, unwavered by the mockery of this world. We stand upon a Rock that will not be moved, and know that our words are not our own. We also realize the needs of those around us, and that their mocking is only an attempt to stave off the fierce love of God. That seems awfully funny to me, that people, through their own mockery, should reveal their desire (know or unknown) to know the Truth...to know Jesus Christ.
See you tomorrow - E.T.
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