Austin Powers in Goldmember


release year: 2002
genre: comedy
viewing setting: home DVD, 12/30/02

synopsis: Master spoof, err, secret agent Austin Powers must avert yet another world-threatening plot involving Dr. Evil.

impressions: In general, this movie just wasn't funny. The formula that made this humor watchable the first time has faded to almost nothing. Actually, I noted exactly 6 things that made me laugh (for the record, they were: the intro, the 1975 disco scene, Austin showing Foxy his example of the Internet's usefulness, Mini-Me humping Foxy's leg, Mini-Me and Austin's shadow scene in the doctor's office, and Mini-Me flying out of the vent behind Foxy.) Do you see a common thread here? That's right...fully half of the funny parts in this movie involved Mini-Me. Oh well, at least Verne Troyer (the midget actor) is now rich.

things to watch for: Those six parts I named above.

acting: Yawn. Austin Powers? Redundantly boring. Dr. Evil? Old news. Goldmember? Boring AND dumb. Fat Bastard? Never funny to begin with. And so on. To their credit, everyone does a good job doing their characters - it's just that the characters no longer entertain me. As far as new characters, Beyonce Knowles does display considerable attitude as the female lead, ditto Michael Caine as Austin's father.

final word: Based on the ending of this movie, I can only hope that it is the last of its kind.

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