A film review by Jeffery Sanders Copyright © 1999 Jeffery Sanders

To tell you I had fun at Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me would be an understatement. To tell you I had a blast would be more like it. To tell you I had the most fun I have ever had in a movie theater would be closer to the truth.

The theater was crazy! It was like they were at a midnight showing of Rocky Horror picture show. The audience went wild during this movie! The lamest of jokes were met with applause, the most disgusting gags were "ewwwwwwwed" at. One unfortunate patron, who had obviously not seen the first Austin Powers, stood up and said "this is just bad!". The poor man was pelted with everything from popcorn, to magazines, to M’n’Ms (ouch). The man realized he was in the minority, shut-up, sat down, and wisely put on a happy face. Mind you, this was only during the first ten minutes of the movie and I’m sure this wacky flick had won him over by the end.

Austin Powers, during the summer of 1997, was almost like a little secret between me and my friends. We saw the original opening day and have never forgotten it. It touched us crazy wackos like Star Wars must have touched all those geeks. It was "our" movie. It’s 53 million total made me proud, and I was happy that it wasn’t a blockbuster so it could remain "our" movie.

Last weekend, it became "everyone’s" movie. This movie is one of the biggest hits of the summer. Why? Because the world of Austin Powers is one of laugh after laugh after laugh. Thank god Mike Myers throws in a groan now and then or it would just be too exhausting.

Myers is a genius! I can’t stress that enough. His comedy is just note perfect in my opinion. Wayne’s World is one of the best character comedies ever. So I Married An Ax Murderer is extremely under-rated and Austin, oh Austin… well you already know how I feel.

This sequel takes everything die-hard Austin fans loved about the first one and jacks it up a notch or two. The movie dismisses needless items like continuity, plot and morals in favor of an all out laugh riot.

And now it’s times for some Austin catch phrases: Yeah, baby, Yeah! Shagadelic! Swinging Sixties here I come! I gotta check if me bits and pieces are still working. Judo Chop! He’ll never be the head of a major corporation. Do I make you horny, baby, do I? Do I make you Randy?

There. That’s enough.

In any case, those who accuse this movie of having no plot, no continuity and no morals are missing the point. Did you laugh? You’d have to be a sick sonofabitch not too! And that’s that!

Austin revels in it’s badness. You should too. You should also revel in it’s reveling of it’s own badness. Yeah, baby, yeah!

Still, I’m not saying this is the best movie ever! It has it’s problems. Namely, the delicious Heather Graham who is hotter than hot in this movie, but never really connected with me. Oh well. Sometimes there was a little too much repetition and the ending sorta petered out. But, none of this matters a lick.

Austin Powers is not a movie! It’s a trip! It’s something to do with friends. Someone once told me that it didn’t matter who you go with to see a movie. All you do is sit there and watch a screen. Well, with Austin you revel. That means cheering, booing, singing and… hell.. dancing!

Let yourself go and see it with as many friends as you can gather and you’ll have a swinging time!

Yeah baby yeah! (Can you feel the lameness! Yeah)

note: plot and story do not matter. This review is special and was written in a different format than my usual. Until Austin Powers: You only Shag Twice it will never be used again.

Take what you would give Austin Powers out of 10. Add 1.

For me that is:

11 out of 10
Groovy Baby!

	Running Time: 117 Min | Rated PG-13 | US Release: June 11th | More >>

Related 'Austin Powers' Links:

• Official Site
• Movies to See in 1999: AP2
• Countdown to Austin Powers: TSWSM
• Upcomingmovies.com - Austin Powers 2

Double-O Behave!