Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

"Yeah, baby, yeah", 29 March 2009

I remember being terribly excited when Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was first released. I couldn't wait to see it. And for one of the few times in my life, a movie not only lived-up to the hype, but actually exceeded my expectations. At the time, I considered it a real winner and would have most likely rated it a 9/10 (if I had been rating movies at the time).

I re-watched Austin Powers: IMoM this weekend for the first time in something like 5 or 6 years. How would it hold up? This is the portion of most user comments where I write something about being disappointed by an old favorite I haven't seen in years. Well, I'm happy to report that that's not the case here. The comedy in Austin Powers: IMoM works as well today as it did 12 years ago. The movie really is Mike Myers' baby from start to finish and he was never better or funnier. The writing is sensational. Myers' understanding and parody of James Bond, the 60s, and general pop culture is spot on. The notion of Dr. Evil's outdated plans for taking over the world through force in contrast with No. 2's ability to do even better and be more successful in the world of business is s small point, but very cleverly written. Myers is laugh out loud funny whether in the guise of Austin Powers or Dr. Evil. It's brilliant! And there are some truly inspired set-pieces that work flawlessly. The sea bass with lasers scenes, the Fembots, and Dr. Evil's therapy sessions are all plain old funny. For my money, comedy doesn't get much better than this.

With so much of the film focusing on Myers, it's almost surprising that the often underutilized supporting cast are nonetheless excellent. Elizabeth Hurley, Mimi Rogers, and even Seth Green (who normally gets on my nerves) give fine performances. But it's Robert Wagner as No. 2 who actually upstages even Myers on occasion that I find the best. Wagner's No. 2 is a scream! Wagner is so dead-pan serious that its amazing. It's a very nice piece of acting.

In the end, Austin Powers: IMoM is as fresh today as ever. I'm still more than comfortable with my initial assessment and have now "officially" rated it a 9/10. Good job by all involved!

9/10