Feature
Review | Austin Powers In Goldmember
Written by: Brian
Orndorf
Rated: 8/10
I would like to say that the third time is the charm for the Austin
Powers film series, but “Goldmember,” the franchise’s latest
installment, lacks a certain punch. That’s not to say that this
isn’t the most fall-down-funny film you’ll see all summer, because
there are laughs aplenty in this movie, but coming after the
unexpected success of the last picture, “The Spy Who Shagged Me,”
(henceforth “SWSM“) this new film just feels a little like
leftovers.
Basking in his newfound fame, only one thing stands in the way of
happiness for Austin Powers (Mike Myers): love and respect from dear
old dad, Nigel Powers (Michael Caine). When Dr. Evil (Mike Myers),
with Mini-Me (Verne Troyer), rises again to claim power over all of
humanity, he decides to enlist help from the year 1975, and his name
is Goldmember (Mike Myers). An overly-tanned Dutchman who enjoys
eating his own peeling skin, Goldmember kidnaps Nigel and holds him
for ransom to capture Austin. Wanting to save his father, but more
importantly, trying to win his admiration, Austin enlists the help of
bad mama Foxy Cleopatra (Beyonce Knowles) to retrieve his father, and
to stop Dr. Evil’s nefarious plan to destroy the world with a meteor
in an scheme called “Preparation H” (as preparations A through G
all failed).
I stress that “Goldmember” will have you rolling in the aisles.
It’s as funny as anything you’ll see this year, but in the quest
to package something together for this third go around, the brainchild
behind this franchise, Mike Myers, seems to have let his past
successes block his vision. The furious hilarity of “SWSM” came
from the fact that the first installment, “Austin Powers:
International Man Of Mystery” (“IMOM”), was a middling success,
and the filmmakers seemed to be blown away that they’d received a
shot to make a sequel. They compacted “SWSM” with gag after gag of
unlimited resourcefulness and originality, even in the potty humor
that is such a cornerstone of this series. It came out of nowhere and
proceeded to make four times the money as “IMOM” domestically.
Always a sign of success.
For “Goldmember,” the stakes are higher, and Myers, with
partner Michael McCullers, play it a bit safer this time out. They
repeat gags from the first two pictures (the “Shuss!” battles, the
shadow play, the opening credits), and annoyingly have the characters
react tiredly to these gags, as if trying to preempt any similar
audience reactions. Also misfiring is the new character Goldmember,
which looks groovy on the page, but embodied by Myers, it’s just a
great idea looking for a laugh. A bizarre looking, horrifically
flexible swinger from Holland, Goldmember doesn’t have the
personality or lines that made such new Myers characters as Fat
Bastard (who returns briefly in the new film, and remains a comedic
highlight) such a scream in “SWSM.” I’m not suggesting that
Myers’s instincts are missing for “Goldmember,” because clearly,
with the side-splitting lunacy on display, he has lost none of his
limitless imagination. It’s just more that Myers doesn’t want to
ruin what worked before, and he’s more content to stay within those
familiar parameters of comedy than venture out and explore the borders
of the “Powers” world as he did before.
Since we must make due with what we’re given, I was pleasantly
surprised that Myers has come back with new, more elaborate jokes for
his characters. Scott Evil (Seth Green) has a wonderful subplot in
which he tries passionately to impress his father, even finding sharks
with frickin‘ laser beams attached to their heads.. Mini-Me is given
much more to do in this sequel, teaming up with Austin to infiltrate
Dr. Evil’s submarine lair in a sequence that will have you laughing
so hard, the Diet Coke will gush from your nose. Some musical numbers
and high-wattage star cameos (too many to count) are entertaining too.
Also of note is Michael Caine and his swinging performance as
Austin’s father. Caine “gets” the role hands down, and he’s
eager to play with Myers and the rest of the cast. It’s fun to
watch. As mentioned before, Myers also brings back the potty jokes,
this time a little more forceful than before. They work, if only
because Myers’s enthusiasm for this genre of humor is truly
infectious. Plus, when’s the last time you saw a film that had some
fun with sumo wrestler diapers?
The ending of “Goldmember” is a head-scratcher, as it both
promises a fourth installment and ends the series at the same time.
Either way, I’m satisfied with what Myers has accomplished with his
“Austin Powers” pictures. He’s made being silly not seem like
such a guilty pleasure anymore.
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COMMENTS
Date/Time of Posting: Jul 26 2002 / 07:07:18
IP Address: 216.18.53.90
comments = Loved the film.
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