Critics, filmgoers, and film connoisseurs may argue about 1990s Hollywood films being worse than those made in previous decades. However, what should not be up for debate are the cultural, demographic, and technological changes that affected Hollywood in the 1990s. One of the most noticeable changes is the increased importance of younger audiences. Films that appeal to younger viewers tend to have much better box-office results than those oriented towards older demographics. One of the rare films that managed to defy this conventional wisdom of the 1990s was Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, a 1997 comedy directed by Jay Roach. The film initially had a successful, although not particularly spectacular, run in American cinemas, only to become a surprisingly big hit in video stores. This could be explained by the film's popularity among older audiences, including current US President George W. Bush, who is reportedly a great fan of the film series, and who are more likely to watch movies at home than go to theaters.
The plot of the film begins in 1967 London. Austin Powers (played by Mike Myers), a fashion photographer and one of the biggest stars of London's social scene, is actually a British secret agent who, together with his partner Mrs. Kensington (played by Mimi Rogers), fights against dangerous megalomaniacs. The last of these evildoers to have his plans thwarted by Austin is Dr. Evil (played by Mike Myers). He is forced to go into Earth's orbit and freeze himself. Austin volunteers to freeze himself too, just in case Dr. Evil returns. This happens exactly thirty years later, and the unfrozen Austin Powers suddenly has to deal with a world so different from the swinging 1960s. To help him adjust, his superiors assign Mrs. Kensington's daughter Vanessa (played by Elizabeth Hurley) as his partner. In the meantime, Dr. Evil also must face a drastically changed world, including his rebellious son Scott (played by Seth Green).
The quickest way to describe Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery is a "successful parody of James Bond films." However, this is also an oversimplification. Mike Myers, who wrote the script, knew that James Bond films had been parodied for a long time, even by some films in the same franchise. So Myers concentrated solely on those Bond films made in the 1960s and broadened the scope of his interest to many other aspects of 1960s popular culture - films, TV shows, fashions, and prevalent hedonistic attitudes. That explains why only older audiences truly enjoyed this film, as they could understand some of the film's best jokes based on classic 1960s Bond films. Myers takes great pleasure in putting classic Bond double entendres into a more modern context, thus giving them their proper meaning – for example, a character named Alotta Fagina is obviously based on Pussy Galore from Goldfinger. The film also works as a classic "fish out of water" comedy, with Myers developing not one, but two anachronistic characters forced to find their place in a world that has drastically changed. Some jokes in the film belong to the toilet humor category, and this was Myers' concession to younger audiences who didn't care much about 1960s pop culture. However, despite some jokes not being that good, the general quality of humor is very high, and that explains why Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery is such an entertaining film.
Myers, who had his reputation as a talented comedian already established with Wayne's World, is simply brilliant in this film and plays two characters with great ease. His talent and charisma are such that he manages to overshadow everyone else, with many actors who were supposed to be stars reduced to mere cameos. Elizabeth Hurley, who was supposed to be this film's equivalent of a Bond Girl, comes across as bland. Robert Wagner, who plays Dr. Evil's henchman, and Seth Green, who plays Dr. Evil's son, on the other hand, are more effective and almost as funny as Myers. The film also benefits from the efforts of its production and costume designers – the 1960s world, or, to be precise, the ultra-campy vision of the 1960s, is recreated with great care for details and with a delicate taste for outrageousness. Because of that, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery is one of the most successful 1990s comedies and a film that transcended its time in more ways than one.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
(Note: The text in its original form was posted in the Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on July 1st, 2004)
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