It took a while (relatively speaking) to get to this one. And, while this one has a lot of great individual scenes, I think it’s the weakest of the series.
This time around, we’re in the 70s, with the introduction of Beyoncé’s Foxxy Cleopatra. I enjoyed her role, especially her introduction, talking (so obviously) through a third party. She seems like she’s having fun and is a good counterpoint to Austin.
We also get Michael Caine as Nigel Powers, Austin’s father. It’s fun to see the age differences and a bit of family dynamics. And to get even more reason why Austin powers is how he is. And there’s a twist (we’ll leave it at that) at the end which… could have been so much more.
On the other hand, we have another Mike Myers character: Goldmember. A Dutchman who lost his genitalia in ‘an unfortunate smelting accident’. And loves gold. And has an over the top accent. That’s about it. It’s funny at first, but it just goes on too long.
Goldmember: Dr. Evil, we still have the ultimate insurance policy. May I present to you, the very sexual, the very toite, Austin Power’s fahza.
Dr. Evil: His what?
Number 2: His fahza, Dr. Evil.
Dr. Evil: His farger? What’s a farger?
Goldmember: His fahza. You know, the fahza.
Dr. Evil: You know Goldmember, I don’t speak freaky-deaky Dutch. Okay, perv boy?
Goldmember: Fahza, his dad, dad is fahza.
Dr. Evil: Oh, his dad. His fa-ther
Another thing that could have been really funny but just sort of went too far (which is saying something for the genre) is the feel through the entire movie that we’re in a movie… about a movie. It starts with the filming of a fake, in universe Austin Powers, with Tom Cruise playing Austin Powers, which is hilarious. But then it just keeps going throughout the entire introduction. Into a scene messing with the legibility of subtitles that stretches on too long. Just too much.
Oh, and the (extended) mole scenes. Oy.
Overall, by far the weakest of the movies for me. There are some funny moments, but so it goes.
It would have been interesting to see if they’d made a 4th. But it’s probably too late now. Such is life.
Onward!
A fun scene:
Japanese Man 1: RUN! IT’S GODZILLA!
Japanese Man 2: It looks like Godzilla, but due to international copyright laws - it’s not.
Japanese Man 1: STILL, WE SHOULD RUN LIKE IT IS GODZILLA!
Japanese Man 2: [looks to the camera] Though it isn’t.