License To...Shag?

Austin Powers goes head to head with Goldmember and Dr. Evil. Simply shagalicious, baby!

Mike Myers never tires. He keeps on coming back louder (and lewder) than before. With the third in the Austin Powers series, "Goldmember" is a less lascivious title, but that’s only until you watch the film!

This time around, Austin Powers (Mike Myers) tones down the sex rampages and indulges in some good old detective work. Mike’s errant father, Nigel Powers (michael Caine) has been kidnapped by a new nemesis, a Dutchman by the name Goldmember, who loves gold and disco. Nigel has been taken into the past - 1975 - to disco den Studio69, and Austin travels right after to rescue him. Teaming up with old flame Foxxy Cleopatra (Beyonce Knowles), Austin learns of an alliance between his old enemy Dr. Evil and Goldmember, and of their evil plan to take over the world...again. Armed only with brass and brunette, Austin infiltrates their lair and challenges the opposition, only to learn of a shocking truth that could alter the fate of all subsequent sequels.

The suits are the same and the hairstyles have pretty much the usual amounts of hair spray, but for what it’s worth, "Austin Powers in Goldmember" has upped the ante on promiscuity and profanity, letting the insults fly unfettered and unadorned. In keeping with the premise of an Austin Powers’ flick, the flavour is as carbonated as ever, with plenty of funny faces, slapstick comedy and vulgarity. But in allowing his imagination to run riot, Myers, who enjoys writing credits, was inattentive to the finer details in film-making...namely. coherence and cause.

The film still stands as a great entertainer, though, for its hilarious characters and pseudo-crises. Myers plays four of the three main characters, including Goldmember and Fat Bastard, and, even in his outrageous getups, tickles the funny bone. As for the others, Seth Green, Michael Caine and Verne Troyer are allowed little creative space to do any more than their stereotypes require.

And if you think this star cast isn’t so star-spangled, how about having Tom Cruise, Gywneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey, Danny De Vito and Steven Spielberg on the list? Honest, they are...check out the movie to see what I mean!

This article was first published on12 Nov 2002.