Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

REVIEW
A hilariously goofy, off-the-wall and dead-on-target spoof of James Bond and other '60s spy movies. Myers sports a set of crooked dentures, thick horn-rimmed glasses, an unsightly swath of artificial chest hair and gets decked-out in velvety '60s garb as Austin Powers, a "swingin" English superspy/photographer. Myers also plays Powers' nemesis, the nefarious but insecure Dr. Evil. Both Powers and Dr. Evil are cryogencially frozen and thawed out in 1997, and they awake to a world that has long since surpassed them. The key to the film's side-splittingly funny humor is the loving attention to detail and its no-holds-barred, un-PC naughtiness (instead of Pussy Galore, we get a luscious femme fatale named Alotta Fagina!). A few of the jokes fall flat, and some references will be lost on all but the most devoted 007 fans, but Austin Powers nevertheless is witty, inspired lunacy from start to finish. Topped off with a fab soundtrack, this is "shag-a-delic" fun. Just beware of those alluring Fembots ... and watch out for the mutated, ill-tempered sea bass. (Sequel: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me)