Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

After facing down big summer blockbusters like "The Lost World" two summers ago, "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" quickly became a cult classic. This summer, Austin Powers has returned to fight the Dark Side. And this time, his teeth aren't yellowed and stank. Everything else is back, however, including the freaky betweenscene dance numbers and machine gunenhanced fembots. And although it basically recycles jokes from the first film for an hour and a half, "Austin Powers II: The Spy Who Shagged Me" doesn't disappoint. Along with CIA agent Felicity Shagwell — a radiant, confident Heather Graham — Austin goes back in time to the 1960s. There, Dr. Evil has stolen Austin's "mojo," sucking the virility right out of 1990s Austin. And that's a big problem for someone who constantly reminds us "I'm a sexy bitch!" At times, screenwriter Myers tries too hard to keep the jokes coming. But often enough, Myers' mix of pop culture and juvenile humor keeps us laughing. Nothing's off limits: think gerbil and you'll understand. The gags start during the opening credit sequence, in which a nude Austin Powers runs around London, his genitals obscured by perfectly timed credits flashing on screen or perfectly placed phallic objects. Even the shameless commercial product placements are usually couched in humor. Like the original, the best scenes are those with Dr. Evil (also Myers) and his infinitely more intelligent GenX son Scott (everywhere actor Seth Green). The tension between Scott and Dr. Evil is increased by the presence of MiniMe, Dr. Evil's oneeighth sized clone. Played by 32inch tall actor Verne Troyer, MiniMe hardly speaks, but viciously forces Scott to contend with him for Dr. Evil's attention. To keep himself in nearly every scene, Myers also plays Fat Bastard, a disgustingly obese Scottish agent working for Dr. Evil. When Felicity, in bed with a naked Fat Bastard, has to place a homing device on him, the results are just gross, but embarrassingly funny. Those digressions into middle school humor work because the movie never takes itself seriously. "You know what's remarkable?" Austin asks Felicity as they drive through suspiciously tropical mountain roads. "The way England looks in no way like Southern California." There are similar moments throughout the film, when the characters acknowledge the farcical nature of the whole movie. Relax and just enjoy it, they tell us. The rest of the supporting cast is largely there to set Myers up in whatever role he's playing, and most do so perfectly. Rob Lowe stars as Young Number 2, doing his best Robert Wagner (the original Number 2) impersonation. Kristen Johnston changes hair color to show up as would be assassin Ivana Humpalot. And cameo appearances run the gamut from Elvis Costello to Willie Nelson, Rebecca RomijnStamos to Jerry Springer. As further proof of its cuttingedge nature, the sequel features nods — or, more accurately, pimp slaps — to the best and worst of pop culture. "You complete me," Dr. Evil tells his clone, "Jerry Maguire"style. "Austin Powers II" goes on to spoof at least a half dozen other movies, from the obvious (the allusions to James Bond don't end with the title) to the awful (Mini Me's inspiration seems to be Marlon Brando's tiny freak of a sidekick in 1996's campy "Island of Dr. Moreau" remake.) The barrage of pop culture references never stops. Myers and cowriter Michael McCullers even throw in a fullblown Springer. episode that includes a chairthrowing fight and lots of bleeped swearing. The setting gives production designer Alec Hammond the opportunity to splash bright colors everywhere in a whimsical version of the 1960s. The sequel's enhanced budget is obvious from the elaborate sets, which include three new lairs for Dr. Evil. Besides being hyped almost as much as the "Star Wars" prequel, "Austin Powers II" also has the legacy of the original to deal with. But undoubtedly, diehard fans won't be disappointed, since it's essentially an enhanced, highoctane version of the original. Smashing, baby.