Groovy Baby Yeh Austin Powers In Goldmember (From Western Telegraph)

Groovy Baby Yeh Austin Powers In Goldmember

Austin Powers in Goldmember is one of the silliest films youll ever see and you should see it. The creator, Mike Myers, spent years on the comedy circuit before shooting to fame in Waynes World, which he also wrote. It was just a few years before the arrival of his most lucrative character creation to date: Austin Powers - Oh behave!.

You would think Mike Myers brand of comedy would only appeal to teenagers, but his characters seem to have a far wider audience. When he emerged in 1997 with his original Austin Powers he leapt onto, and perpetuated, a retrospective affection for London in the swinging sixties. The sequel which included the main characters with a few additions took a massive $300 million at the box office. So will the third outing prove as successful?

Austin Powers in Goldmember does what all sequels try to do - get bigger and better while delivering what the audience expects. So, we have all same characters. Austin, Dr Evil, Fat Bastard and this time a nasty Dutch disco metallurgist called Goldmember, all played brilliantly by Myers. In Dr Evils camp (and hes camper than ever), theres Verne Troyer as Mini-Me,

Seth Green as Dr Evils wise-cracking disillusioned son, Robert Wagner as the long suffering Number Two and the incredible Mindy Sterling as the scary Frau Farbissina.

On Austins side Michael York survives as Basil Exposition but we also get to see Michael Caine. For the gents, Destinys Child singer Beyonce Knowles puts in a sexy but under-whelming performance as seventies chick Foxy Cleopatra.

The plot is of course largely unimportant, but there is one and its basically this: Dr Evil and Mini-Me have somehow escaped from a maximum security prison and team up with Goldmember. Together they formulate a plan for world domination, time-travelling to kidnap Austin Powers father, Englands master spy, Nigel Powers. Hes played by Michael Caine and is the best addition to the world of Austin Powers. As Austin chases Dr Evil through time, he stops in 1975 to connect with an old girlfriend, detective Foxy Cleopatra. Can they stop disco dancing long enough to track down the villains and save Austins father?

It is hilarious in places. I just love it. Of course apart from the retro-chic style of the Austin Powers films, the spoof James Bond theme does give the essential modern referential element to the comedy that separates this from just an expensive Carry On film. Look out for cameos from Danny DeVito, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ozzy Osbourne and Tom Cruise. If you dont believe me go and see it. Mr. Myers we are truly thankful for what we are about to receive. Yeah baby!

VAUGHAN SIVELL