Nerds That Geek Movie Review – ‘Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

I will admit to the fact that I’ve written ad nauseam about how people feel about sequels on this site, simply because, they truly are polarizing, and people take quite the stance when it comes to them. But regardless of where you stand when it comes to follow up stories in Hollywood, I think we can all agree upon the fact that some point or another in our lives, we simply could not wait to see one and back in 1999, I was counting down the days to the arrival of the next Austin Powers movie, because all of the trailers for Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, looked downright phenomenal and epic, and well…this is a film that certainly did not disappoint when the day of its release finally arrived.
 
After all, it really was a movie that felt bigger in scope and scale and the addition of new characters helped with that and really, as I settled in to re-watch this film to write this review, I’m honestly in awe of how many memorable characters came out of this motion picture and that the ones we love the most in this film, weren’t even leads. I mean come on, who doesn’t love Fat Bastard and find his strange desire to eat a baby downright hilarious and for that matter, who can resist the wonder of Mini Me? He’s just a spectacular clone and the late Verne Troyer’s portrayal of him is the stuff of legend.
 
But, all of that wonder aside, there are really two key reasons this particular entry in the saga stays with us, the laughs for one because holy cow the jokes are as big as the story and while there are jokes in International Man of Mystery that don’t work as well as they used to, I am hard pressed to find a spot here where I wasn’t laughing heartily once again. From the Baby Back Ribs song to the running gag involving a giant…well you know, the jokes just work, and the performances are simply incredible, and those elements set the foundation for the other reason I think this film is so memorable, it’s story.
 
Which may sound silly and I understand why since this is a time travel movie about a horny secret agent looking to shag whenever possible. But upon viewing it again, it’s quite the intricate script when all is said and done, and it features perhaps the finest Bond homages in the entire trilogy. Because this one covers a great many 007 films, and it offers them great respect, allowing for the jokes to grow on their own and I was truly in awe of how many homages they packed into this one and how well all the little details come together in this film by the time the end credits start to roll.
 
If anything, this is likely the finest film in the trilogy since I can’t think of a particular moment where I’ve heard anyone speak ill of this movie, and often times when I do talk about it with others, the quotes simply begin to flow from both parties, reminding me again of how memorable the characters are. But sadly, the good times wouldn’t last for dear Austin and his adventures for the next and final film in the franchise is one that polarizes fans. But before we dive into that feature, it’s best we just take another moment and bask in the glory of this one, and every magnificent moment it has to offer.

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