Austin Powers in Goldmember: A Groovy Blast from the Past
This time around, Austin was brilliantly paired with Zhenya Osin, who warmed up the crowd at the Pushkinsky cinema with his hit “My Sailor Girl” and other tunes. The audience was in tears – perhaps half from laughing at themselves for being subjected to the pre-show performance. Nevertheless, a unifying effect was achieved, and the film had the audience primed and ready. The visuals were a rapid-fire, kaleidoscopic assault, like a disco light show, and the “international spy” DJ kept the jokes coming, ensuring no one had to strain their ears to get the punchlines. Austin fits this mold perfectly.
A Time-Traveling Romp
In his latest adventure, Austin battles his evil counterpart, who plans to collide Earth with a golden asteroid. This sends him hurtling through time to 1975, 1958, and even the late 1940s. He finds himself in prison, Japan, Holland, and even on a submarine. He also gains another persona: Goldmember, a rogue with a golden appendage, also played by Mike Myers, who already embodies Powers and Dr. Evil. Austin grapples with his father, brother, and his dark past (with a couple of young talents portraying Mike Myers at different ages), all while delivering a non-stop barrage of toilet humor. It’s all familiar territory from previous installments, and for those who find it funny, it evokes a Pavlovian response. The after-party at the “Publica” cafe confirmed the enduring appeal of this brand of slapstick in any time and space. Outside, the temperature hovered around freezing, while go-go dancers shivered in glitter, and the vodka was black. It tasted the same as the clear stuff, but black is slimming, and it looks like less, so you can drink more, right?
Moments of Brilliance Amidst the Mayhem
The global appeal of “Austin Powers” lies in its ability to resonate even with those who don’t live in a circus, those whose sense of humor extends beyond the length of a urine stream and whose frilly jabots conceal more than just a bare backside. Even within the glittering genitalia, a thought occasionally flickers. This time, there are a few such instances. First, the opening and closing scenes, where Tom Cruise plays Austin, Kevin Spacey is Dr. Evil, Danny DeVito is his Mini-Me, Gwyneth Paltrow is the Bond girl, Britney Spears is the villain, and Steven Spielberg directs the parody of “Goldmember,” complete with on-set antics. At least, they’re not as grating to watch. Second, the shadow puppet scene, where Austin and Mini-Me engage in more toilet humor behind a screen, but their actions are unseen, and the shadow puppetry itself is inventively cinematic. Third, a fleeting “flashback” scene where Michael Caine (Austin’s father) is mysteriously de-aged. He’s never unpleasant to watch, but here he’s a genuinely rosy-cheeked, curly-haired, slender beauty, no older than twenty-five, making you stare intently at the screen, even if just for a moment. Fourth, the atomic submarine shaped like Dr. Evil, complete with a head and legs, and the way it submerges and swims – a valuable invention in every sense, including its unexpectedness. All of this is almost great.
The Verdict
In conclusion, if you were to cut and paste a few inconsequential scenes from “Goldmember,” they could pass for a commercial break, even in a cramped room under the stairs.