Movie parodies are often hit-or-miss. Without a good writer and a savvy director, you end up with something far worse (and far, far stupider) than the original film being mocked.
Nearly 30 years ago, we got a parody of the James Bond franchise that was so great that it launched an insanely successful spy franchise of its own. That parody is Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), and this sexy spy adventure is now streaming on Netflix.
The plot of Austin Powers is that the titular hero is a ‘60s super spy who is cryogenically frozen and wakes up 30 years later. He must defeat Dr. Evil, his old foe who has been similarly frozen since the free love era. Now, a shagaddlic hero from the past must fight to save his future, one groovy gadget and silly seduction at a time.
The Cast Is Groovy, Baby!
That villain, Dr. Evil, is played by Mike Myers (best known for the Austin Powers trilogy of films), the Wayne’s World alumnus who also plays Austin Powers. This doubles Myer’s opportunity to deliver crazy lines and crazier line readings as both a bald baddie and a moppy-maned superspy. To Myers’ credit, each character feels very distinct, with each having their share of infectiously quotable dialogue and scene-stealing punchlines.
Audiences and Critics Share the Love (Sweet Love)
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was a major gamble that paid off in a big way…against a budget of about $17 million, the film earned a box office of $67.7 million. That groovy sum was enough to warrant two sequels: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Goldmember. Incidentally, both franchise star Mike Myers and director Jay Roach have indicated on numerous occasions that they would like to create a fourth film, with Myers claiming it would focus more on Dr. Evil than Austin (here’s hoping it grosses more than one…million…dollars!).
Even though Austin Powers is a broad comedy filled with over-the-top performances, it managed to impress the critics with its charm (which was possibly enhanced by a Swedish-made enlarger). On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has a rating of 73 percent, with critics praising the movie’s clever writing from Mike Myers that helped bring this silly spy satire to life. Speaking of Myers, critics lauded his singular performance as a character that seems fresh and innovative even as he lampooned decades of James Bond movies.
The Parody That Made Things Serious
As a snot-nosed high schooler, I mostly enjoyed Austin Powers for its surface-level appeals, including sexy characters spouting some delightfully silly one-liners. Now that I’m a bit older, I’ve learned to love how pitch-perfect International Man of Mystery parodies the James Bond films. The world of 007 has always been pretty campy, and Austin Powers manages to wring every last drop of humor out of the most popular spy franchise in the world.
Incidentally, the James Bond franchise owes a lot to Austin Powers: in 2014, Casino Royale star Daniel Craig admitted in an interview with MI6 Confidential magazine that the producers had to completely destroy the audience’s idea of Bond. “We had to destroy the myth because Mike Myers f***ed us”, he said, noting that an old-school Bond film is now “impossible” to create. In short, Austin Powers was so great at mocking Bond that 007’s franchise got a much-needed makeover.
Will you agree that Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery is the sexiest, funniest parody in Hollywood history, or is this one James Bond spoof you’d like to blow up with a pen grenade? The only way to find it is to get your remote out of cryogenic freeze and get ready for a psychedelic, cinematic party. If you want to keep enjoying Myers’ mojo after the credits roll, be sure to stream the rest of the franchise, all of which is currently available on Netflix.