Beyonce brings Foxxy glamour, but the shagadelic franchise felt tired by the third round.
Every week, Entertainment Weekly is looking back at the biggest movies of the summer of 2002.
Join us for a rewatch of the first true summer of Hollywood’s strange new millennium.
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Nobody expectedAustin Powersto make that much money when it debuted and itactually didn’t, really.
And so two more films, and a supremely wiggy cultural phenomenon, were born.
Myers still got to max out his alter egos, though, playing Powers, his wormy nemesis Dr.
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I swear that’sKatie Couricas a unibrowed prison guard?
I mean, this movie hasMichael Caine!
In a wig and weird dentures!
Doing the Austin’s-absentee-dad thing, excellently.
But the plot, such as it is, centers on Powers going back to 1975 to stop Dr.
Evil and his motley crew from co-opting the weapons of one Johan van der Smut, a.k.a.
We’re not scientists; askBill Nye).
But Devan, you tell me was the whole thing ever your bag, baby?
And how does it hold up for revisiting as a grown lady?
Seemingly everyone I know had a Dr.
Even my parents kept a spare house key on a talking Dr. echoing through the house, unprompted.)
Revisiting it now, it feels less like a film and more like a collection of half-baked sketch ideas.
Here’s a prison rap music video!
Here’s an interlude with the Osbournes!
(Remember when the Osbournes were the biggest family on reality TV?
Oh, 2002.)
you’re able to see Myers' interest starting to wane, even before he starts recycling jokes.
Still, the pure star power on display here speaks to just how bigAustinreally was.
Today, even the buzziest Marvel movie couldn’t get Tom CruiseandGwyneth PaltrowandSteven SpielbergandJohn Travolta.
(Besides, any movie with a Danny DeVito cameo gets an extra gold star from me.)
But as you noted, the most interesting thing aboutGoldmemberwill always be Queen Bey.
There’s a warmth and playfulness to her performance here.
What about you, Leah?
DidGoldmemberwork for you, or does this film deserve to go back on ice?
I would pay good money to seethatBlumhouse movie.
But I totally agree, I didn’t realize quite how muchAustin’s"Yeah, baby, yeah!
“phrasings had soaked into the lexicon until I watchedGoldmemberagain.
What did it even do?
are handily conscripted into(“Boobs!
These filmmakers are just f—ing boobs”).
And good Lord, does the stuff with the penis puppetry in that medical exam scene go on.
Evil are…secret brothers.
Would morePowersbe a good thing, Devan, or has that velveteen ship sailed?
DEVAN:I thought about that as I was rewatching.
The last two decades have brought dozens of other spy-movie send-ups, from theultraviolentKingsmanfranchisetoMelissa McCarthy’sdelightful slapstick inSpy.
(Still holding out hope for thatSpysequel.)
Is there even a place forAustin Powersanymore, or should he hang up the frilly ascot for good?
I’m not sure.
MaybeGoldmemberis more golden than we thought.
Read past 2002 rewatches:
