"Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" is more a guilty pleasure than a shining example of American film comedy. In this, the second of three (so far!) Austin Powers films, Austin (Mike Myers) is again facing his old nemesis, Dr. Evil (again Myers). This time, he is provided female companionship by the lovely Heather Graham, and the rest of the supporting cast from the first film returns. The film features the debut of a new character (portrayed again by Myers) "Fat Bastard," a grotesque, rude, occasionally tiresome, but usually funny character that had me clearing out the local Applebee's restaurant after viewing the film with my repeated screams of "You look like a baby. Get in my belly." I'm not sure that symbolizes cinematic success, but it's sure worth noting!

If you didn't enjoy the first "Austin Powers" film, then odds are you will have little, if any, appreciation for this film. Only the addition of "Fat Bastard" is really unique, and that becomes somewhat tiresome by the end of the film. The rest of the characters are pretty much a retread, including Verne Troyer's Mini-Me, Seth Green's Scott Evil, Robert Wagner's Number Two, and, well, you get my point.

"The Spy Who Shagged Me" is a funny film, but often elicited little more than chuckles out of me. It is a film that both showcases Myers' talent and his lack of it. Much like "Zoolander," this is a film I laughed at in the theatre but upon a second viewing it got barely a chuckle out of me.

A good time? Yes. A memorable one? Not hardly. The end result for "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" is a good film that never aims too high and still occasionally misses the mark.

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic