The Austin Powers movies are iconic to an extreme degree. Satirizing spy movies such as James Bond, the series features Mike Myers in the titular role as a spy who was cryogenically frozen in the 1960s and wakes up in the 1990s. A lot has changed in those 30 years, and he finds himself out of step with the more buttoned-up culture he’s in. The series features three feature-length movies as well as an introductory TV movie and a number of companion video games that were released within the span of the main movies.
Not only does Myers play Austin Powers, but also a set of other characters across the three movies, including the main villain, Dr. Evil. He has also been awoken from a cryogenic sleep, so of course it makes sense that the best person to put a stop to him is Powers. They’re well-matched as both are largely inept, so their game of cat and mouse is a fun one to watch. The incongruity of ’60s era villains and heroes trying to operate in the ’90s makes for endless jokes that range from crude to camp to clever. To refresh your memory on the movie series, here’s a guide to every Austin Powers movie in order.
Every Austin Powers Movie in Order
-
Austin Powers’ Electric Psychedelic Pussycat Swingers Club
(1997) -
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
(1997) -
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
(1999) -
Austin Powers in Goldmember
(2002)
Austin Powers’ Electric Psychedelic Pussycat Swingers Club (1997)
While it’s not part of the series in the same way as the rest of the movies, Austin Powers’ Electric Psychedelic Pussycat Swingers Club is a TV movie released as promotion for the project and technically comes first. It came out in April 1997, a month before International Man of Mystery. Myers stars as Austin Powers, who is hosting the show parodying the style of Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, and he’s joined by guests including Elizabeth Hurley, Rosie O’Donnell, and Michael York.
Myers uses the time to introduce the world to Austin Powers, explaining the premise of how the character has just awoken from a cryogenic sleep. There are clips shown from the upcoming movie and even dance numbers to popular songs. Coming in at 43 minutes, it’s evidently not feature-length, but surely 43 minutes of Myers as Austin Powers qualifies the special to be included in the list.
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
The first official movie in the series is Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, which was released in May 1997. Not only does Myers play the lead role as well as other characters, he also wrote the screenplay, with Jay Roach directing the movie. Myers says that the inspiration for the project came from his parents who had moved to Canada from the UK. In an interview with Access Hollywood, he shares, “After my dad died in 1991, I was taking stock of his influence on me as a person and his influence on me with comedy in general. So, Austin Powers was a tribute to my father, who [introduced me to] James Bond, Peter Sellers, The Beatles, The Goodies, Peter Cook, and Dudley Moore.”
In this first story, Austin Powers awakens from his cryogenic sleep at the same time as Dr. Evil who swiftly steals a nuclear weapon in order to extort money out of the government. So, Austin teams up with Elizabeth Hurley’s character, Vanessa Kensington, to put a stop to him. Some other actors involved are Michael York as Basil Exposition, Will Ferrell as Mustafa, and Fabiana Udenio as Alotta Fagina. As may already be clear, it’s an outrageous and hilarious parody of British spy movies that is like no other.
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
After being thwarted by Austin Powers in International Man of Mystery, Dr. Evil seeks his revenge in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. This sequel came two years after the original was released, hitting theaters in June 1999. Roach returns as director, and Myers worked on the screenplay once again, but with the help of Michael McCullers. This time around, after it is revealed that Vanessa Kensington was a fembot created by Dr. Evil, Austin is assisted by Heather Graham’s character, Felicity Shagwell. Another addition to the cast is Verne Troyer, who plays a one-eighth clone of Dr. Evil named Mini-Me.
Dr. Evil’s plan here is two-fold. One strand aims to target Austin directly, and to do this he goes back in time to the 1960s and steals his mojo, leaving Austin impotent. Additionally, he decides to hold Earth hostage by traveling to the moon and directing a large laser at humanity. It’s a suitably whacky and camp follow-up to a whacky and camp original. Although whether it’s sufficiently fresh and distinct to have warranted a sequel is up to the individual to decide.
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
The final (for now) installment in the Austin Powers series is Austin Powers in Goldmember, which was unleashed to the world in July 2002. The same writing and directing team of Myers, McCullers, and Roach reunited once again for the third movie. There are many familiar faces among the cast as well, with Seth Green, Michael York, and Robert Wagner reprising their roles. Some exciting additions to the cast include the one and only Beyoncé as Foxxy Cleopatra as well as Michael Caine who plays Nigel Powers, Austin’s famous spy father.
After escaping from a maximum security prison, Dr. Evil hatches a new plan for more time travel and world domination. He will travel back to 1975 and join forces with Goldmember, a fellow evildoer, who is developing a beam they will use to pull a meteor down to Earth. Coincidentally, Austin must also travel back to the same year because he learns that his father has been kidnapped by the infamous Goldmember and once there, he teams up with his former lover and FBI agent Foxxy Cleopatra.
Austin Powers in Goldmember stretches the whole premise thin, which Roger Ebert sums up succinctly for the Chicago Sun-Times: “The movie is a little tired; maybe the original inspiration has run its course.” But with that being said, it’s still Austin Powers at the end of the day, and that goes a long way.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
