Austin Powers in Goldmember film review

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AUSTIN POWERS IN GOLDMEMBER

The eponymous hairy-chested, dentally challenged secret agent is back, baby; back on Dr Evil's case with help from a gorgeous new sidekick. Groovy!

It's been three years since Austin (Mike Myers) faced his arch-nemesis, Dr Evil (Myers... again), and pint-sized accomplice Mini Me (Verne J Troyer). The evil twosome travelled back in time and attempted to steal Austin's mojo. Thankfully, the secret agent and sexy right-hand woman Felicity Shagwell (Heather Graham) were more than a match for Evil and his cackling henchmen.

Now, the megalomaniac and his four-foot high sidekick are languishing in a maximum-security prison. When the pair escape, Austin is called back into the fray by Basil Exposition (Michael York) to save the day.

It transpires that Dr Evil has joined forces with the dastardly Dutch rollerskating fiend Goldmember (Myers... times three), and is planning to travel back in time to kidnap Austin's beloved father Nigel (Michael Caine). So the international man of mystery grabs his favourite flares and heads back to 1975, to join forces with old flame Foxxy Cleopatra (bouffant Destiny's Child diva Beyonce Knowles), and derail Dr Evil's latest hare-brained attempt at world domination.

En route, Austin crosses paths with Dr Evil's former associate Fat Bastard (yes, Myers again, in a latex body suit), Number Two (Robert Wagner) and Dr Evil's dysfunctional son Scott (Seth Green).

Austin Powers In Goldmember is a lazy and unimaginative sequel which seems content to recycle gags from the previous two films and pass them off as new.

The script, penned by Myers and Michael McCullers, is woefully light on jokes, and too obviously padded with musical sequences (including a depressingly unfunny new version of "It's A Hard Knock Life" rapped by Dr Evil). Most of the big laughs - all two of them - come from sight gags: one involving a shot borrowed from an old Michael Caine movie, the other an ingenious child birth sequence with Austin and Mini Me.

Myers, York, Wagner et al can perform these characters in their sleep, and Caine and Knowles bring scant sparkle to their roles. There are a number of big name surprise cameos too, but the film company has asked us not to reveal the actors' identities, for fear of spoiling your enjoyment. To be honest, the film manages that quite well on its own.

Hopefully, this will be Austin's last mission. Shame he couldn't go out with a bang. Yeah baby!