TIM ROBBINS AUSTIN POWERS MOVIE

Evil travels back to 1969, where he steals Austin Powers' 'mojo.' Powers, suddenly sexually dysfunctional in 1999, follows his arch-nemesis back in time. Troyer) and a one-ton henchman with the appropriate moniker of Fat Bastard (Myers again). New bad guys include a pint-sized clone of Dr. Also back are Evil's son, Scott (Seth Green) his second-in-command, Number Two (Robert Wagner) and another of his criminally-minded lieutenants, Frau Farbissina (Mindy Sterling). With his status as a single male restored, Austin prepares to play the field, but his plans are interrupted by the return of Dr. However, since Hurley wasn't interested in reprising her role for more than a minute or two, the character is quickly and effectively dispatched. Soon, we're joining the International Man of Mystery in a tropical retreat, where he's honeymooning with his bride, Vanessa (Elizabeth Hurley). The film opens with a nod to the summer's biggest offering by featuring a Star Wars-like crawl that reminds audiences about Austin's previous adventure. And, while I never expected anything meaningful from The Spy Who Shagged Me, I was disappointed by how infrequently the material provoked a genuine, from-the-gut laugh. Only this time, the jokes aren't nearly as funny and the slow parts have become tedious. The Spy Who Shagged Me attempts to recapture its predecessor's popularity by mining exactly the same territory. And, while Austin Powers had its flaws, such as a tendency to drag in between comic pinnacles, it also possessed a breezy charm that made for a welcome, if admittedly sophomoric, time at the movies. Not only did the film achieve cult status, but it attained a modicum of mainstream acceptance, and revived Mike Myers' flagging career. When the original Austin Powers was released two years ago, it became a surprising success story. Coupled with the dilution of the Bond-related satire that suffused the first entry (this film takes more badly-aimed shots at Star Wars than at 007), it all equates to a disappointing theatrical experience.

TIM ROBBINS AUSTIN POWERS MOVIE

While the movie boasts several sequences of inspired humor, too much of what The Spy Who Shagged Me has to offer is tired and derivative, and, when the various jokes and gags are tallied, there are many more misses than hits. Those characteristics have been replaced by lame and obvious attempts at comedy and a lead actress with a particularly poor sense of comic timing. Also absent are the freshness and spontaneity that characterized the original.

The title character's 'mojo' isn't the only thing missing from Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.

Tim robbins austin powers