Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
80%RT Audience Score: 77%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 8 nominations
A light and goofy comedy which provides laughs, largely due to performances and screenwriting by Myers
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery is a groovy and hilarious spoof of the James Bond franchise. The film’s period tackiness and outlandish villains make it a loving paean to the spy genre. Mike Myers’ dodgy catchphrases and irrepressible sexual desperation will have you crumpling with laughter. The film’s gags are well-observed and affectionate for the era they parody. It’s hard work to make comedy look easy, but Myers and co. pull it off with ease. Austin Powers deserves its place amongst the comedy greats, baby!
Production Company(ies)
The Weinstein Company, UK Film Council Momentum Pictures,
Distributor
New Line Cinema
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Santa Clarita, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for nudity, sex-related dialogue and humor
Year of Release
1997
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital SDDS
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:1h 29m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 2, 1997 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 5, 2000
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Mike Myers, Elizabeth Hurley, Michael York, Mimi Rogers, Robert Wagner, Seth Green, directed by Jay Roach, written by Mike Myers, produced by Demi Moore, Mike Myers, Jennifer Todd, Suzanne Todd, comedy, PG-13, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Owen Gleiberman, John F Kelly, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Rita Kempley, Leonard Klady, Trevor Johnston, Stephen Silver, James Croot, James Luxford, Eddie Harrison, Rob Aldam, Austin Powers, James Bond, Dr Evil, spy, cryogenic freeze, mod mannerisms, swinging sexuality, sex-related humor, sex-related dialogue, nudity, Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, SDDS, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR, Scope (2.35:1), New Line Cinema
Worldwide gross: $67,711,748
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $126,220,174
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 912
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 13,764,468
US/Canada gross: $53,911,748
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $100,495,858
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 748
US/Canada opening weekend: $9,548,111
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $17,798,451
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 714
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $16,500,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $30,757,334
Production budget ranking: 1,142
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $16,562,824
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $78,900,015
ROI to date (est.): 167%
ROI ranking: 724
Elizabeth Hurley – Miss Vanessa Kensington, Mrs. Vanessa Powers
Michael York – Basil Exposition
Mimi Rogers – Mrs. Kensington
Robert Wagner – Number Two
Seth Green – Scott Evil
Director(s)
Jay Roach
Writer(s)
Mike Myers
Producer(s)
Demi Moore, Mike Myers, Jennifer Todd, Suzanne Todd
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 8 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (68) | Top Critics (19) | Fresh (50) | Rotten (18)
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
We may not need as many Austin Powers movies as there are James Bond pictures, but one or two more might be nice.
April 1, 2008
John F. Kelly
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Jay Roach directed with just the right amount of period tackiness.
April 1, 2008
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
The originals were spoofs in their own way, too, unless you really believe that secret agents look more like Sean Connery than Aldrich Ames.
April 1, 2008
Rita Kempley
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
A loving paean to Bond, Flint, Helm and their ilk (as well as a myriad of outlandish villains), the film knows its turf and only missteps when it ventures into more contemporary territory.
April 1, 2008
Leonard Klady
Variety
TOP CRITIC
It would take a stone face not to crumple at Austin’s dodgy catchphrases and irrepressible sexual desperation.
June 24, 2006
Trevor Johnston
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Hugely influential at the time but getting old relatively quickly Austin Powers-mania was a major force in the late 90s and early 2000s, especially when the sequels arrived in 1999 and 2002. (25th anniversary)
May 3, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Stephen Silver
Tilt Magazine
The result is a thoroughly entertaining slice of enjoyable escapism.
March 8, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
James Croot
Stuff.co.nz
Whereas many 1990s comedies might draw a horrified wince from future generations, the film is relatively unproblematic. At least, for a film featuring penis pumps and literal toilet humour.
February 17, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
James Luxford
Dirty Movies
Austin Powers remains a blast of swinging silliness with gags that are not only well observed but affectionate for the era they parody.
April 21, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Jack Hawkins
HeyUGuys
Comedy is a lot of hard work, but Myers and co make it look easy, and Austin Powers deserves its place amongst the comedy greats…
April 19, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
Whilst the heavy lifting might fall on Myers, Jay Roach’s film is elevated by a series of great supporting performances.
April 15, 2021
Rob Aldam
Backseat Mafia…
Plot
Austin Powers is a 60’s spy who is cryonically frozen and released in the 1990’s. The world is a very different place for Powers. Unfortunately for Austin, everyone is no longer sex-mad. Although he may be in a different decade, his mission is still the same. He has teamed up with Vanessa Kensington to stop the evil Dr. Evil, who was also frozen in the past. Dr. Evil stole a nuclear weapon and is demanding a payment of (when he realises its the 90’s) 100 billion dollars. Can Austin Powers stop this madman? or will he caught up with Evil’s henchman, with names like Alotta Fagina and Random Task? Only time will tell!
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.
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