Common Sense Media Review
'90s James Bond spoof has tons of sex, crude humor.
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Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Based on 60 kid reviews
Kids say that this film is a hilarious, campy parody filled with sexual innuendo and crude humor that is best suited for older children and teenagers, with many reviewers suggesting a minimum viewing age of around 12. While some parents found it entertaining and funny, others expressed concern about its explicit content, emphasizing the importance of maturity to comprehend the humor without imitating the inappropriate references.
- sexual humor
- not for kids
- mature themes
- funny parody
- crude jokes
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY, the insidious Dr. Evil (Mike Myers in a dual role) foils his swinging British adversary Austin Powers (Mike Myers) by escaping in a spaceship and having himself cryogenically frozen. Powers does what one would expect of the world's greatest -- and most shagadelic -- gentleman spy: He has himself frozen as well, to be thawed out 30 years later, in 1997, and pick up the chase where it left off. A relic of the swinging '60s, Powers is thawed out in the age of AIDS to stop Dr. Evil from destroying the world. With sexy agent Miss Vanessa Kensington (Elizabeth Hurley) at his side, Powers acclimates to a world without free love while attempting to thwart Dr. Evil, who has stolen a nuclear warhead and is holding the world ransom for ... one hundred billion dollars!
Is It Any Good?
If you're looking for wry humor and sophistication, you're simply looking in the wrong place. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (which was followed by 1999's Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and 2002's Austin Powers in Goldmember) is the sort of comedy you expect from ex-Saturday Night Live cast members (on the level of Dana Carvey's Opportunity Knocks).
Anyone who's seen Goldfinger will recognize the crony Oddjob parodied here as Random Task, or Alotta Fagina substituting for the Bond vixen Pussy Galore. The Dr. Evil character, complete with bald head and hairless cat, are snatched from the opening of For Your Eyes Only. If your tastes generally run a bit more highfalutin than this, find a teenager of your own to supply the laugh track; it completes the experience and might even make it a worthwhile one.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the ways in which Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery is a parody of the British spy movies and TV shows of the 1960s. In what ways does it directly spoof, say, James Bond movies? How does it spoof the 1960s?
Do you think the movie spoofs the way women were often objectified in James Bond movies, or do you think it could have done more to show that Powers' attitudes were no longer acceptable in "the future"?
What are some other movie genres and styles that have been parodied?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 2, 1997
- On DVD or streaming : September 14, 2004
- Cast : Elizabeth Hurley , Mike Myers , Seth Green
- Director : Jay Roach
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : New Line
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sexual content
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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