The following reveiw is from a test screening in early May. Courtesy of Light House Shines.
Thanks to Light House Shines for this great review. Thanks again.
Well my friends, very seldomly have I bothered to see a film more than
once before it's final theatrical release. Let alone twice while it is
still in actual test form! That is unless I really, really like
the film to begin with, and/or I happen to know that they will change the
film yet again. Before finally settling on the film's theatrical
version. As I strongly suspected they would do with Austin Powers 2:
The spy who shagged me, for I was lucky enough to see the original
Austin Powers. Also in rough cut form, which was the first
test screening I ever attended where I really noticed quite a lot of
things/scenes that never appeared or were seen in any other version of
the film. Much more so than in any other test screening I have
ever attended to this very day! As such the version I saw was vastly
different from the ultimate theatrical release, as well as greatly
different from the later video release. You know the specially priced one
with the extended footage tacked on to the end. As that (extended version)
had scenes that even I didn't see, such as all of Rob Lowe's evil
henchmen scenes were cut out completely the test screening I attended.
So to make up for that in this film ( I'm assuming), Mr. Lowe now plays
the younger or past version of Number Two. Doing an excellent job of
imitating Robert Wagners speech and inflections perfectly-who would have
thought Rob was so talented outside a bedroom at a National Democratic
convention?! Plus in the rough cut version I saw, they had a hilarious
second group therapy session with Dr. Evil trying to bridge the gap
between him and his son, yet only succeeding in further terrifying the
rest of the group participants. A scene that I personally thought never
should have been cut out as it was one of the film's best scenes (Just in
case you didn't know, I have a very dark sense of humor).
Though luckily in Austin Powers latest screen effort, a lot of thelittle quirks that made the original film so enjoyable ( or at leastelevated it to cult status, as that is really why it is so popular). Arebrilliantly present, and in some cases magnified, once again in Austin Powers 2: The spy who shagged me. As the film starts off withAustin learning that his dear bride Vanessa Kensington-Powers ( A nicelystacked Elizabeth Hurley, being a good sport for making such a smallcameo) is nothing more than a Fembot (A explosive little wedding gift fromby Dr. Evil)! Who is still orbiting the Earth in a huge Big Boy shapedrocket ship, though that doesn't last for very long. As Dr. Evil soonventures back to Earth to wreck his own special brand of terror andnihilism on the unsuspecting world. As the film pretty much picksright back up from where the original film left off, inept worlddomination plans, petty family squabbles and all the other random surrealstuff that made the first film so enjoyable and then some. As Scott Evil (nicely played again by Seth Green) is confronted by his father on TheJerry Springer show, one of the film's best scenes. Who announces tothe studio audience his plan for world domination, as well as his disdainfor his son. Who he considers to be only quasi evil, and therefor not evilenough for his own sinister and twisted needs ( Scott Evil is still tryingto win the love and approval of his poor demented Father). Which this timeround involve Dr. Evil traveling back in time to 1969, two years afterAustin Powers was frozen, and stealing his Mojo ( Sexual energy Ba-by!).Therefor rendering Mr. Powers completely powerless ( Yes it's a sillyplot, for even Basil (Michael York) and Austin's characters comment onthis sad fact) to stop Dr. Evil from holding the world hostage underthreat of annihilation in the form of an orbital laser pointed at theWhite House!
Still silly plot lines aside, the best thing about this film is onceagain Dr. Evil and his now diminutive clone "Mini Me", played toperfection by Verne Troyer. Who makes a welcome addition to the alreadybizarre cast of characters as he simply stole the show each and every timehe was on screen. As well as generated the most laughs, especially duringhis big ( or should I say small) fight scene with Austin Powers as well asduring the rap version of Just the two of us. Sung with eerieperfection by Dr. Evil in a mock Mtv style video complete withbackground dancers. Probably one of the funniest moments in theentire film, as everyone, including me was rolling in the isles. Forsomewhat sadly, the majority of Dr. Evil's scenes or antics are much moreentertaining than anything Austin Powers did on screen in this sequel(Evil is always more appealing, initially, than Good). Especially since Ireally think to this day think that Heather Graham is completely wasted inthis film, playing C.I.A. operative Felicity Shagwell. As she appears tohave no chemistry with Mike Myers at all, and is merely window dressing asfar as I am concerned ( She looks good wearing practically nothing, asanyone who saw Boogie Nights can attest to-but that's it!). ThoughI have to admit I found her less annoying than I did the first time I sawthis film, so perhaps I will learn to love her the third or fourth time Isee the film. As I guess I might see it yet again, if only to get MikeMyers autograph. Since he did show up yet again, as well as Seth Green (All the little teeny-bop girls went wild with girlish delight at the meresight of him!).
Now as some of you may know, from reading my initial review over atDark Horizons a few weeks ago. I really wasn't all that impressed thefirst time I saw this film, though I also stated very clearly that what Isaw was a rough cut or work in progress. Therefor I knew that whatever waswrong or lacking with the film would hopefully/ultimately be worked out asthe film got closer to it's final release date, which I see has partiallyhappened. As this most recent version of Austin Powers 2 is a lot better
or smoother than the initial first cut I saw. Though it still needs a lotof work before it lives up to the majesty of it's esteemed predecessor (Still more people laughed during this screening, than the other one).For I noticed that throughout the film, the only real editing that wasdone was done via nipping the tail end of each scene. Which if youthink about it, really just tended to cut each scene short. Hence I foundthat a little bit odd and disconcerning at times, especially since in somecases they cut out some of the best parts or lines. Such as Dr. Evil'staking of a Klan members hood on the Jerry Springer show, was edited tothe point that you no longer saw him running around the set as much as hedid in the first version I saw. Where he kept Chanting, I got his
hood, over and over. Plus they even cut out the end credit sceneswhere past and present Number Two had sex with each other,as well as Frau Farbissina ( Excellently played by Mindy Sterling)confession that she is really Scott Evil's mother on national television (The Jerry Springer show again). Both of which were two scenesthat I really liked and feel should be (re)included in the final version.So here's hoping that some of the funnier deleted scenes will make theirway back in the film in it's final version, though I suspect that theywill simply do what they did with the last film. Which is to waittill the film's video release for the inclusion of all the additionalscenes that were left on the cutting room floor. As I would say that about4 or 5 scenes were cut from the first screening, and about 10additional smaller or mini scenes were added to the second. Thevast majority of them being to the film's benefit. Though onlytime and additional editing will tell for sure, either way here's hopingthat they're able to pull everything together one way or the other.
Light House Shines
Thanks alot, we all appreciate it!
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