Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW
Austin Powers in Goldmember
MPA Rating:
for sexual innuendo, crude humor and language.
for sexual innuendo, crude humor and language.
Reviewed by: Kevin Burk
CONTRIBUTOR
| Moral Rating: | Very Offensive — Not Recommended |
| Moviemaking Quality: |
|
| Primary Audience: | Adults |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Length: | 1 hr. 33 min. |
| Year of Release: | 2002 |
| USA Release: |
| Featuring | Mike Myers, Beyoncé Knowles, Michael Caine, Michael York, Seth Green |
| Director |
Jay Roach |
| Producer | John Lyons, Eric McLeod, Demi Moore, Eric McLoed, Mike Myers, Jennifer Todd, Suzanne Todd, Jay Roach |
| Distributor |
 New Line Cinema, division of Warner Bros. Pictures |
Blatantly vulgar, crude, sexually perverse and immoral
Austin Powers is back in a second sequel, doing his usual thing, spoofing spy and other movies, pop cultural icons, and everything else in its path. For a third film in a series, the humor holds up pretty well, but the film is dragged down by its over-reliance on crude sexual and bathroom humor.
Austin (Mike Myers) returns in a paper thin plot that’s basically a vehicle for the humor. This is okay, and in the proud tradition of many past successful comedic spoofs. In this installment, the overly libidoed, British superspy once again tries to thwart the plans of his arch-nemesis Dr. Evil (one of the many roles played by Myers), this time a plan to crash an asteroid into the polar ice caps. After a very funny opening sequence filled with big name cameo appearances, Austin again travels back in time to stop his foe, along the way picking up help from seventies spy, Foxy Cleopatra (Beyoncé Knowles), afro and all. Will Austin save our planet from destruction? Dr. Evil’s new ally, the “Goldmember” of the title (Myers again), is a wasted, throw away character who was neither funny nor entertaining. But, we also get to meet Austin’s father, played well enough by Michael Caine.
Basically, the film is a fairly well-crafted, low-intelligence spoof just like its predecessors. The humor usually hit its mark, but half the time it’s crude and immoral.
Publisher’s Note: For those readers who may not be aware of the suggestive meaning of the title of this movie, “member” is a well-known slang name for a part of the male anatomy, and is listed as such in dictionaries. The title is a spoof of the James Bond movie, “Goldfinger” (1964) starring Sean Connery.
Q & A
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See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.
Positive
Positive—This movie is not as bad as they make it out to be! I saw it opening weekend and I have to say I was very impressed with this movie. Hollywood really cleaned it up when you match it up to the last film. This movie had hardly any foul language. No bedroom scenes. No nudity! Just really silly humor that would be found funny to young people today. Some jokes about gas and what not but nothing explicit.
[Slightly Offensive / 5]
[Slightly Offensive / 5]
Steve, age 42
Neutral
Neutral—Enough bathroom humor to plug a toilet. Be prepared if you venture in. “Austin Powers In Goldmember” still delivers laughs, originality and the same ole zany characters that won its fans in the first two features. It was entertaining enough, but too bad the material was immersed in crudeness.
[Extremely Offensive / 3½]
[Extremely Offensive / 3½]
Todd Adams, age 35
Negative
Negative—It seems to me that many reviewers of this film (and of many other films on this site) believe that the spiritual part of our lives may be separated from the non-spiritual without harm. Comments along the lines of “very funny but not a Christian movie” indicate that someone is placing their desire to be pleased above their desire to please God. God in the Bible clearly warns us to have nothing to do with that which is evil.
As people who profess to be Christians we must be sure that our lifestyle supports our claim. Movies such as “Goldmember” which “make sin funny” are truly dangerous and must be avoided at any cost! Being a Christian is not a part time occupation but a full time commitment, we cannot park our faith at the theatre door and expect to come out unharmed by the lies of the deceiver.
In every aspect of our lives there is conflict between life and death, our support of one over the other has eternal consequences.
[Extremely Offensive / 1]
As people who profess to be Christians we must be sure that our lifestyle supports our claim. Movies such as “Goldmember” which “make sin funny” are truly dangerous and must be avoided at any cost! Being a Christian is not a part time occupation but a full time commitment, we cannot park our faith at the theatre door and expect to come out unharmed by the lies of the deceiver.
In every aspect of our lives there is conflict between life and death, our support of one over the other has eternal consequences.
[Extremely Offensive / 1]
Peter Rhebergen, age 42
Negative—I have one word for it—disgusting. I have seen all three Austin Powers movies, and I loved the fact that a lot of the running jokes in the first two were just funny, not crude (the guy that wouldn’t die, for example).I had certain expectations for this movie, and was sorely disappointed.
Almost all the jokes in this third movie were crude or just plain disgusting—not funny. The first two had some kind of a plot, this last one seemed to just drag on, going in no direction. If you haven’t already, don’t see this film, you’d be wasting your money.
[Extremely Offensive / 2]
Almost all the jokes in this third movie were crude or just plain disgusting—not funny. The first two had some kind of a plot, this last one seemed to just drag on, going in no direction. If you haven’t already, don’t see this film, you’d be wasting your money.
[Extremely Offensive / 2]
Mary, age 19
Movie Critics
…very funny when it’s not being salacious and vulgar. Regrettably, however, it’s full of all sorts of verbal, and some visual, gags regarding gross bodily functions, body parts and immoral or perverted sexual acts…
Dr. Tom Snyder, Movieguide
…In between jokes involving multiple euphemisms and slang terms for breasts, genitals and sexual acts, Myers mixes in messages about family approval and acceptance…
Preview Family Movie and TV Review
…penis jokes, flatulence, excrement and urination …a mess. …once again mined the deepest trenches of the penis joke genre… this third installment is beginning to feel a little repetitive …Goldmember has a padded crotch that defies gravity… his lust for gold is matched only by his gross ability to put his legs behind his head—thereby displaying the aforementioned crotch in all its glory.
Paul Clinton, CNN
Comments from young people
Negative—The problem with this movie is that it can warp people’s minds very easily. It is funny, and it makes sin funny, which is one of Satan’s great ways of getting into our heads… this isn’t “whatever is pure” and good, etc.
Sara, age 14
Negative—I went w/ my boyfriend to go “review” the movie for a younger person. First of all, I agree that the movie was not as bad as the first two, but then aren’t we supposed to be rating what is right by what the Bible says anyway? So it makes no sense to compare it to the other movies and say “its not as morally detestable” when Jesus would probably be gasping the whole time if He saw the movie.
I mean, what amount of perversion can we as Christians take before we believe a movie is “too bad to watch.” I think that if we are truly trying to live Godly, Christ-like lives, we should be trying to stay away from as much garbage as possible. That’s why reviewing movies online is a big thing for me cuz I wanna see what I’m going to be putting into my mind.
I don’t think I’ll ever watch another Austin Powers movie again because they have turned me off so much. It made me laugh, but also disgusted me at the same time because I know I shouldn’t be laughing about stuff like that.
[Extremely Offensive / 1]
I mean, what amount of perversion can we as Christians take before we believe a movie is “too bad to watch.” I think that if we are truly trying to live Godly, Christ-like lives, we should be trying to stay away from as much garbage as possible. That’s why reviewing movies online is a big thing for me cuz I wanna see what I’m going to be putting into my mind.
I don’t think I’ll ever watch another Austin Powers movie again because they have turned me off so much. It made me laugh, but also disgusted me at the same time because I know I shouldn’t be laughing about stuff like that.
[Extremely Offensive / 1]
Hilary, age 17
Negative—The problem with this movie is that it can warp people’s minds very easily. It is funny, and it make sin funny, which is one of Satan’s great ways of getting into our heads… this isn’t “whatever is pure” and good, etc.
[Extremely Offensive / 1]
[Extremely Offensive / 1]
Sara, age 14
Negative—This movie was made to target one audience: drunken frat boys. Although I admit that I did laugh at some parts, I was disgusted by characters like the Japanese twins (and I wouldn’t dare type their names here) and the bathroom humor (if you can call it “humor”). Most of all, I was disappointed by Beyoncé Knowles, who always makes a big deal about being a young Christian, and she was barely clothed during the entire movie.
[Very Offensive / 3½]
[Very Offensive / 3½]
Danyelle, age 18
Positive—I thought that this was a very funny movie. It made me laugh the whole time! However, I think that anyone who sees this movie should be old enough to separate the fictional world from the real world. There are many crude remarks and sick jokes in this movie. However, Mike Myers did an awesome job:)
[Average / 4]
[Average / 4]
Michele, age 15
Negative—While I think that a lot of things said on this review are pretty extreme, I do have to agree, AP3 wasn’t very good and was pretty disgusting. Many scenes, I laughed at but thought “wow that’s pretty sick.”
I guess it’s just the childish humor in all of us poking through, but this film makes heavy use of it. Also, it used way way WAY too many pop culture icons, who are much more destructive on today’s youth than some immature jokes.
As a side note, I told my parents not to take my 13 year old sister to take it, but they claimed it would be appropriate since she was 13. When they came back they both apologized and said I was completely correct. Finally, I would have given it a higher than Average offensive rating, but I think that “mostly offensive” would be more descriptive than “very offensive.”
[Somewhat Offensive / 3]
I guess it’s just the childish humor in all of us poking through, but this film makes heavy use of it. Also, it used way way WAY too many pop culture icons, who are much more destructive on today’s youth than some immature jokes.
As a side note, I told my parents not to take my 13 year old sister to take it, but they claimed it would be appropriate since she was 13. When they came back they both apologized and said I was completely correct. Finally, I would have given it a higher than Average offensive rating, but I think that “mostly offensive” would be more descriptive than “very offensive.”
[Somewhat Offensive / 3]
Alex, age 19
Positive—I don’t see why people are so uptight about this movie, in retrospect to its predecessors it was better. They’re hardly any four letter words and there’s a moral message of family acceptance involved. The vulgar jokes may go over the heads of any one under 13 but all in all this is a hilarious movie!
[Very Offensive / 5]
[Very Offensive / 5]
Derek, age 15
Positive—I thought that this movie, like the others, was hilarious!! Mike Meyers did a great job with all of his alter-egos. Granted there was some material that parents might find offensive, but definitely cleaner than the others. My mom was even cracking up, and she pretty much despised the other ones. Preparation H to those of you who saw it! I can’t wait to see the next one!
[Average / 5]
[Average / 5]
Sara, age 16
Positive—I would have to say that this movie was hilarious. In my opinion, this movie was more funny that the first 2 put together. I laughed the whole way through. It was cleaner than the others, with practically no sex at all. Sure a lot of the jokes are crude, but I think as long as you can distinguish the facts from fiction the movie is fine for teens or adults.
[Somewhat Offensive / 3½]
[Somewhat Offensive / 3½]
Anonymous, age 14
Positive—…I loved this movie only because I liked the others. It is gross in its humor, but that is what makes Mike Myers Mike Myers. Go in with a want to laugh heartily and be entertained.
[Average / 5]
[Average / 5]
Ray Lackey, age 17
My Ratings: [Very Offensive / 5]