It’s 1969, and The Spy Who Shagged Me, Felicity Shagwell (Heather Graham), has been recruited to help Austin Powers (Mike Myers) get his “mojo” back from assassin Fat Bastard (Mike Myers) whom has stolen it for Dr. Evil (Myers again!) All the old gags return (shhh!) as well as an entirely new bag of tricks. Robert Wagner, Seth Green, Mindy Sterling, and Elizabeth Hurley all reprise their roles (No. 2, Scott Evil, Frau Frabissina, Vanessa Kensington) and are joined by countless cameos. The most notable new character is Mini-Me, played by Verne Troyer, who manages to steal every scene he’s in. A higher budget robs the film of its sixties low-budget spy-thriller look, as does the modern soundtrack, but this itself is played as a gag since Dr. Evil is now equipped with modern lingo that is lost on 1969 government officials. Claims by Mike Myers that the script is over one-third ad-libbed is obvious at times, but none of the charm of the original International Man of Mystery is lost on the sequel, and the laughs continue well after the movie ends (you DO stay for the credits, right?)

(3 out of 4)