---
title: "Austin Powers in Goldmember"
year: 2002
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/austin-powers-in-goldmember"
fi1m_id: "austin-powers-in-goldmember"
imdb_id: "tt0295178"
tmdb_id: 818
wikidata_id: "Q498910"
fi1m_score: 58
critics_score: 57
critics_reviews: 11
published: "2026-10-05T02:39:06.855213+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-05T02:39:21.339984+00:00"
region: "EC"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)

Directed by Jay Roach · 1h 34m · Comedy, Crime

## Identity

Austin Powers in Goldmember

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/austin-powers-in-goldmember
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** austin-powers-in-goldmember
- **IMDb ID:** tt0295178
- **TMDB ID:** 818
- **Wikidata ID:** Q498910
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0295178/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/818, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q498910

**Fi1m score: 58** · Critics 57 from 11 reviews

*In a sentence:* Four Mike Myers performances, and Michael Caine still looks the most pleased to be here

> There are good laughs in *Austin Powers in Goldmember*, particularly when Michael Caine joins in, but Jay Roach’s comedy keeps returning to jokes that need more than another outing. The repetition wears it down.

## Synopsis

Austin Powers (Mike Myers) returns alongside Foxxy Cleopatra (Beyoncé) and Nigel Powers (Michael Caine). Mike Myers also plays Dr. Evil, Goldmember and Fat Bastard, while Verne Troyer appears as Mini-Me and Seth Green as Scott Evil. A cameo-filled opening leads into a crime-comedy plot punctuated by sight gags and individual comic routines. Basil Exposition (Michael York), Number Two (Robert Wagner) and Frau Farbissina (Mindy Sterling) also feature among the characters, as the story repeatedly makes room for encounters with the supporting cast and departures into comic interludes.

## Review

Jay Roach’s *Austin Powers in Goldmember* is funny in patches and tiring in between, with too little story to make the waiting worthwhile. The third outing relies heavily on familiar characters and routines, often giving us another version of a joke we already know. We laughed at the opening: its sight gags have the timing and care that the film later struggles to sustain. The cameos are briskly handled, and for a while the business of putting on a show seems enough.

Mike Myers takes four roles, as Austin Powers, Dr. Evil, Goldmember and Fat Bastard, and the effort is plainly there. His comic interludes can still justify stopping the story, but too many continue after their useful life has ended. The toilet humour is particularly wearing, and several routines need to end much sooner. Mike Myers and fellow screenwriter Michael McCullers seem reluctant to discard anything that might earn one more laugh, even when getting there means a considerable wait.

Michael Caine is a considerable help as Nigel Powers, bringing an ease that makes the busier performances look unnecessarily hard-working. We enjoyed him most because he seems comfortable letting a joke arrive without announcing it first. Beyoncé gives Foxxy Cleopatra enough energy to hold her place amid the distractions, although the film offers limited room for that energy to develop. Mini-Me’s sparing dialogue allows Verne Troyer to get on with the comedy without another protracted verbal routine.

Peter Deming’s photography serves the visual jokes well, giving them the clarity they need without making a fuss about it. Rusty Smith’s production design is similarly suited to this broad comedy, though the surroundings cannot hold our interest when a routine falters. The prison musical number gives Jay Roach something substantial to stage, and its change of pace is welcome. There is more pleasure in watching that sequence develop than in waiting through another extended bout of toilet humour.

The editing by Jon Poll and Greg Hayden favours a pace that becomes wearing. Scenes can feel hurried while individual jokes remain on screen beyond the point where they deserve another beat. George S. Clinton’s music adds to that determined forward push, sometimes making the effort to entertain feel more insistent than cheerful. At 94 minutes, this ought to be light work, but the stretches between successful gags feel longer than they should.

The screenplay’s lack of an engaging story matters because the weaker jokes have so little else to support them. The implausible plot would matter less if the laughs arrived more reliably. Here, waiting for a particular performer to return becomes more absorbing than whatever the characters are meant to be doing. Michael Caine and Verne Troyer carry a disproportionate amount of our interest, which makes their absences noticeable.

There is enough invention here to explain why admirers will forgive the repeated material, and the opening makes a persuasive case for staying. The trouble is how often the film behaves as though familiarity alone should earn a laugh. We would reserve it for those already fond of these characters and tolerant of a joke being given several chances. Anyone less attached can leave them to it.

*Fi1m score 58, published 5 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews lean towards a mixed verdict: Austin Powers in Goldmember still produces laughs, but enthusiasm for its familiar routines varies considerably. Praise clusters around individual comic sequences, Mike Myers’s performances and the supporting cast, with Michael Caine drawing particular approval. The opening sequence, cameos and sight gags earn strong notices from its admirers, while even less enthusiastic reviews find comic interludes worth enjoying. Most critics acknowledge some entertainment value without agreeing that the whole film works.

The divide centres on freshness and comic discipline. Total Film praises a fresh story and tightly executed comedy; other reviews describe recycled formulas, frantic pacing and a plot that cannot sustain the weaker jokes. Vulgar humour is another sticking point, tolerated by some and wearisome to others. The spread is wide: the Evening Standard finds the film exhausting and derivative, with Mini-Me its sole source of enjoyment.

## Straight answers

**Is Austin Powers in Goldmember worth watching?**

*Austin Powers in Goldmember* is worth considering for established fans, but we find it too repetitive to recommend more widely and score it 58/100. Michael Caine’s relaxed comic timing and a brisk, cameo-filled opening provide good laughs; the thin story and prolonged toilet humour make the gaps between them feel longer than they should.

**How long is Austin Powers in Goldmember, and what is it rated?**

*Austin Powers in Goldmember* runs 1h 34m. It is a comedy and crime film.

**Where can I watch Austin Powers in Goldmember in Ecuador?**

*Austin Powers in Goldmember* is streaming on Netflix in Ecuador. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Austin Powers in Goldmember, and is it suitable for children?**

*Austin Powers in Goldmember* carries a UK 12 certificate, so it is not a choice for younger children; our review chiefly flags repeated, prolonged toilet humour. The certificate points towards viewers aged 12 and over, but our review does not establish how much violence or frightening material it contains.

**How does Austin Powers in Goldmember compare to OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies?**

*Austin Powers in Goldmember* is the broader, more repetitive choice beside [*OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies*](https://film.one/film/oss-117-cairo-nest-of-spies), which we recommend for its more patient handling of a foolish spy. The latter carefully recreates a Fifties thriller, though its gags also thin out late; *Goldmember* is better reserved for viewers already attached to its characters and routines.

**What should I watch after Austin Powers in Goldmember?**

After *Austin Powers in Goldmember*, try [*OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies*](https://film.one/film/oss-117-cairo-nest-of-spies) (2006, Fi1m 76): Another period spy spoof, with more patience for its hero’s foolishness. Then [*Johnny English*](https://film.one/film/johnny-english) (2003, Fi1m 60): More British spy foolishness, with the comic burden kept on one pair of shoulders.

### Reviews we read (11)

- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (★★★★): Bradshaw gives the comedy a strongly positive verdict, despite a few slow stretches. He especially praises its energy, visual invention and arch comic intelligence, as well as Michael Caine’s performance. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/jul/26/culture.reviews5)
- **Total Film**, Total Film (4/5): The critic calls it the best film in the series, praising its fresh story and confident comedy. They single out the tightly executed cameos, sight gags and opening sequence for generating laughs. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/austin-powers-in-goldmember-review/)
- **Slant Magazine**, Ed Gonzalez (3.5/5): Gonzalez finds the film messy but the funniest entry in the series, with Mike Myers’s comedy mostly succeeding. He singles out the DVD’s explosive, clean sound as exceptional. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/austin-powers-in-goldmember-dvd/)
- **Screen Daily**, Mike Goodridge (64/100, inferred): The review text is inaccessible, so its verdict cannot be determined. No particular praise or complaint is visible in the available page text. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/austin-powers-in-goldmember/409999.article)
- **Radio Times**, Jason Caro (3/5): Caro finds the third outing enjoyable but overly reliant on familiar comic formulas. He praises memorable contributions from the series’ colourful supporting cast. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-st0i2i/austin-powers-in-goldmember/)
- **Time Out**, TCh (59/100, inferred): The page identifies this as Time Out’s review and recalls the first film as a scream and the second as a colossal dud. The visible description ends before giving a complete verdict on Goldmember or singling out a specific strength or flaw. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/austin-powers-in-goldmember)
- **Empire**, Charles Gant (55/100, inferred): Gant finds the film funny in places but overly frantic and less focused than it needs to be. He praises Myers’s comic interludes and the running gag involving Mini-Me, while noting that weaker jokes lack an engaging story to support them. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/austin-powers-goldmember-review/)
- **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (50/100, inferred): The review gives a mixed verdict on the film. It singles out its humor while suggesting the comedy has lost some freshness. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/26/movies/film-review-got-lots-of-mojo-needs-a-little-love.html)
- **Variety**, Todd McCarthy (40/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an erratic collection of familiar jokes, with its humor weighed down by excessive toilet gags and a dated Swinging ’60s sensibility. He praises several comic set pieces, especially the prison musical number. [Read](https://variety.com/2002/film/reviews/austin-powers-in-goldmember-1200547250/)
- **Evening Standard** (15/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an exhausting, derivative failure. They single out Mini Me as the one source of enjoyment, praising how little the character says. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/austin-powers-in-goldmember-7432743.html)
- **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (60/100, inferred): The critic finds the third instalment entertaining, despite its implausible plot and vulgar humour. Michael Caine’s presence and Beyoncé Knowles’s performance are singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/austin-powers-in-goldmember-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)

## Details

- **Director:** Jay Roach
- **Director:** Jay Roach
- **Screenplay:** Mike Myers, Michael McCullers
- **Cinematography:** Peter Deming
- **Editor:** Greg Hayden, Jon Poll
- **Music:** George S. Clinton
- **Production design:** Rusty Smith
- **Costume design:** Deena Appel
- **Producer:** Suzanne Todd, Demi Moore, Mike Myers
- **Cast:** Mike Myers as Austin Powers / Dr. Evil / Goldmember / Fat Bastard; Beyoncé as Foxxy Cleopatra; Seth Green as Scott Evil; Michael York as Basil Exposition; Robert Wagner as Number Two; Mindy Sterling as Frau Farbissina; Verne Troyer as Mini-Me; Michael Caine as Nigel Powers
- **Runtime:** 1h 34m
- **First release (the US):** 22 July 2002
- **Genres:** Comedy, Crime
- **Budget:** $63 million
- **Box office:** $297 million

## Where to watch in Ecuador

- Netflix: streaming

*Checked 2026-10-05.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, HR, IE, IN, IT, JP, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, RO, RS, SE, SG, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie 2003: Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie (won)

## If you liked this

- *The Pink Panther* (1963): For elaborate visual jokes and a comedy that enjoys taking its time.
- *OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies* (2006), Fi1m 76: Another period spy spoof, with more patience for its hero’s foolishness. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/oss-117-cairo-nest-of-spies.md)
- *Black Dynamite* (2009): Period parody with sharper control of its excesses and affectionate attention to detail.
- *What's Up, Doc?* (1972): For farce whose escalating confusion never means losing control of the jokes.
- *Johnny English* (2003), Fi1m 60: More British spy foolishness, with the comic burden kept on one pair of shoulders. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/johnny-english.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/austin-powers-in-goldmember