"austin. the cold war's over."
"finally those capitalist pigs will pay for their crimes, eh? eh comrades? eh?"
"austin.. we won"
"smashing groovy yay capitalism"
this post was submitted on 07 Jan 2025
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Mike Myers was ahead of his time and very progressive. Those jokes aged pretty well. Even the "shes a man, baby" ones. Because they weren't about trans people, but at most transvestites. Which are still men and still identify as such.
He wouldn't make a joke like that about trans people who actually transitioned. Since he would consider those the sex they transitioned to.
The character of Austin would also be excited when he would learn about bisexuality since he would be able to fuck both males and females at the same time.
Austin is an ally, and a big one at that. Especially at the time.
But would studios still greenlight the script?
Its still a great movie and no I dont think Mike Meyers would intentionally write hurtful material, I just think some of the jokes definitely hit differently now.
I dont think Mike Meyers would intentionally write hurtful material
except for the love guru... ehhhhh finger guns
Noooooooooooooooo!
I actually think the humor aged surprisingly well, Austin may always be super horny and hitting on everything remotely female, but he also respects boundaries and understands consent.
I mean, it ages better than the obvious intentional paordy of James Bond that it is. at least in the sense that it's intentionally campy and made to emphasize it's ridiculousness rather than make it seem realistic.
I mean, art isnt created in a vacuum. I suppose I'm watching it through the lense of someone who isnt 13 too.
I dont think any of them became bad jokes but I definitely think some of the jokes are a bit more "potentially offensive" today than just lighthearted fun.
Nope.
Just watched them all a few weeks ago, still very funny, see nothing wrong with any of it. The movies are all about absurdity.
Finally those capitalist pigs will pay for their crimes, eh? Eh comrades?
Austin, we won.
Did we though?
I rewatched the first one a couple years ago and thought it had aged pretty well. I don't remember any of the jokes being mean or really punching down on anyone.
I could be forgetting something and I haven't watched the sequels since they first came out though. My guess would be that Fat Bastard is probably the part of the franchise that aged the worst. Even when he was introduced the whole joke was "hey it's a fat guy!", which was one of the weaker jokes.
I also watched The Pentaverate when it came out and thought that was great. It's a Netflix miniseries sith very similar humor where Mike Meyers plays like half the characters. It's a parody of conspiracy theories like the Da Vinci Code, not spy movies, but still pretty good.
My guess would be that Fat Bastard is probably the part of the franchise that aged the worst
it was scatological, gross out and lowbrow when it came out, it stayed the same.
also the 3rd movie gives fat bastard more charactization. but uhhh he does mention following the jared fogle way of the subway diet
…. A minor detail…
The Pentaverate is solid. It's no Austin Powers or Wayne's World, but it's solid. It was great to see Mike Meyers back in form, even if it wasn't his best work, just really good.
My hope is that he was just out of practice and he's working on some great stuff behind the scenes. I know The Love Guru was a big miss for him and it really cut him down. He thought he'd created the next Austin Powers and it just fell flat. It wasn't the worst film, but definitely a huge step down.
Long way if saying if you're a Mike Meyers can, the Pentaverate is probably worth your time.
And, you know, an absolute shit ton of sexual harassment.
Were there many characters that didn't flirt back with him though? He was considered a sex icon in the movies. I don't recall any characters being put off by his constant attempts to have sex. Not that it's something people in real life should try to reenact, but I don't know if I would say it's sexual harassment. It's a bit different compared to Johnny Bravo or Pepe Lepew.
The mean comments about fat people far outweigh the sexual harassment, obviously
I still get a chuckle from the ridiculously long pee.
You're a liar, OP! Those jokes aged well!
Punching Basils mother for looking like a man did make me think "Yeah, doubt they would do that one now."
I don't think that joke is very problematic. She's not trans, he's a spy. It's more a joke about older women than anything
It's been a while since I've seen the movie, but didn't he do that earlier in the movie to an actual man in disguise as a woman? I thought the whole point of the joke was to subvert expectations with a failed repeat of a previous gag, not so much to ridicule the target.
I just don't really see anywhere in here a joke about transfolk, just about an old woman being ugly. I think the real joke is Austin is a bit insane I think this is soon after he's thawed right?
Earlier in the film the actor he punched is female but they switch to an obviously male one when the camera looks down to really highlight how absurd it all is.
"This woman's a man, man!"
There is only one guy with more mojo than Austin Powers
Imagine an unfrozen '97 James Bond played by Pierce Brosnin.
They'd still call him woke
Depending on when he would hzve been frozen in 1997, Princess Diana may have still been alive.
Hey Austin, what do Princess Diana and Pink Floyd have in common ...
I've heard it with Dale Earnhardt and Pink Floyd. Their last big hit was the wall.
I believe it was originally an Ayrton Senna joke.
Money?
They both had big hits with The Wall
What was on the radio when Princess Diana had her accident?
Her forehead.