I'm not one of those people who feel the need to put a gun to the screen and demand to be entertained. I love movies. That's why I find it immensely funny when Austin Power's has the same phone ring as Derek Flint. I get all of the references and in-jokes. I found myself laughing more often than not, and to me that is the bottom line.
Parodies are a difficult beast to tame.
They demand constant attention and affection. You have to believe in the premise for the outrageous comedy to stick. Writer-star Mike Myers shows a lot of respect for the genre he is spoofing. He pokes fun at the rules of the game without feeling the need to rip the genre a new rear end. Once again, Dr. Evil holds the world for ransom, threatening to blow it up city by city with a giant laser he has constructed on the moon.