Elizabeth Hurley is also great as Vanessa Kensington, who is both a love interest and a partner in crime for Austin. The chemistry between Austin and Vanessa is undeniable, and their romance adds a sweet and tender touch to the film.
Field Report: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997) Austin powers 1
In the swinging 1960s, British superspy Austin Powers (Mike Myers) battles his arch-nemesis, the flamboyantly bald Dr. Evil (also Myers). After a failed escape, Dr. Evil cryogenically freezes himself to avoid capture. Austin volunteers to be frozen as well, so he can be ready when Evil returns. Flash forward to 1997: Dr. Evil is thawed, and the British Ministry of Defence unfreezes Austin, who must now navigate a strange, politically correct, and decidedly un-swinging world while stopping Evil’s plan to hold the world hostage for… one million dollars . Elizabeth Hurley is also great as Vanessa Kensington,
Much of the mission was compromised by Powers' inability to adapt to the 1990s, including his confusion over the death of the "Sexual Revolution" and the lack of sharks with frickin' laser beams [11, 34]. Production Data Director: Jay Roach [12] Budget: ~$16.5–18 million [11] Box Office: $67.7 million worldwide [11] Evil (also Myers)
Myers, though Canadian, taps into a very specific, very dated British psyche. Austin is a caricature of 1960s British cool (think Michael Caine’s Harry Palmer or a hungover Roger Moore). The jokes about "proper toiletries," "Shropshire," and the stiff upper lip resonated because they satirized the British obsession with decorum in violent situations.
Austin teams up with Vanessa Kensington, played by Elizabeth Hurley, who is the daughter of his former flame, Felicity Kensington. Together, they set out to stop Dr. Evil, who has escaped from his cryogenic prison and is once again threatening the world.