NEW YORK (Top 40 charts) -
Beyonce Knowles isn't just fine -- she's super fine, and super bad, as she steps into the platform shoes of Austin Powers' (and just about everyone else's) love interest in the latest satiric spy flick Austin Powers in Goldmember, set to open this Friday (July 26).
Goldmember is Knowles' feature film debut (her prior biggest role was the lead in the made-for-TV movie Carmen: A Hip Hopera). But her character's not given a name laden with innuendo, like Felicity Shagwell (female lead in the second Austin Powers film) or Pussy Galore (female lead in the James Bond classic that this film parodies -- Goldfinger). She's Foxxy Cleopatra, in clear homage to the campy blaxploitation movies of the '70s -- specifically Foxy Brown and Cleopatra Jones.
Knowles shows she's just as luscious as the female leads in those films (Pam Grier and Tamra Dobson, respectively), and her first scene has her in a very familiar environment -- performing onstage in a skimpy outfit, singing the praises of the criminal mastermind Goldmember in a song that borrows heavily from K.C. and the Sunshine Band's "Shake Your Booty" and "That's the Way I Like It."
But Knowles does a lot more in this film than just sing. She has that '70s 'tude down to perfection, gets to cut a few slick action hero moves, and retains her cool as she juggles the affections of Powers (Mike Myers), his father Nigel (Michael Caine), and even the miniscule Mini-Me (Verne Troyer). And, of course, she wears a different sexy outfit in every scene, capped by a beautiful Afro in full flower.
Knowles, whose "Work It Out" also appears on the soundtrack, isn't the only musical personality to show up in the film. Goldmember is spiced with numerous cameos, including Britney Spears and Susanna Hoffs, who plays a member of the band Ming Tea and sings the closing number "Alfie (What's It All About Austin)." Spears' scene shows the pop star in a dance-off with Myers to her tune "Boys" (yes, Spears also does a dance-off with herself in her live shows). "Boys" is also on the album's soundtrack, along with tracks by the Rolling Stones, Smash Mouth, Earth, Wind, & Fire, Paul Oakenfold, and others.
Knowles clearly has the right leading lady stuff -- and Foxxy Cleopatra is one sister who deserves a film of her own.
