Believe it or not, the Men in Black film series is almost 20 years old. Loosely adapted from the comic series of the same name, Men in Black was a huge commercial and critical hit back in 1997. It’s the reason a whole generation fell in love with both Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith. A lackluster sequel followed in 2002 and ten years after that, another sequel followed, and it was awesome. With all this talk of a fourth film, one that might crossover with the Jump Street series, I decided it was time to revisit the Men in Black trilogy.
Men in Black (1997)
This was one of my favorite films growing up as a wee lad. I immediately fell in love with it after I saw it in the theatre and re-watched it numerous times on VHS. Everything works in this film, the pacing, the humour, the acting, the action, and the effects. Smith and Jones play off each other well in the lead roles and Vincent D’Onofrio makes for a bumbling, yet somehow terrifying antagonist. The supporting cast is great too, especially Linda Fiorentino as Dr. Weaver (who later becomes Agent L). She was at her prime here and it’s unfortunate that she didn’t return for the sequel. In terms of replay value and quality, this one remains the best of the trilogy.
Men in Black 3 (2012)
A lot were weary about this one (including me) and for good reason. However, it turned out to be way better than anyone was expecting. The time travel element works and it isn’t over complicated. The addition of Josh Brolin as a young Agent K is the film’s strongest point, but Michael Stuhlbarg is just as great in his role as Griffin, an alien who can see multiple realities. He’s such an endearing character and he adds so much to the film. Jemaine Clement makes for an entertaining antagonist as Boris the Animal too. The film also has a surprising amount of emotional weight, especially at the end. There’s an emotional gut punch you should see coming, but you don’t. Like the first, it moves along at a brisk pace and it does a great job of further developing the characters of Agent J and Agent K.
Men in Black II (2002)
I enjoyed this one a lot when it first came out, but it hasn’t held up well. It’s not terrible and I don’t hate it, but I feel as a whole it’s lackluster and that it was a missed opportunity. Although it has solid pacing like the first, everything else doesn’t feel right. The humour is inconsistent and sometimes cringe worthy (especially those moments with Frank), the story is rushed and underdeveloped, and it feels like both Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones weren’t too thrilled to be there. As far as the positives go, both Rosario Dawson and Johnny Knoxville are good in their roles, but they feel wasted at the same time. Rosario Dawson is set up as Agent J’s love interest, but it feels forced and falls flat because it’s not developed. Johnny Knoxville also just completely disappears from the film in the second act. I guess he was busy doing Jackass stuff or something? Lara Flynn Boyle makes for a potentially good villain as Serleena, but she feels underwritten. It almost feels like this sequel was made more to appease the studio than fans, which is a bummer.
