The one thing this movie has going for it is chemistry and both Smith and Jones work extremely well together onscreen, forming one of those rare action-comedy partnerships that work.
Men in Black II (2002)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:33
Fresh:14
Rotten:19
Average Rating:5.6/10
Consensus: Lacking the freshness of the first movie, MIB 2 recycles elements from its predecessor with mixed results.
Runtime: 88 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
US Box Office: $190,418,803
Synopsis: Reuniting director Barry Sonnenfeld with most of the original hit film's cast, MEN IN BLACK II picks up with alien-monitoring secret agent Jay (Will Smith) in a rut. Weary of the isolated life of... Reuniting director Barry Sonnenfeld with most of the original hit film's cast, MEN IN BLACK II picks up with alien-monitoring secret agent Jay (Will Smith) in a rut. Weary of the isolated life of an MiB operative, Jay continually fires new partners until MiB director Zed (Rip Torn) teams him up with the talkative pug, Frank (voiced by Tim Blaney). Together they investigate an "alien-on-alien" murder witnessed by the lovely Rita (Rosario Dawson), who Jay immediately falls for. The case eventually leads Jay and Frank to track down agent Kay (Tommy Lee Jones), who now works at a rural post office, completely unaware of his former life. Unfortunately, it's what Kay can't remember that may save the world from destruction at the hands of the shape-shifting alien Serleena (Lara Flynn Boyle). As Jay attempts to jog the memory of the reluctant Kay, Serleena takes over MiB headquarters, building up to a big New York City showdown. A fast-paced follow-up to the 1997 sci-fi comedy, MEN IN BLACK II sticks to its guns, offering up more action, aliens, and intergalactic weirdness. This time around Smith and characters such as Frank and the wisecracking worms are the focus, although Jones makes the most out of his screen time with his deadpan persona thoroughly intact. And, as with the first movie, MIB II features plenty of enjoyable scenes, including an underground romp involving a subway-sized alien and Frank the Dog's head-out-of-the-car-window rendition of "I Will Survive." [More]
Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Rosario Dawson, Lara Flynn Boyle
Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Rosario Dawson, Lara Flynn Boyle, Johnny Knoxville, Rip Torn, Patrick Warburton, Tony Shalhoub, David Cross, Tim Blaney
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Screenwriter: Robert Gordon, Barry Fanaro
Producer: Walter F. Parkes, Laurie MacDonald
Composer: Danny Elfman
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Reviews for Men in Black II
Like a comic book on speed, it’s easy to be seduced by the exuberant energy and frivolous folly… it’s 88 minutes of unadulterated, enjoyable nonsense. But the one thing the writers and director forget about is to tell a coherent story
Strange, zany, generally amusing and very likeable without actually being all that hilarious or surprising.
If the first Men in Black was money, the second is small change. But it still jingles in the pocket. It's fun lite.
Men in Black 2 might be a retread of the first one, but I still say it's worth seeing. The stars are great in this.
Large budget notwithstanding, the movie is such a blip on the year's radar screen that it's tempting just to go with it for the ride. But this time, the old MIB label stands for Milder Isn't Better.
'Men in Black II creates a new threat for the MIB, but recycles the same premise.
Within the trivial, ingratiating scope of its ambition, though, the sequel is pleasant enough. This is a picture that demands nothing of its audience, and not much more from its stars.
A good-faith attempt has been made to duplicate the original elements, but the mix is wrong, bearings have been lost, the balance is off.
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