...less a sequel and more a remake...
Men in Black II (2002)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:186
Fresh:71
Rotten:115
Average Rating:5.2/10
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
The chemistry between Smith and Jones is among the best of cinematic comedy duos, and the aliens are quirky and often hilarious.
[T]here are a few laughs, but there are zero surprises. . . when Michael Jackson makes a cameo as an alien, the only surprise would be that he ISN’T an extra-terrestrial
Men In Black 2 recaptures the fun of a world overrun by aliens but then fails at being memorable, unable to set itself apart from its notable beginnings.
Smith and Jones perform together as smoothly as if they never left the studio, and the script sparkles with very much the same fluorescence.
Where Men in Black II falls short is in the writing, and this is a bit of a shock, considering that Robert Gordon scripted it.
Strange, zany, generally amusing and very likeable without actually being all that hilarious or surprising.
Smith and Jones pick up right where they left off, managing to recapture that same chemistry that worked well in 1997.
There are plenty of crazy aliens, and a few jokes at the expense of the occasional celebrity. Too bad none of it was really all that funny or even memorable.
If you liked the first film, then you’ll like the sequel, but it’s neither as exciting nor as out-and-out funny as it should be.
What's missing is the giddy sense of discovery that made the first movie so endearing.
I can't say it was the worst 88 minutes I ever spent in a movie theater, but I could just as easily have slept.
It's kinda colourful and bouncy, and it features a lot of cool-looking aliens, but rather than expanding on the aesthetics of the first movie, it copies and dilutes them.
Are they in it just for the money? A silly question since the movie's attitude is best summed up by Tommy Lee Jones' hangdog expression: tired and drained of energy . . .
This second Men In Black will likely be forgotten in a flash of light.
A mixed bag of a comedy that can't really be described as out of this world.
Latest News for Men in Black II
July 05, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: "Transformers" Already Dominating Holiday Week
Megatron and his sinister robot chums invade the North American box office aiming to extract riches from the multiplexes over the extended Fourth of July holiday week with the... More...
April 04, 2007:
Will Smith is the New King of Hollywood
A few years back the heaviest Hollywood hitters (actor-wise) were Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, and Mel Gibson. Nowadays it's guys called Ben Stiller and Johnny Depp -- both of whom... More...
October 10, 2006:
Steve Carell's "Evan Almighty" -- At $225M, An Unholy Mess?
Few doubt that Steve Carell is an outsized comic talent. But the Los Angeles Times is suggesting that his current project, "Evan Almighty," is getting a reputation for... More...
July 17, 2006:
Box Office Wrapup: Audiences Still Love Their Pirates
The Johnny Depp juggernaut Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest remained the most popular film in North America for a second weekend easily defending its box office crown... More...
More Movies
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 89% 89% | Up in the Air | 14/1 |
| | The Tooth Fairy | 14/1 |
| | Bran Nue Dae | 14/1 |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Men in Black II at Rotten Tomatoes
- Men in Black II at IGN
- Men in Black II at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Last week, Moviefone offered us their worst films of the 2000s. Now see their 40 best!
Competitions

We're giving away copies of Judd Apatow's latest.



Top Critic

