“Men in Black” was a surprise hit at the box office in 1997, and lifted the careers of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones to new heights. Five years later, “Men in Black II” was released, and while it wasn’t as big a hit with critics, it still made a lot of money. Now, after ten years, numerous production problems (involving the script, the $215M+ budget) and over 3-three years away from the big screen for Smith, we get “Men in Black 3”.
Smith and Jones reprise their roles as Agents J and K, who now feel their relationship is missing the original spark, and that they’re getting too old to continue hunting down and killing aliens. The evil Boris the Animal (who doesn’t like the second part of that name) has escaped from a prison designed specifically for him on the Moon. He wants revenge on K for blasting off one of his arms over 40 years ago. After a failed attempt to kill K in present-day, Boris decides to travel back to 1969 and kill the younger K.
When J shows-up to work the next day looking for K, the new leader of the MIB organization Agent O (Emma Thompson) tells J that K has been dead for over 40 years. So J decides to also travel back to ’69 so he can save his partner. When he gets there, he meets up with Younger K (Josh Brolin). Once the two agents adjust to what actually is going on they have to work together to stop Boris, who has bigger plans than just killing K.
As you can tell from that synopsis the plot of “MIB 3” is a bit complicated, and there are other characters with strange powers who are part of the mix. You do have to pay attention, but there’s a meaning and purpose to every line and situation. And it all makes sense and comes together at the end, including a surprise ending that works. Credit goes to writer Etan Cohen.
Barry Sonnenfeld, who directed the first two “MIB” films, is back again and he gets the tone of the friendship between the agents – past and present – exactly right. And Sonnenfeld has a lot of fun with both looks: the sci-fi and the 60’s. The fact that not all of the special effects are mind-blowing doesn’t matter.
It’s great to see Smith back and he’s on top of his game as usual. Jones has more of a supporting role this time, but still has his moments. But the best performance in “Men in Black 3” by far is delivered by Brolin. He is perfectly cast as the younger Jones, and he brings a surprising amount of depth and heart to the Younger K character. He and Smith have great chemistry from their first scene together.
Boris is an OK villain, but he’s not the main focus of the film and I think this was done on purpose. Unlike “The Avengers” and most sci-fi action films about aliens and monsters looking to destroy the Earth, “Men in Black 3” is more about the journey and not the result. The big, climatic scene at the end isn’t the showdown between the agents and Boris, but something else entirely.
This third version doesn’t have as many funny lines as the original (at least not ones that work). There is an occasional chuckle. There are also a few cameos, including Bill Hader as Andy Warhol.
“Men in Black 3” is rated PG-13 for the sci-fi action/violence and some language. It’s appropriate for kids 11 and up. Like the original, this is a enjoyable effort that includes an emotional punch.
On The Official LCJ Report Card, “Men in Black 3” gets a solid B.
I’d love to see Smith and Brolin team-up again. But if they do make another I hope they don’t wait 10 years again or Jones may have to do his scenes with a walker.