Review- Men In Black III

At the Theater - Men In Black 3 - Although it's considerably better than the 2nd film in this franchise, one can't help but feel underwhelmed given it's been 10 years since we last saw Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones team up to save the world from extraterrestrial threats- it's yet another long-gestating project that seems hastily conceived and constructed. Rick Baker's creature effects work and Josh Brolin's perfect imitation of Tommy Lee Jones are the only real standouts. Good Lord, I wish there had been much, much more of the Uber-Sexy Nicole Scherzinger, but alas...

The film is glossy and colorful enough, with a number of serviceable, cg-assisted action scenes. The dialogue and situations are mildly amusing but never outright witty- as far as I'm concerned, most of Smith's schtick has run it's course. The script doesn't capitalize on the late sixties setting and only topically explores the stranger in a strange land angle with Smith being transplanted from the future. The lack of ambition in this regard is rather disappointing.

Tommy Lee Jones doesn't grace the screen very much throughout, as the majority of the story takes place in 1969 with Brolin playing his younger self. I have a feeling Jones wanted his involvement kept to a minimum with this outing, a script whipped up to accommodate his wishes.
Emma Thompson (Agent O here) makes an OK replacement for Rip Torn as the Agency coordinator- looks like Torn's "real-life" legal and apparent mental issues have suffocated what's left of his career. Thompson has barely more than an extended cameo and only several quick lines. She does look quite attractive here, though. Alice Eve plays a younger version of Agent O, yet she, as well, only has a minute or two of screen time.

The main baddie, played by Jemaine Clement (HBO's Flight Of The Conchords), has much more of a buildup than a payoff- the final showdown is a bit lackluster. A bit of sentimentality involving our heroes respective pasts and a few loose ends being tied up seems lifted from a better film. Although the whole thing moves at a brisk, economic pace, Director Barry Sonnenfeld might need to be replaced if the franchise is to continue... for the sake of freshness.

As with the other two films in the series, keep a lookout for some cameos in the crowd at the MIB headquarters- most of them are of the "blink and you'll miss 'em" variety.

Men In Black 3 - 7.0 out of 10

Men In Black 2 - 5.5
Men In Black - 8.0