A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: Men in Black - II

Date Viewed: 7/6/02, 7/7/02

Details:

Tommy Lee Jones (K)

Will Smith (J)

Rip Torn (Z)

Patrick Warburton (T)

Tim Blaney (F: voice)

Rosario Dawson (Rita)

Lara Flynn Boyle (Serleena)

Tony Shalhoub (Jeebs)

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld

Score: 1/2

The Review: Argghhh! Though long-awaited, MIB-II suffers from "sequel syndrome": it's difficult to rise up to the original's freshness and novelty, difficult to repeat the same subtlety and near-invisible sly humor ("Damn!"), and difficult to keep the same old jokes going. The scandal sheet headlines are still interesting, though.

"Same world, different scum" -- and scum they are, although this time she's much more (superficially) attractive (Lara Flynn Boyle as the evil Serleena). An overworked "J" (Smith) is running through MIB partners at a blistering rate, and his deneuralyzer must be working overtime as each of them, one by one, fail his expectations. Eventually, it becomes clear that "retired" agent "K" (Jones) must be brought back into the fray, and the fun (such as it is) begins.

Smith and Jones have the same snappy repartee as before, and their chemistry continues to work well. Rosario Dawson (as the witness, Rita) has been underused here; she deserves better. Delightful cameos, including Peter Graves ("Fury's father"), Michael Jackson, the Statue of Liberty, and (possibly?) Martha Stewart.

The final scene, an epilog, seems a odd fit upon first viewing, and only makes sense the second time around. Come to think of it, this was true in the first MIB epilog as well. There's a lot to see on multiple viewings, but this second entry is just not as good as the first.

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