The down-home satire of how we cope with cultural difference has evaporated, replaced by jazzy effects that wear out their welcome by the halfway mark.
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.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for sci-fi action violence and some provocative humor
Runtime: 88 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
Theatrical Release:Jul 3, 2002 Wide
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
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Release:
Aug 4, 2009
DVD Features:
- 2-Disc Set
- Region 0
- Keep Case
- Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 - English, French
- Subtitles - English, French
Features - Bonus Features:
- 1. Alien Broadcast
- 2. Animatics Montage: Serleena Arrives
- 3. Barry Sonnenfeld's Intergalactic Guide To Comedy
- 4. Director's Commentary With Optional Telestrator Diagrams
- 5. The Chubbs Chubbs Animated Short Film
Features - Disc 1:
- 1. Director's Commentary With Optional Telestrator Diagrams
- 2. Alien Broadcast
- 3. Special Animated Short Film
- 4. Digitally Mastered Audio And Video
- 5. Mastered In High Definition
- 6. Animated Menus
Features - Disc 2:
- 1. Alternate Ending
- 2. Blooper Reel
- 3. 15 Exclusive Featurettes
- 4. Take 2: Loop MIB 2
- 5. Alien Esoterica
- 6. Serleena Animatica
- 7. Rick Baker (Special Make-Up Effects)
- 8. Danny Elfman (Original Score)
- 9. Bo Welch (Art/Production Design)
- 10. Foley Artists
- 11. Frank The Pug
- 12. Jarra
- 13. Jeebs
- 14. Jeff The Worm
- 15. 15 Exclusive Featurettes
- 16. Scrad/Charlie
- 17. Serleena
- 18. The Worms
- 19. Barry Sonnenfeld's Intergalactic Guide To Comedy
- 20. Will Smith Music Video
- 21. Mult-Angle Scene Deconstruction
- 22. Theatrical One Sheets
- 23. Filmographies
- 24. "DVD-Rom Features: Crossfire: MIIB Level Intergalactic Game" Screen Saver, Concept Designs, MIIB Script Weblinks
Reviews for Men in Black II
A mixed bag of a comedy that can't really be described as out of this world.
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.
The hang-loose grodiness of [the Men in Black films] has its charms, and the Ray-Banned team of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, at its best, is good vaudeville.
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.
The predictable effort makes the movie seem longer than its audience-friendly 88 minutes, and the script deficiencies account for the high number of alien and human supporting players.
Instead of inhabiting the same world of his original, the delightful 1997 Men in Black, or inventing a new world, this update kitschifies it, rendering it into a silly joke.
It's fun while you're watching it, but you may well feel as if Smith obliterated your memories of the flick five minutes later with his neutralizer.
Instead of the fresh comic concept of the 1996 blockbuster, we have a calculated piece of product: a lightweight, occasionally laboured copycat skewed to a younger children's demographic to move the action figures and video sales.
The picture's definitely entertaining, in fits and starts. It's also joyless.
The first film was laugh-till- you-can't- remember-what- you're-laughing -at funny, while MIIB prefers gags that take a second or two to absorb but stick around the cerebrum a lot longer.
Returning director Barry Sonnenfeld and stars Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones try to give us more of the same. But staleness has replaced hipness.
'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.
If you're looking for a movie as good as the first, you'd better rent 1997's MIB at the local video store.
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