Men in Black II (2002) User Reviews

More of the same, but just as fun.

[vip_ebriega · 7/10 · 26 May 2008]

My Take: Not as wildly enjoyable as the first, but makes a terrific sequel.

Summer movie sequels are usually the victims of the "sequelness". Most sequels to big blockbuster hits tend to simply repeat the success of the first film, and simply recycle the formula of its predecessor. MEN IN BLACK II (or simply MIIB) is no exception. It practically repeats the formula of the first film: Aliens are out again, J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) are back as partners to fight against it and the whole lot. The formula is copied, but the same cannot be said about the rest of the film. There are new rabbits in this same bag of tricks. Although most innovations are of special effects, MIIB provides some new fun moments in a somewhat formula approach.

Like said, MIIB returns Smith and Jones as the dynamic duo out to stop an alien, a creature called the Kylothian, who takes the form of a lingerie model (Lara Flynn Boyle), who, guess what? Trying to take over the world. of course. This is nothing new in comparison. It's mostly just a retread of the previous film. But few of these "been there, done that" sequels are fun in a different way. This one is, and it's actually surprisingly entertaining. The new script by Robert Gordon and Barry Fanaro contains a number of effective puns which elevates the humor from other formula sequels.

Of course, there are new and colorful special effects from mostly the same crew of the original film. The effects by effects house Industrial Light & Magic and make-up artist Rick Baker are still outlandish and imaginative. They still give us a host of aliens and creatures that we can feast our eyes upon. Not much imagination went to the storyline and characters, but a lot was certainly invested upon the effects and visuals. Kudos for director Barry Sonnenfeld, production designer Bo Welch and much of the special effects crew for providing a colorful atmosphere that bursts with liveliness in an otherwise formulaic episode of summer sequel season. It's the same old thing, but with new fun.

Rating: ***1/2 out of 5.

A hasty 'grab-as-much-money-as-you-can' job

[philip_vanderveken · 6/10 · 18 May 2005]

Let me just start by saying that I normally like movies with Tommy Lee Jones and / or Will Smith in them. They certainly don't belong to the enormous group of average and unnoticeable actors, but have some kind of style and presence that I really can appreciate. But I'm afraid that's about the best thing I can say about them right now, because what they did in this movie was nothing but a hasty 'grab-as-much-money-as-you-can' job and I really don't like to see that.

"Men in Black II" starts four years later from where the first one ended. Kay has given up life as an agent and has returned to civilian life, working in a postal office, while Jay has continued to work for the 'Men in Black'. While investigating what seems to be a routine crime, Jay uncovers a diabolical plot masterminded by Serleena, an evil Kylothian monster who disguises herself as a sexy lingerie model. With their headquarters under siege and time running out, Jay must convince Kay, who no longer remembers anything of his time with the MIB, to rejoin the agency so they can save the Earth from being destroyed completely.

I admit that some of the special effects were nice to watch, but even that didn't always convince me. Some of the aliens were small masterpieces, others however seemed like a hasty job, unfinished by the people of the computer graphics department. The only possible explanation for that might be that they wanted to save enough money so the profit rate would be even larger. And the computer animations weren't the only one to suffer from that problem. The script writers didn't come up with any new things either. All they did was to repeat what worked in the first movie. It even seems like they didn't have the time to come up with a new and decent plot.

And yet not everything was that bad. The humor for instance worked, not always perfectly but it worked. Jokes like "It came with a black dude, but it kept being pulled over" when they talk about the automatic pilot in the Mercedes were funny. I even liked that dog singing on the front seat of the car, but overall it just wasn't enough to save the entire movie. No, if you are looking for a spectacular new movie that is full of great acting, a great story and some excellent computer animations, than you'll be very disappointed by this one. It just seems like they threw it together in a couple of weeks and that's why I can only give it a 6/10.

Such A Lovely Comfort Film Of Mine. Silly, Cartoony But Full Of Heart.

[lukem-52760 · 7/10 · 22 July 2018]

If i had to pick a favourite of the excellent MIB Trilogy it would have to be MIB. But This silly sequel is a fun ride & has the glory of being (probably) my most watched movie of all-time (atleast in my top 5 most watched along with i, Robot, MIB & Ghostbusters 2) It's definitely the most Cartoonish & childish of the franchise but its also a lot of fun. There's bits wrong with it as its no masterpiece or Classic & definitely doesn't have a better villain than Edgar in the first film but there's still stuff to enjoy. MIB2 is THE film i go to as my comfort watch, my other comfort films are the likes of Dragnet & Ghostbusters 2, but there's something so nice about this Men In Black sequel. Although the 1997 MIB is the best of the franchise (it's a Classic) i still go to the mostly unloved sequel. MIB2 is made in the mould of the buddy-cop genre, as we get an older more jaded Agent Jay that is feeling lost & lonely in the universe & is going through partners like a cop in a doughnut factory. The setup is pure Cop film stuff & i loved it. Come to think of it, MIB2 is one of my favourite films of all-time, it stands tall in my top 10 faves list.

MiB2 is actually a sweet flick & full of heart, probably even more so than the first film (but part 2 is way, way more goofy, silly & OTT)I also think that this is one of the most likeable Will Smith has been, Will is a known good-hearted & very likeable movie star & here as Jay in this sequel Smith gives his most loveable, likeable & most friendliest performance. Jay here is lost in the universe, he's lonely & misses his best friend & mentor Kay, & Smith delivers the emotions throughout his sad eyes & deep thoughtfulness (as seen in the bench scene), there's real human moments sprinkled throughout this big budget FX adventure & it's Smith that's the beating heart of the piece. MIB 2 has a very brisk running time that shoots by & is just pure big special Fx driven good-hearted fun. Because of it's short running time, i actually used to watch the movie then rewind it (remember doing that?) & watch it again. I find this sequel to be a very cheerful piece of Escapism. This Cartoonish sequel makes my all-time top 10 fave films list, that's how much i like it. This sequel is a soothing & relaxing comfort film that i continue to come back to even after 20 YEARS!!! Men In Black 2 has definitely earned it's place as one of my all-time favorite films. Yes, MIB 2 is a flashy sequel that is OTT, silly, goofy, childish & yet full of heart & warm charm, it's a sequel that's simply nice.

MIB2 is a film i have a strong connection with as i was lost & lonely & didn't know my place in the universe at the time the film came out. I felt just like Jay did & so i watched the film every night during that summer & it gave me some sort of comfort.

Big Nostalgia for MIB 2, a movie i watched the hell outta when i got it on video. Memories of this film os of warm summer nights & i was up late downstairs on the sofa & watching MIB 2....evey night throughout that summer. Sometimes in life for certain personal reasons you grip onto a certain movie & that movie becomes a comfort to you & that was MIB 2 for me for a long time.

A very fun filled fantasy-Comedy that is underrated, but i loved it & it was really nice seeing Agent J & Agent K back together with alot of fun silly humour & some cool action, there's exciting fx & cool Aliens that make this a totally entertaining & very light entertainment.

Of course the 1997 Masterpiece will always been known as the Classic & nothing could beat the best movie villain ever "EDGAR" that gross alien bug was absolutely hilarious & expertly performed by Vincent D'Onofrio, a truly outstanding performance. But MIB 2 just has such a lighthearted fun mood that makes it enjoyable still. Nothing will beat the 90's Classic though.

There's still alot of good elements in this sequel to like such as the bigger role of Frank the pug & the more fun role of MIB boss Zed played perfectly by the legendary Rip Torn (R. I. P to one of the greats) & the beginning subway scene with Jeff the worm & the sweet relationship between Agent J & Laura (Rosario Dawson) & even evil Serleena is witty & good fun, even though she's not as great as the excellent "Edgar Bug" from the first film. Also the bumbling henchman Scrad/Charlie is well, very silly really played by Johnny Knoxville but there's always a lighthearted sense of fun to his silly performance.

"MIB 2" is no masterpiece or a Classic, but i dig it so much anyway, like the first film & I'm not saying it's perfect because it's not as the main villain is no where near as good as Edgar the bug & some bits are too silly & very childish such as as Frank the pug barking to the terrible song "Who let the Dogs out?" I can't stand that song!!! & some of the humour is abit too kid-friendly but those are small miner complaints for an otherwise easy watching fun film that is nearly always entertaining. At a brisk, short running time of under an hour & a half, MiB2 moves quickly from fun special fx sequence to the next & introducing new creative creatures. I do find MIB2 to be a special film for me & one i will always enjoy.

Now when it came out i remember going to watch this at the cinema on my own but i didn't care because Will Smith was & still is my idol & childhood hero, i was obsessed with the first film so no way was i going to miss part 2, also i love the look of the warm summer night time scenes of New York City it's beautiful, also the warm chemistry is there again when Kay finally comes back & of Course Will is great again as Jay.

Some little scenes i loved like the scene where Jay sits on a bench after a battle in the subway with the alien "Jeff" & he's sat there feeling so lost in the universe & it's a nice summer night in the lit-up beautiful city, it's just a lovely touching little scene, it's bits like this that i really enjoyed about the sequel, bits that show alot of heart.

Also the great TOMMY LEE JONES is great back as Kay & he gets some really nice touching moments sprinkled throughout this fun sci-fi comedy sequel that moves very fast with it's brisk under 90 mins running time.

MiB2 is simply a short, fun sci-fi blast of silly-goofy comedy & colourful special effects.

I also think i have such big love & Nostalgia for this particular movie because i watched it so much at different times in my life, MIB 2 became a comforting movie for me as i remember feeling so lost & lonely in the world just like "Agent J" at the beginning of the movie, i kinda related to the character & Will's performance, it's a special film to me, even though I'm aware its not exactly a great film, it has its problems.

There's something special about Will Smith for me though as i grew up with the "Fresh Prince of bel air" & his excellent rap music, so Will Smith is something of an icon to me & abit of a positive role model, his films have gotten me through some tough times & MIB, MIB 2, I,ROBOT, WILD WILD WEST, ENEMY OF THE STATE & BAD BOYS are probably the most important films of his to me for personal reasons, those flicks I've watched so many times at my most lost & loneliest but "Big Will" was Always there keeping me comforted on screen. MIB 2 is warm special fx comedy that i just i enjoy.

MIB2 simply fun, nothing super special but happy & enjoyable & a truly lovely comfort film, to me anyway. No it's not as well made or as done as the Classic first film, but it is colourful Cartoonish fun.

If ever I'm not sure what to put on i will nearly always go to MIB 2 & that's why it's my most watched movie of all-time, probably more for Nostalgia reasons but the flick always relaxes me.

Not near as good as the first one

[0U · 22 February 2020]

Tommy Lee Jones & Will Smith give great performances, but it is not enough to grasp the attention of its audience as it fails to garner the touch from its predecessor. Men in Black II lacks the originality and goes excessively in too deep on its already familiar settlement.

Better and Worse Than the First

[tabuno · 7/10 · 27 January 2019]

3 July 2002. Men In Black II is one of the truly unique films in that it is both better and worse than the original. I admire the risks taken to make this movie more interesting but at the same time it bombs in some of its overly cute lines and plot-ploys. I laughed heartedly in spots, more than I have in a while, but that other times, I could only shake my head at how dumb and flat some of the one-line moments were. One fascinating directing, script technique that is rarely seen in a comedy is the use of silence, the prolonged pause and the use of facial expressions, and the moment to carry the scene. This approach usually worked in this movie, which I think is saying a lot because it is extremely difficult to pull off successfully most of the time and it takes good acting and directing to do it. There was more tender moments in this movie than the original - better serious, moments. Both actors were great in their acting, acting in the difficult parts where body and facial expression counted more than dialogue. There were times that Wil Smith never completed his lines, but with great success. I would have to say overall, Men In Black II wasn't a great movie, but it was entertaining, interesting, took risks, and broke new comedic ground in bringing back real comedy and one-liners that sometimes died, but just as well, were brilliant. A great worthwhile attempt. A must for home video or should I say DVD now.

I think the makers of the film thought we had somewhere to go.

[Aaron1375 · 6/10 · 9 May 2003]

This movie is the sequel of course to the hit movie "Men In Black". I gave this movie a six, but I felt like being generous (I probably should give it a five). This movie is short. I mean really, really short. There is a short that preceded the movie so that tells you how short this movie is (the short got more laughs than the movie I think). I went to this movie knowing how short it was, but it just went by so fast and the movie was a bit unmemorable that it was a waste of time to drive to the theater. There was no time for character development or much story development. In fact, the opening credit scene itself took four or five minutes. The story has Smith's character trying to get the memory back of Jones character to battle an alien threat. For the most part there isn't much that is funny in this one, but there are a few scenes to make a person chuckle. Then there is the pug dog. I think it had the same screen time as Tommy Lee Jones. It was funny in small doses, but its role was expanded way too much for the sequel. Johnny Knoxville's character was lame as was the main villain, which had looks but no funny dialogue at all. Tony Shaloub is back, and once again his character's role is small and underused. So all in all this is an inferior sequel by all means with just enough to look at to keep you from getting bored. If they ever make a part three, please let them get a director who is capable of making a movie.

More of the same

[andrewm-6 · 6/10 · 28 December 2002]

Men in Black II contains lots of humour and competently executed visuals, however the story falls short of the original Men in Black. But it's always enjoyable to visit an old friend, even if they aren't on top form.

Better than expected

[mmarmmeladka · 7/10 · 19 January 2022]

In the sequel, the creators did not strain much about the plot. Actually, the sequel practically does not differ from the first "MIB": all the same ominous aliens looking for some kind of bandura, which is supposed to blow up the old Earth to hell tonight, if it is not pushed somewhere into near-Earth orbit, all the same good aliens we help, a banter couple of serious men in black suits, stylish glasses and with plasma guns in their hands (or whatever they are called?), but the main thing is jokes, jokes, special effects, cool cars (this time the Mercedes E-class is very seriously, thoroughly and specifically advertised) with a turbojet supercharger that allows Will Smith to do somersaults on the ceiling of the cabin while Tommy Lee Jones is driving upside down, - in a word, everything that was the main charm of the first film was included in the picture. It would seem that repeating the win-win techniques of the first film is unlikely to benefit the second - after all, the same joke repeated twice ceases to be a joke - nevertheless, Sonnenfeld succeeded. The second film did not bring anything new. The essence of jokes, gags, jokes and jokes remained exactly the same. Moreover, there is a feeling that in the second film, literally with student diligence, all the jokes of the first were specially reproduced. But it turned out really funny. In short, they didn't bother with the plot, they made almost a clone of the first film, and if the first was new, then the second was not at all new, aliens, with rare exceptions, were practically repeated, and it would seem that everything should have turned out badly, but ... But it turned out well. Funny, funny and funny. I usually like to pick on the plot. But here the plot is not important. It's just a collection of gags and gags that are self-sufficient in themselves, and filmed in a fun, dynamic and relaxed way. A good friend of mine, when he wants to characterize a good comedy, declares with an extremely gloomy expression on his face: "Two times I even laughed." So, here I had fun almost the entire movie. The dog, the guy in the mail car, the jokes of Will Smith and Lee Jones - all this is very, very funny. The ending, of course, Sonnenfeld screwed up with terrible force. There is no ending to the film at all (especially considering how gorgeously the first "Men in Black" was finished), but even this did not spoil the impression and did not affect my opinion, which says: quite a worthy sequel, which turned out to be even more successful than I expected . I watched it with great pleasure, and I wish you the same.

A Very Weak Sequel

[sddavis63 · 3/10 · 22 January 2003]

As funny as the original MIB was, the sequel proves that the same old thing can get very old and very tired very quickly. I mean, how often can you really find it funny to watch an alien grow its head back after having it shot off? This was a cute gag in the original (and I think we only saw it happen once if I remember correctly.) In this one, it happens over and over again. HEY! AFTER THE FIRST TIME IT'S NOT THAT FUNNY! That's the basic problem with this movie. It doesn't seem to have a lot to differentiate it from the first one, with the result that it's just not that interesting.

Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones reprise their roles as Agents "Jay" and "Kay" respectively, and here was one element of the story that might have made this a fun adventure if it had been developed. "Kay" is retired as this movie opens, and he's been "neuralized" - his memory of having been an MIB agent has been wiped clean. If the story had focussed more on "Kay" and his attempts at re-integrating into the MIB agency, I think this might have been a very funny movie. But "Kay's" re-integration just seems to happen far too easily, and for the most part the focus of the movie is on Smith's "Jay." The problem with that is that I just feel Jones is better suited to the whole MIB persona, and I felt Smith quickly became tiresome without Jones balancing him more fully. (And Frank the dog - another of Jay's "partners" - just didn't cut it. I really wanted that dog to get eaten by the big worm or something. A very irritating character, in my opinion.)

My advice: stick with the original.

3/10

Disappointing and Diluted Sequel with Some Cool Scenes

[LeonLouisRicci · 7/10 · 19 April 2016]

The SFX and also the Makeup by Rick Baker are the Highlights in this Disappointing Sequel to a Surprising Mega-Hit Original. The first Men in Black (1997) captured the Imagination of the Public and the Fascination with X-Files Conspiracies and Space Visitors.

The Fact is that Flying Saucer Enthusiast have received No Quarter from the Mainstream Media and have been Mercilessly Ridiculed beginning in the Early 1950's. That Ostracizing is at the Heart of the Comic and the Movies.

The Men in Black Movies are based on the Malibu Comics. The Malibu Comic is based on "Real Life" Stories that have been around since the Mid-Fifties in Ufology.

"MIB II" seems as though it is Running on a Warp-Drive that is so Depleted it is having a Serious Spasmosis. Repeating and Regurgitating Ideas and Jokes Ad Nauseum. While it all Looks Great and is Bright and Colorful, it has a Numbing and Familiar Feel.

Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are put it Front of all the Glitzy Mayhem and Labor Their Parts until, like the rest of the Film, it just becomes Uninspired, Unfunny, and the whole project is left Hanging by Wires and Bobbing about from Scene to Scene. Tim Burton's "Mars Attacks" (1996) Succeeded in what this one is Trying to Do and Almost Fails, but Not Quite.

There is Enough here to Enjoy in a Prefabricated kind of Product Placing Picture and some of the Homages to Ufology and Conspiracy Theories are Welcomed. Peter Graves Satirical TV Show is an Example as is the Video Store Setting.

Overall, Recommended for Fans of the First Film who can Tolerate the Sequel being More of the Same but Not as Good.

The most forced, joyless comedy ever.

[mdlion · 2/10 · 29 July 2002]

There is only one rule when making a successful sequel. That is, that the sequel has has to be head and shoulders above its predecessor to be considered good at all. It has to be fresh. The key to making a good comedy is to make the humor seem effortless enough so that the audience can enjoy it without having to be told what is funny (this is why laugh-tracks on sitcoms are the worst idea ever). The key to creating a good plot is to give it time to develop, and to let the audience enjoy its twists and turns, whether they be good or bad.

<Warning: Possible spoilers ahead>

Sadly, Men in Black II accomplishes none of these. Aliens come to earth, threaten to destroy it, yada yada yada, MIB has to figure out what's going on before the earth is destroyed, yada yada yada, big guns, alien explodes at the end, just in the nick of time, after being hit by the big guns. Which of the movies am I describing? Both of them. Far from being fresh, this sequel is exactly the same as the original.

As for the humor... there was humor? Simply put, this movie had its moments. Unfortunately, they were few and far between, and, in any case, significantly less interesting than the continual clashing of personalities in the first movie. This was due to the simple fact that in MIB II, Agents Jay and Kay acted identically.

As for the plot, throughout the film, the characters were supposed to be hunting down clues to the location of the light. Instead of getting the feeling that I was watching the characters unlock a mystery, I get the feeling that I'm watching a bratty teenager and his crotchety uncle following a scavenger hunt to... who cares. The film never conveys a sense of importance to the audience about what they are looking for, or why this thing is so important. Not only that, but this wafer thin plot is crumpled into an 88 minute timeframe, leaving, well, a mess.

Maybe the problem is that everybody involved was so determined to make a good movie, that every idea from the past five years ended up getting forced into one movie. Or, everybody involved in the movie was so determined to get a big fat payday, that they didn't care about how crappy their movie turned out. There. That one sounds more reasonable.

I gave this movie a 3 out of 10. Not the worst movie ever, but definitely not worth my time.

MIB2

[questl-18592 · 8/10 · 3 December 2022]

Sequels are tough, but I honestly feel like MIIB pulls this off exceedingly well. It's not quite as good as the original but it still falls into that sweet spot of dark comedy, off-beat delivery and well acted performances. Smith and Jones are still spot on, the addition of Knoxville was very fun for me, Dawson adds a bit more warmth to the romantic interest than the dry wit of our mortician in the previous film and Boyle's portrayal of Serleena falls perfectly into the realm of weird but working that MIB is so good at.

The only reason I rate this one slightly lower than the original is because it doesn't quite hit me as hard as the first, doesn't resonate quite as much. There's nothing wrong, its just not quite at the same level of greatness.

I like, how they put dog in this film.

[evgeniybasarab · 7/10 · 18 September 2022]

I remember the first time I saw the film in the cinema, I was then 16 years old. At that time there were many different films, one of the films was The Matrix 3. Cool sequel. Will Smith looks very harmonious in his role. It seems to me that everything is fine in this film, and the casting and the plot are quite funny, the graphics are excellent. And in general, Tommy Lee Jones is very cool. Despite his sadness, he looks pretty cool in a comedic role. The writers have a very interesting imagination. But the dog was the hardest part. Now, when I walk down the street, I see Agent F everywhere. I plan to smash such a dog in NFT from IguVerse in the near future.

A huge step down from the original.

[Anonymous_Maxine · 5/10 · 27 December 2002]

Sequels are almost inherently inferior to their original films. The reason that a sequel is ever made is because the original film was a huge success and therefore people want to see more, but at the same time have developed high expectations from the original film, expectations which are rarely if ever completely fulfilled. In my opinion, every sequel has a right not to live up to the original that it followed, but Men In Black II abuses the privilege almost as much as Austin Powers has already done twice so far. Roger Ebert makes an interesting comment in his review of Men In Black II, stating that the original was so enormously successful because it was unexpected and we had not seen anything like it, while the second one is a rehash of the original, and now we HAVE seen something like it. The expected result is that, like the two Austin Powers sequels, what we have here is little more than an extension of the same jokes that we saw in the original film.

The entire cast has come back, of course, since this is guaranteed to be a hugely popular film (although at the same time guaranteed to be an artistic failure), and we also see a few more introductions to the cast of actors and artists with flailing careers like Lara Flynn Boyle and even Michael Jackson, who embarrasses himself in the film by playing the part of someone desperately trying to secure himself a position as one of the Men In Black (`I can be Agent M! Pleeeeeeeeeease???'). Naturally, everything that got a laugh in the original film is milked to death here, although not entirely without effect. I thought it was really funny when K blows off Jeebs' head (feeding off of one of the more amusing scenes from the original during J's introduction to the aliens amongst whom he lives), and J asks him how he knew that Jeebs' head would grow back if his memory had not been restored, and K replies, `It grows back?' Not very creative, but certainly amusing.

The movie has its strong points, I am not saying that it was a stone-faced bore, but the problem is that it completely feeds off of whatever was successful about the original film. There is virtually nothing creative presented in this film, it is much talkier and drier than the original and doesn't seem to have a personality of its own. MIB followed an alien disguised as a redneck named Edgar as he tries to get his hands on a galaxy that is small enough to fit on a cat's collar. In the second film, we not only have a charm on a bracelet that is the most sought-after item in the film, but we also catch a couple of overly brief glances at some tiny populations of life forms that are able to fit into an airport locker but are still not able to secure themselves a larger part in this film, which chooses instead to entertain us with a talking dog. How's that again? Why is it that there were so many interesting creatures in the original film but this one gives us a quick glimpse of some fascinating creatures but then tries to distract us with the talking (and sometimes singing) antics of a tiny dog, which had just the right size role in the original film?

Things like this and the fact that the movie had nothing new to add to the Men In Black story bring the quality of MIIB way down, leaving it to tag along behind its predecessor like an annoying little sister. We already know there is going to be a Men In Black III (hey, if they made a second sequel after the ridiculous Austin Powers 2…), so we can only hope that the producers and director will take a little more time in deciding how to entertain us and what kinds of life forms to focus on, because this was entirely overlooked in this sequel. Even the enormously sexy Boyle was not comfortable on her role and therefore unconvincing as an alien villain in disguise (indeed, it was more convincing that the writers were so unconfident in their script that they felt the need to gloss it over with a sexy villain than it was that she was a threat to the MIB), and Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones had little to nothing to work with in their roles. There is still something left to be salvaged in the Men In Black story. Like the story for Hollow Man, there are nearly endless possibilities, but they were unfortunately largely ignored in this film. At least it's all uphill from here

bland sequel

[Buddy-51 · 16 July 2002]

`Originality,' is, almost by definition, a one-time thing. In 1997, the original `Men in Black' struck a nerve with movie audiences by showing that even a big budget blockbuster, heavily loaded down with state-of-the-art, computer-generated special effects, could still manage to seem light on its feet. The makers of that film pulled off this feat of gravitational legerdemain by coming up with a concept and a script overflowing with creativity, wit, imagination and a cachet of `hipness' to go along with its tone of anarchic playfulness.

Well, five years have passed and we now have `Men in Black II' to confirm what most of us suspected all along: that works that rely on `uniqueness' as their prime selling point are rarely ever able to duplicate their success a second time around. Five years can be a lifetime in pop culture and what seemed `cool' one summer can appear decidedly `old hat' the next. Without that aura of cutting edge newness that defined the original, `Men in Black II' seems like just another loud, over-the-top summertime blockbuster.

Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are back playing Jay and Kay, agents for the government's top secret organization whose job it is to monitor the activities of the thousands of aliens who have secretly infiltrated earth's societies and to help protect the planet from any possible threat from interstellar space. Smith and Jones still appear to be quite comfortable in their roles and they are aided by Lara Flynn Boyle, as Serleena, the baddest alien this side of Darth Vader, and Rip Torn, delightful as Zed, the slightly cracked head of the Men in Black agency.

Although the special effects in this film are, as one would expect in this day and age, astonishing and virtually seamless, the same can definitely NOT be said for the film's screenplay. The story moves along at a fairly fast clip, but it rarely makes us laugh. In fact, the script comes across as undisciplined nonsense, lacking both logic and coherence. Unlike in the earlier film, we get the sense that literally everything here has been placed at the service of the special effects. There's an awful lot of running and bouncing around but rarely to any point or purpose. Indeed, we end up feeling at the end somehow more exhausted and drained than exhilarated and euphoric. It would appear that director Barry Sonnenfeld thought that if he could just keep the thing MOVING we wouldn't notice that he had nothing new to offer in this retread. It doesn't work. In fact, if `Men in Black II' shows us anything, it is that just because something MOVES doesn't mean that it can't bore us at the same time.

More protection from the scum of the universe.

[Quinoa1984 · 6/10 · 7 July 2002]

Barry Sonnenfeld, Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith return for the inevitable (money wise anyway) sequel to the 1997 hit, and it unfortunately falls flat all too many times to be ignored. The film does contain impressive visual effects, such as the entire civilization in K's locker, or the worms and other aliens, and there is some fun in starting the film with K (Jones) working as a postmaster, and in having Johnny Knoxville with two heads, but it's overall dumbed down and Smith offers mostly lukewarm or generic jokes (ie on the car K and J go into after they get flushed into times square- actually, it came with a black dude, but he kept on getting pulled over). Being kind, I give it a B-.

More fun than I remember.

[matthewssilverhammer · 6/10 · 7 January 2020]

The Grand Central locker aliens, David Cross's video store, Jones' memory wipe. Unfortunately, the new character additions are less remarkable; the villains are more annoying than they are funny or threatening, & Dawson's character is...just sort of there. Still, MIBII isn't so much bad as it is just a filler episode of an otherwise decent TV series...with an unwanted & quickly forgotten spin-off. It's the Friends' episode featuring "Joey's Interview"...& "International" is "Joey".

Not as bad as I was told

[Fletch06 · 6/10 · 27 April 2006]

This movie was pretty good, all in all. It had a lot of really bad bad jokes, I'll admit. I think it was mostly geared toward younger people. But a few were funny.I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so I'm just going to write in general terms.

One of gags in this movie was so hilarious, it canceled out all of the bad jokes and somewhat weak storyline, and turned it into a wholly positive experience for me hehehe.I'm still laughing, 2 weeks later! I am glad I suffered through all of the painful so-called humor, just to see that one scene.Instant classic! I found parts of the actual story difficult to follow. I don't think that's so important, if you can realize this movie for what it is. Harmless fun.

Still good, just not as good

[mjw2305 · 6/10 · 24 January 2007]

This follow up to MIB has a familiar feel to it right from the off, and Jay (Will Smith) must find Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) and refresh his memory before the renegade Kylothian monster disguised as a supermodel (Lara-Flynn Boyle) wipes out the human race.

There's plenty of familiar characters and also a few new ones, although the new ones aren't quite good enough to fill the void left by the characters who have been omitted (mainly the original bad guy) although Boyle is definitely sexier lol.

Once again the special effects are outstanding and the pairing of Smith and Jones works like a charm.

OK it's not quite as funny as the first film and at times it does feel a bit re-created, but it's not at all bad, and it still has the required elements to entertain.

6/10

A rushed, under-written, patronizing cash-in, "Men in Black II" is an ugly, hasty continuation with almost none of the first film's creativity.

[TedStixonAKAMaximumMadness · 4/10 · 3 December 2013]

Sequels. Sometimes they're good. Sometimes they will take an original and build off of its foundation, expanding the story and further developing the characters. Sometimes they will take us to new places, and explore new themes. Show us a world beyond the confines of the original. Prove to us that they are necessary to tell an on-going story with the characters we loved so much in the first film. Sometimes they are worth it.

Yeah, and sometimes, they are lazy. Sometimes they're astonishingly under-written and over-reliant on clichés and other cheap storytelling tactics. Sometimes they feel soulless and patronizing to the audience. Sometimes they show themselves to be the unneeded cash-in's that they sometimes are.

I think you can tell which of those two categories this sequel falls into. (Hint, it sure ain't the first!)

"Men in Black II" is one of the more disappointing follow-ups to an outstanding original film that I've ever seen. While the creative team of Barry Sonnenfeld directing with Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones starring returns, that lightning-in-a-bottle tragically isn't able to be re-captured here. Instead, we are treated to 89 minutes of contrived nonsense and an endless parade of references to the original film, in a sequel that truly feels written by committee in a studio-executive's office in order to be as unoffensive and broad as possible.

Smith returns as Agent J. While investigating an alien murder in New York City, J comes to realize that the perpetrator in this case (plant- creature Serleena, portrayed by Lara Flynn Boyle in an over-sexualized performance) has ties to his former partner, "Agent K." (Tommy Lee Jones) J is forced to bring K out of retirement and undo the process that wiped his memories, before they re- team to scour the city searching for clues to stop Serleena's dastardly plans.

On paper that may not sound too bad, but in execution, it's pretty dreadful.

The acting is far more mixed in this film. Smith is decent as J, but he feels very flat and forced in comparison to the original film. Like his heart isn't quite in it. The same goes for Jones, who barely seems to be putting effort in. Lara Flynn Boyle is very underwhelming as our villain, and the fact that she's always over-sexualized (introduced to us in a scene that includes a closeup of her rear-end as she walks around in high heels and lingerie) does make the entire film feel sort of misogynistic. Supporting roles by Rosario Dawson, Rip Torn and Johnny Knoxville are generally decent, but the lack of development does harm everyone.

The direction is also a lot more sedated this time around. Sonnenfeld doesn't seem to be having as much fun behind the camera, and the script by Robert Gordon and Barry Fanaro (and probably a team of uncredited ghost-writers and script-doctors to dumb it down for the studio) is far too safe in terms of keeping the development limited and the storytelling far too over-easy to grasp. This is far too simplistic a film for it's own good- it's just J and K driving around, stopping at a location for an action set-piece and a 30 second vignette to further the story... repeated over and over again.

There's also a far bigger reliant on effects this time around, it seems, which hurts the film quite a bit. Although I will admit that the visual effects and creature design by Rick Baker are well-done.

And the big problem is the lack of development for any characters, and the fact that the film over-simplifies and regresses many of them. Agent J is made into an oafish jerk by the script (we find out he's been neauralyzing MIB agents at random, and he seems very closed and cold to his colleagues) and K's back-story and return is very poorly thrown together. He's just sort of a nasty grumpy guy in this film, and the duo's back-and-forth feels more contrived and mean-spirited. New characters are given no development beyond one-dimensional character quirks, so you don't care about anyone.

There really isn't too much else to say about this film. It's far from the worst sequel I've seen, but it's still a radically disappointing follow up to the excellent original. The only silver linings here are the fact that it was able to re-introduce Agent K (though poorly) and the fact that the third film, released 10 years later, was actually pretty darned good and made up for this severe misstep.

As it stands, "Men in Black II" gets and underwhelming 4 out of 10. If you're a fan of the first film, sure... give it a shot. But don't expect much of anything.

Better than the Original

[iwalrus · 7/10 · 9 March 2021]

Forced myself to watch MIB II after not being impressed by the original but found myself enjoying the sequel. The special effects were better than the original, as was the acting and humor. Maybe it was because the dog had a bigger part.

Men in cheap suits

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 1/10 · 20 May 2004]

For such a belated (and now unwanted) sequel to feel so much like a quick-rehash to cash in on the original's success is weird. This movie had 5 years (and some false-starts) to refine and for the filmmakers to really make it something special for the fans and to pay tribute to the brilliant Men in Black. It never happened.

Instead we have a plot (that doesn't even make sense) so wafer thin it's almost invisible and repeats of old scenes. Always, always, always a bad, bad, bad mistake for a sequel. NEVER homage or try to be smart by repeating scenes. John Carpenter did this with Escape from LA and that was lost on almost all audiences. Just like what has happened with MIB II. I did expect this to be a huge hit. But it's gone largely unnoticed because it's asking for money for old rope.

David Cross (who played the morgue attendant in the original) has the only funny scene and I swear any other laughs will be no more than exaggerated smiles. You'll want to enjoy, but won't. Lara Flynn Boyle is not the uber-[female] her character should have been. And Rosario Dawson has NOTHING to do in her role at all. I don't want to say that she is a bad actress because the part offered her so little to do. Not even so little. It was nothing. Never before in my life have I seen such a pointless character. All she did was stand around with her eyes open in amazement. That's it. Had her character been called Laura MacGuffin instead of Laura Vasquez it would have been a tiny bit acceptable. What IS the deal with that silly 'light' nonsense?

Plus the chemistry between Smith and Jones is gone. It's simply not there and there is no spark. Jones originally didn't even want to do this film (Linda Fiorentino was supposed to return) and he seems like someone totally different. First time round he was wise and crafty. Here he is just a gear in the machine. There's no magic. No comic timing.

MIB II should have been one of those surprising sequels that blows the original out of the water. Like Gremlins 2 for example. Spielberg was producer on that movie too. It came 6 years after the first. MIB II had 5. And it seems like they just hastily threw it together in a couple of weeks. It is so puzzling. And what is even weirder is that the Men In Black Limited Edition DVD has a trailer for MIB II. And that DVD was released in Fall 2000! (ages before this film's eventual release, where they aiming for a summer 2001 release?) And the trailer for MIB II on this DVD is anamorphically enhanced at 2.35:1. But the actual film itself is 1.85:1. I found this to be one of the most strangest things of all. It's practically false advertising.

Oh well, I don't want to give the film 1/5. I really don't. Not when MIB deserves a sequel so much better. And by giving it 1/5 I am, in a way, insulting the original. But I must. Sorry.

Same Planet. New Scum.

[Lady_Targaryen · 8/10 · 10 August 2006]

''Men in Black II'' is not fantastic as the first movie, but it is a good and entertaining movie to be watched anyway.

It is so funny to see Michael Jackson as one of the aliens from MIB! (I mean, let's be honest, the guy doesn't even need a make up to look like one!)

One of the things I need to complain about this movie, is the fact that we don't have the same good explanations as the first one. A lot of errors are present, like the lack of story about Laura's life explaining why she is the light of Zartha, if she is K's daughter with Lauranna or not,as well as Johnny Knoxville's character just disappearing without reason.

It has been five years since Agent K returned to the comforts of a civilian life working as a mail man. Agent J, for the other hand, continues to work for the Men in Black, but he never has success finding a good partner to stay with him: all of them hated the life of being an agent and were neuralized. Serleena, an evil Kylothian alien, disguises herself as a Victoria Secrets' model while planning to find the Light of Zartha, that will put the galaxy in danger once again. Now J will need the help of agent K once again to save the planet, specially because he is the only one who knows where the Light of Zartha is.

A Decent Sequel To The Men Black Franchise

[KalKenobi83 · 7/10 · 18 March 2019]

Watched Men In Black II with Will Smith(Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air) as Agent J ,Tommy Lee JonesThe Fugitive) as Agent K , Rip Torn(RoboCop 3) As Chief Zed , Tim Blaney(Short Circut) as Frank, Rosario Dawson(He Got Game) as Laura Vasquez, and Lara Flynn Boyle(Twin Peaks) as Serleena .

I think The first Men In Black was good but with its sequel, I felt like they were trying to Make Will Smith's Character J Arc of being the veteran a bit early also I feel it hard time figuring out K's Arc after the events of Men In Black also Seerlena was Ok Villain but she did alright I enjoyed the Men In Black aspect of it all still was a fun movie A Decent Sequel To The Men In Black Franchise.

Great Costume Design By Mary E.Vogt(Dune)and Score By Danny Elfman(Mars Attacks!), Cinematography by Greg Gardiner(Orange County) and Direction by Barry Sonnenfeld(Wild Wild West) A Decent Sequel To The Men Black Franchise 7/10

One of Hollywood's worst sequels

[Leofwine_draca · 2/10 · 21 December 2015]

I remember enjoying - to a degree - the first MEN IN BLACK when I saw it in cinemas back in 1997 when it came out. I never bothered with this sequel, having grown tired of Will Smith's brash persona, but when I saw it advertised on TV I thought I'd check it out. Better late than never, right? Well, no, as it happens. This is an awful sequel in every aspect made with zero intellect and a greedy eye on the purses of movie-goers. It stands as one of Hollywood's worst sequels EVER, jettisoning the first film's originality and fresh feel to offer a storyline that simply copies that of the original movie except with more CGI effects.

The first thing noticeable when you watch this film in 2015 is that the CGI effects are AWFUL. Worse even than you'd expect to see in a typical Asylum film. There's barely a single scene without some alien effect or other, and none of them are good, while a lot of them are excruciating. The action scenes that mix in wirework with CGI are the worst of the worst.

Otherwise, the film goes through the motions. Smith and Jones are on autopilot and none of their jokes are particularly funny. Lara Flynn Boyle's hammy villain is embarrassing, and the less said about fresh-faced Rosario Dawson, the better (hint: she was much better in SIN CITY). About the only things I liked in this film were the pug - although I'd have liked it better if it hadn't talked - and the Michael Jackson cameo. Everything else is just appalling.