REVIEW: Men in Black 3

Courtesy of Sony

I’ve often said that I’m happy whenever a movie surprises me. That could be because it exceeds my already-high expectations, or because it ends up being much better than pre-release buzz or trailers suggest. The latter is what happened with the unexpectedly entertaining Men in Black 3, which is funny, sweet and wraps up with an emotional punch. Not too shabby for a decade-late sequel that nobody really asked for.

Roughly the same amount of time has passed in the movie’s world, where Agent J (Will Smith) and Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) are just as mismatched and argumentative as ever. The two have been partners for a while, policing alien activity on Earth and eliminating threats as necessary. But lately K is crankier than usual, with no patience for J’s motor mouth and wisecracks.

That’s because Boris the Animal (a disturbing Jemaine Clement), the deadliest alien K ever captured, recently escaped from his moon-based prison with revenge on his mind. K was right to be worried – Boris has access to time travel and uses it to go back to 1969 and kill K, thus preventing him from saving the planet and causing the extinction of Boris’ species.

For complicated reasons, J is the only person who remembers the timeline where K was alive in the present. He uses the knowledge to travel back in time himself (one day earlier than Boris) in an effort to prevent the alien from killing his partner. That leads to the movie’s best scenes, in which J and a younger version of K (Josh Brolin, an absolutely perfect casting decision) team up with a tenderhearted alien (the endearing Michael Stuhlbarg) who can see every possible version of the future.

I was a bit startled at how happy I was to see Smith back on the big screen doing his thing. He hasn’t been in a movie since 2008’s horrendous Seven Pounds, and it has been even longer since he’s played his usual jokey, charming character (maybe Hitch in 2005). It seems to come back to him with little effort, and he makes even the flick’s weakest jokes seem slightly chuckle-worthy.

Jones doesn’t get that much to do, mostly appearing in scenes bookending the story, but he does add new complexity to a character whose past is a big question mark. He still has the usual scowl, but he projects real pain from behind those baggy eyes, making you genuinely curious about the big secret he holds.

Jones’ absence means we get a lot of Brolin’s jaw-dropping embodiment of the young Agent K, which I consider a fair trade. I can’t say enough about the actor’s work, which nails Jones’ mannerisms without making it all about impersonation. Plus, he gives the character just enough youthful energy and mischievousness to make the audience realize how much K’s job has taken its toll over the years.

Again, I’m not sure we really needed Men in Black 3. But thanks to Barry Sonnenfeld’s skillful direction, Etan Cohen’s surprisingly touching script and Rick Baker’s killer alien effects, it’s a much more successful effort than the uninspired Men in Black II. Nice to see the series go out with a bang instead of a whimper.

Men in Black 3 is rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, and brief suggestive content.

Grade: B