From rec.arts.sf.reviews Wed Jul 3 01:08:55 2002 Path: news.island.liu.se!news.ida.liu.se!newsfeed.sunet.se!news01.sunet.se!news-peer-europe.sprintlink.net!news.stupi.se!netnews.com!feed2.news.rcn.net!rcn!logbridge.uoregon.edu!tethys.csu.net!nntp!sn-xit-05!sn-xit-01!sn-post-02!sn-post-01!supernews.com!news.supernews.com!not-for-mail From: JoBlo Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews Subject: Review: Men in Black 2 (2002) Approved: ramr@rottentomatoes.com Followup-To: rec.arts.movies.current-films Date: Tue, 02 Jul 2002 19:14:17 -0000 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: X-RAMR-ID: 32222 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 733963 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 573 X-RT-AuthorID: 1021 X-RT-RatingText: 5/10 Summary: r.a.m.r. #32222 X-Questions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Submissions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 96 Xref: news.island.liu.se rec.arts.movies.reviews:4035 rec.arts.sf.reviews:312 MEN IN BLACK 2 RATING: 5/10 http://www.joblo.com/meninblack2.htm For more reviews and movie trailers, check out http://www.joblo.com/ PLOT: "About 1500 aliens looking like humans, live amongst us on Earth. A top-secret agency called the Men in Black (MIB) monitor and police these creatures' every movement to ensure that the public never finds out about them. One day, a "bug" alien lands on Earth, and suddenly, the destruction of our planet may be near." That's the exact word-by-word plot description that I used for my MIB review, now replace the word "bug" with "alien queen" and that's MIB2. CRITIQUE: Can you say, "been there, done that"? Well, if you can...and you don't mind saying it over and over again, while enjoying most of everything that you loved about the original MEN IN BLACK, than you will likely be entertained by most of the rehashed scenarios presented here. Just don't go in expecting anything original because there's nothing in here that hasn't been seen before. We get the same basic plotline, we get the same "slick" and "chief" antagonistic banter between Smith and Jones, we get most of the same alien beings who "worked" in the original, we get the same potshots at celebrities who might be apparent aliens, we get the same guns and so on and so forth. It's not a "bad" movie per se, but it's a lot like watching the first one over again. It also moves very quickly (barely runs 90 minutes), has the most minimalistic plotline, some fun stuff to look at, some cool technological gadgets and admittedly, even though most of the stuff is recycled, the banter between Smith and Jones is pretty funny at times (although it feels "forced" at other times as well). The talking dog, on the other hand, was absolutely hilarious! In fact, I would even go as far as to say that he stole every scene that he was in. The same can be said for the slick talking worm dudes, who chainsmoked and drank their way through the entire picture (gotta love those cigars and martinis!) Pretty funny. But wait...now that I think about it, there was this one group of characters that was new and original to this installment: the small dudes in the locker. I can't say much more on them, since I wouldn't want to ruin it for anyone, but I will say that they're quite humorous and inventive (...in this film? Who woulda thunk it?). Some of the stuff that really didn't work for me included the so-called villainess, Lara Flynn Boyle, who definitely looked hot, but generated little excitement and seemed to have shot all of her scenes in one day. Most of her sequences took place in one building, and she barely ever interacted with either of the leads in the entire movie. Strange. Then again, the entire plotline is thin to begin with, so if you're looking for real thrills and drama, go elsewhere, young Jedi. Johnny Knoxville's character was somewhat interesting, but what the heck happened to him at the end? They just seemed to drop him off at some point in the picture, never to be seen or heard from again. Rosario Dawson was good (gorgeous eyes by the way...call me!), but her "love" connection with Smith didn't work for me either, and once again, felt forced into a paper-thin screenplay, scripted almost like a remake of the original, but without the uniqueness. As for the CGI, it was pretty decent for the most part, with special marks going out to the whole underground worm fella (brrrrrrr...love those teeth!), but the finger snakes on Boyle's character were just too CGI for my taste. All in all, the film doesn't present you with anything that you haven't seen in the original, does re-deliver most of the stuff that you liked from the original and barely lasts long enough for you to remember anything on your way home. Is it fun? Yeah, I suppose that it's never boring and it does feature some cool sequences and a few laughs, but if you were expecting this sequel to take things to another level...you will be sorely disappointed, because the only place this movie is going is...the packaged goods section at your local Cineplex (and yes, a Burger King makes its way into one of the alien airport scenes...for the love of Christ...enough with the friggin' obvious product placements already!). Stop the madness! Too déjà vu for my taste. Check it out on video, if interested. Where's JoBlo coming from? A.I. (8/10) - Big Trouble (7/10) - Evolution (6/10) - Galaxy Quest (8/10) - The Hidden (7/10) - Men in Black (7/10) - Mission to Mars (3/10) - Wild Wild West (3/10) - X-Files (7/10) Review Date: July 1, 2002 Director: Barry Sonnenfeld Writers: Robert Gordon, Barry Fanaro Producers: Laurie MacDonald, Walter Parkes Actors: Will Smith as Agent J Tommy Lee Jones as Agent K Lara Flynn Boyle as Serleena Genre: Comedy/Sci-Fi Year of Release: 2002 ------------------------------------ JoBlo's Movie Emporium http://www.joblo.com/ ------------------------------------ (c) 2002 Berge Garabedian ========== X-RAMR-ID: 32222 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 733963 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 573 X-RT-AuthorID: 1021 X-RT-RatingText: 5/10 From rec.arts.sf.reviews Fri Jul 5 14:05:36 2002 Path: news.island.liu.se!news.ida.liu.se!newsfeed.sunet.se!news01.sunet.se!logbridge.uoregon.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!news-xfer2.newshosting.com!sn-xit-04!sn-xit-06!sn-post-01!supernews.com!news.supernews.com!not-for-mail From: Steve Rhodes Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews Subject: Review: Men in Black 2 (2002) Approved: ramr@rottentomatoes.com Followup-To: rec.arts.movies.current-films Date: Wed, 03 Jul 2002 18:32:18 -0000 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: X-RAMR-ID: 32230 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 733994 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 703 X-RT-AuthorID: 1271 X-RT-RatingText: 3/4 Summary: r.a.m.r. #32230 X-Questions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Submissions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 81 Xref: news.island.liu.se rec.arts.movies.reviews:4041 rec.arts.sf.reviews:313 MEN IN BLACK II A film review by Steve Rhodes Copyright 2002 Steve Rhodes RATING (0 TO ****): *** He's back and in fine form this time. After two colossal turkeys (WILD WILD WEST and BIG TROUBLE), director Barry Sonnenfeld, working from a cute script by Robert Gordon (GALAXY QUEST) and Barry Fanaro (KINGPIN), is back with a satisfying sequel to his MEN IN BLACK. Summer is the time for popcorn flicks, and MEN IN BLACK II (MIIB) is a fun one. Running a fast 88 minutes, it won't tax your seat or your brain. All you need to do is sit back and let the good times roll as aliens of all shapes and sizes entertain you. If you've always found aliens a little too, well icky, you'll like Serleena, the lead villain in MIIB. When this alien arrives on earth, it flips through a magazine in order to find out what earthlings look like. Since it turns out that we look like Victoria Secret's lingerie models, Serleena, played with sexy wickedness by Lara Flynn Boyle, adopts a look that's to die for, literally. With a pasty white complexion and a push-up bra that shoves her breasts through her throat, Serleena, a woman with a Medusa complex, is on the third planet to retrieve a long, lost light. Forget that. The plot I mean, since it is totally unimportant. You're there to enjoy all the dead-pan acting and the crazy creatures. The movie again stars Tommy Lee Jones as Agent K and Will Smith as Agent J, who are both back saving the earth. This time they are ably assisted by a talking pug named Agent F, who had a small part in the original film. Agent F is a real card, but he's a jokester with a sensitive ego. "That's canine profiling, and I resent it," F tells K, when K doesn't give proper respect to F's species. Hand's down, the funniest scene occurs in a locker at Grand Central Station. It's so priceless that if you miss it due to a restroom break, it's worth paying to see the entire movie again just to catch that one small incident. A properly PG-13 rated film, it'll have you going, "yuck," as tongues and tendrils go into ears and out noses. And some of the monsters, although hilarious, are also prime candidates to scare the little ones. This is no MONSTERS, INC. If there is a slight disappointment with MIIB, it is the absence of Linda Fiorentino (THE LAST SEDUCTION), who was so terrific in the original and who looked certain to have a part in the sequel. Boyle ("The Practice"), however, proves to be an excellent alternative as a female costar for Jones and Smith. I don't want to upset Jones and Smith, who deserved the extremely lucrative deals they were given to repeat their roles, but they are upstaged by a dog (Mushu). Let's hope they paid Mushu with something more than dog biscuits. MEN IN BLACK II runs just 1:28. It is rated PG-13 for "sci-fi action violence and some provocative humor" and would be acceptable for kids around 10 and up. My son Jeffrey, age 13, gave it a full ****. He liked the freshness of the material for the sequel, the blend of seriousness and humor, the creative special effects and the acting. Overall, he thought it was a really funny film. The film opens nationwide in the United States on Wednesday, July 3, 2002. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC and the Century theaters. Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com *********************************************************************** Want free reviews and weekly movie and video recommendations via Email? Just send me a letter with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. ========== X-RAMR-ID: 32230 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 733994 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 703 X-RT-AuthorID: 1271 X-RT-RatingText: 3/4 From rec.arts.sf.reviews Fri Jul 5 14:06:44 2002 Path: news.island.liu.se!news.ida.liu.se!newsfeed.sunet.se!news01.sunet.se!erinews.ericsson.se!erix.ericsson.se!luth.se!news.tele.dk!small.news.tele.dk!128.230.129.106!news.maxwell.syr.edu!sn-xit-03!sn-xit-04!sn-xit-06!sn-post-01!supernews.com!news.supernews.com!not-for-mail From: Susan Granger Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews Subject: Review: Men in Black 2 (2002) Approved: ramr@rottentomatoes.com Followup-To: rec.arts.movies.current-films Date: Wed, 03 Jul 2002 18:35:21 -0000 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: X-RAMR-ID: 32231 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734009 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 742 X-RT-AuthorID: 1274 X-RT-RatingText: 6/10 Summary: r.a.m.r. #32231 X-Questions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Submissions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 34 Xref: news.island.liu.se rec.arts.movies.reviews:4044 rec.arts.sf.reviews:314 Susan Granger's review of "Men in Black II" (Columbia Pictures) It's been four years since agents Jay (Will Smith) and Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) teamed up as intrepid detectives monitoring alien activity for a secret society for the protection of Earth. With his memories erased, or 'neuralized,' Agent Kay, is now postmaster of Truro, Massachusetts, where "Just about everybody who works in the post office is an alien." Lonely Agent Jay, who has 'neuralized' his last eight partners, has turned to a civilian, pizza parlor waitress Laura Vasquez (Rosario Dawson), for companionship when he is told by MIB chief Zed (Rip Torn) to retrieve Agent Kay. Hidden deep in his former partner's brain is an important clue that can save the planet from its new enemy: Serleena (Lara Flynn Boyle), a slimy, shape-shifting Kylothian monster who takes the form of a slinky Victoria's Secret model. Working with a two-headed, half-witted accomplice (Johnny Knoxville), she firewalls and flushes Agents Jay and Kay while taking over MIB's New York headquarters in her search for the ominous Light of Zartha. It's all ho-hum routine except for Frank, the brazen, sarcastic Pug, once just an informer but now promoted to Agent F. This cigar-smoking pooch gets the most laughs, along with alien pawnshop owner (Tony Shaloub) and the obnoxious Worm Guys. Martha Stewart pops up on TV and Michael Jackson does a cameo as wannabe Agent M, a hopeful in the alien affirmative action program. Screenwriters Robert Gordon and Barry Fanaro, director Barry Sonnenfeld, production designer Bo Welsh and creature creator Rick Baker simply recycle what succeeded before. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, "Men in Black II" is a short, sardonic 6, a slapstick diversion dedicated to eliminating more extra-terrestrial scum. Frankly, I expected more. ========== X-RAMR-ID: 32231 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734009 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 742 X-RT-AuthorID: 1274 X-RT-RatingText: 6/10 From rec.arts.sf.reviews Fri Jul 5 14:08:19 2002 Path: news.island.liu.se!news.ida.liu.se!newsfeed.sunet.se!news01.sunet.se!erinews.ericsson.se!erix.ericsson.se!luth.se!news.tele.dk!small.news.tele.dk!195.25.12.36!oleane.net!oleane!freenix!sn-xit-05!sn-xit-02!sn-xit-06!sn-post-01!supernews.com!news.supernews.com!not-for-mail From: Laura Clifford Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews Subject: Review: Men in Black 2 (2002) Approved: ramr@rottentomatoes.com Followup-To: rec.arts.movies.current-films Date: Wed, 03 Jul 2002 18:36:37 -0000 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: X-RAMR-ID: 32232 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734016 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 386 X-RT-AuthorID: 1487 X-RT-RatingText: C Summary: r.a.m.r. #32232 X-Questions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Submissions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 90 Xref: news.island.liu.se rec.arts.movies.reviews:4045 rec.arts.sf.reviews:315 MIIB ---- Without Agent Kay (Tommy Lee Jones), Agent Jay is getting lonely, neuralizing one partner after the next when they don't fill his mentor's highly polished shoes. When MIB Headquarters is infiltrated by Serleena (Lara Flyn Boyle) and her gang in search of the Light of Zarka, it appears only Agent Kay knows its whereabouts. It's up to Jay to deneuralize Kay and fight off the evil Kylothian in "Men in Black II." This movie has the first press kit I can remember which offers the original film's grosses instead of the present film's plot synopsis. At least they're wearing their hearts on their sleeves. This insipid retread of the original film scatters about 5 decent jokes and they're almost all crowded into the first two acts. Barry Sonnenfeld owes Frank the Pug (voiced by Tim Blaney) big time. The film begins with a pre-credit 1978 anthology show hosted by Peter Graves which shows a reenactment, complete with campy Ed Wood level effects, of the MIB incident which is sparking the current action. (Note that in a film with an 88 minute running time, this sequence is repeated.) Then we meet up with Jay and his current partner Tee (Patrick Warburton), who immediately mishandles errant alien Jeff, a giant worm. Once Tee's neuralized, we're in for the best part of the film, where Zed (Rip Torn) pairs up Jay with Frank, the talking pug. Whether singing "I Will Survive" in the passenger seat or barking the chorus of "Who Let the Dogs Out" or simply responding to his partner, Frank is innately entertaining. Give this dog a bone. We also see Serleena land, disembark looking like "The Little Shop of Horror's" maneater, turn herself into a replica of a Victoria's Secrets lingerie model, and bisect a pizzeria owner in front of his terrified, but hidden, employee Laura (Rosario Dawson), a witness Jay can't bring himself to neuralize. At the thirty minute mark, Jay travels to Truro, MA, where Kay is a Cape Cod postmaster. Act II involves getting Kay's memory back, which is as good an excuse as any for some toilet humor while Act III involves the inevitable showdown. While stumping on talk shows, Smith and Jones have been quick to point out that the new film is different due to the reversal of Jay and Kay's dominance, but in truth, screenwriters Robert Gordon ("Galaxy Quest") and Barry Fanaro's ("The Crew") most original moment is to have Kay take a page from "Memento's" Leonard Shelby - he's left himself clues to figure out the whereabouts of an object he neuralized out of his own memory. One of these clues leads to locker C18 at Grand Central Station that features the film's funniest scene not involving Frank. Smith and Jones replay their schtick, although Smith's energy level is lacking. His best bit involves some physical comedy near the end of the film. Rosario Dawson fits the bill as a love interest, but as to villain Lara Flyn Boyle - why didn't they just hire a real Victoria's Secrets model? The part requires little acting and the special effects budget could have been cut by not having to fashion a fake bosom. Johnny Knoxville ("Big Trouble") actually has more of a presence as Boyle's two-headed sidekick. David Cross and Colombe Jacobsen are standouts as a nerdy video store owner and his strange girlfriend. Rick Baker's effects are fine, particularly when he's dealing with reappearing aliens like the Worm Guys. But some birdlike creatures look like escapees from "The Kids in the Hall" and a monster that resembles a pile of intestines is clearly nothing but a bunch of rubber. An alien referred to as a Ballchinian may get a groan of a laugh, but it, too, has appeared before - in "Kentucky Fried Movie." "Men in Black II" may offer a respite from the heat and even some 4th of July fireworks for good measure. But please, if III is a glimmer in anyone's eye, make it about Zed and his new assistant Frank. C For more Reeling reviews visit www.reelingreviews.com laura@reelingreviews.com robin@reelingreviews.com ========== X-RAMR-ID: 32232 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734016 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 386 X-RT-AuthorID: 1487 X-RT-RatingText: C From rec.arts.sf.reviews Fri Jul 5 14:09:16 2002 Path: news.island.liu.se!news.ida.liu.se!newsfeed.sunet.se!news01.sunet.se!erinews.ericsson.se!erix.ericsson.se!luth.se!news.tele.dk!small.news.tele.dk!208.49.253.98!newsfeed.news2me.com!sn-xit-05!sn-xit-06!sn-post-02!sn-post-01!supernews.com!news.supernews.com!not-for-mail From: Christopher Null Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews Subject: Review: Men in Black 2 (2002) Approved: ramr@rottentomatoes.com Followup-To: rec.arts.movies.current-films Date: Wed, 03 Jul 2002 18:42:15 -0000 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: X-RAMR-ID: 32235 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734021 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 178 X-RT-AuthorID: 1062 X-RT-RatingText: 3/5 Summary: r.a.m.r. #32235 X-Questions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Submissions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 102 Xref: news.island.liu.se rec.arts.movies.reviews:4048 rec.arts.sf.reviews:316 MEN IN BLACK II A film review by Christopher Null Copyright 2002 filmcritic.com In an interview, director Barry Sonnenfeld told me about four years ago that he didn't want to make another Men in Black. The studio wanted it, he said, but he just wasn't interested. What a difference Wild Wild West and Big Trouble will make to your choice of film projects! And so Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones return to their black suits in one of the most uninspired sequels in recent memory, going through the motions while spouting one-liners en route to encounters with familiar characters at the familiar locations which made the original Men in Black so endearing. The conceit of this 88-minute, blink-and-ya-missed-it affair is that Jones' retired Agent K is needed once again to save the planet from some encroaching threat that will destroy the entire earth within the next few days. Unfortunately, K's memory (which holds the key to saving the planet from said threat) was erased at the end of the last movie by his old partner Agent J (Smith). The first third of the film sets up the threat (in the form of a panty-clad Lara Flynn Boyle -- excellent casting, there -- in disguise as an enormous worm-type alien thingy). The next third involves the quest to get K's memory back. The final act, of course, pits our heroes against the alien as they bring out their crazy plastic guns and take an amount of brutal physical punishment that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger wet himself. It really feels like a cartoon… if only it weren't for the actual humans appearing in the movie…. While Sonnenfeld musters the energy to get to the obligatory Men in Black theme of alienation among one's own kind, the film never becomes as endearing as its predecessor. The talking dog just isn't as funny when he's humping a giant alien's tentacle. Tony Shalhoub's Jeebs isn't as much fun now that we know his head grows back. And while some of the casting is inspired -- including David Cross as the perfect video store geek and cameos by would-be aliens Michael Jackson and Martha Stewart (uncanny in its timing!) -- some of it is oh-so-obvious in its pandering to the MTV generation. Johnny Knoxville? I haven't seen a supporting role this blatant and pathetic since Tom Green appeared in Charlie's Angels. (Though, in fact, Knoxville is a far, far worse actor.) The rest of the movie is harmless, forgettable, and simply uninteresting in comparison to recent action flicks like Spider-Man and Minority Report (yes, you can have your sci-fi and your mind food, too). The special effects are nothing new and are rarely even credible. The script is as subtle as Kung Pow (potshots at postal workers? Puh-leeze…). And even the cute ending is spoiled by what comes after: Will Smith's atrocious "Nod Your Head" musical number as yet another movie-inspired anthem for our youth. How lazy are today's kids, that nodding your head actually passes for a dance move, anyway? Elvis, where are you? RATING: *** [* = lowest rating / ***** = highest rating] MPAA Rating: PG-13 Director: Barry Sonnenfeld Producer: Laurie MacDonald, Walter F. Parkes Writer: Robert Gordon, Barry Fanaro Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Rip Torn, Rosario Dawson, Patrick Warburton, Lara Flynn Boyle, Tony Shalhoub, Johnny Knoxville http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/meninblack/ --- filmcritic.com / http://filmcritic.com/ ========== X-RAMR-ID: 32235 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734021 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 178 X-RT-AuthorID: 1062 X-RT-RatingText: 3/5 From rec.arts.sf.reviews Fri Jul 5 14:10:07 2002 Path: news.island.liu.se!news.ida.liu.se!newsfeed.sunet.se!news01.sunet.se!erinews.ericsson.se!erix.ericsson.se!luth.se!news.tele.dk!small.news.tele.dk!208.49.253.98!newsfeed.news2me.com!west.cox.net!cox.net!sn-xit-02!sn-xit-06!sn-post-02!sn-post-01!supernews.com!news.supernews.com!not-for-mail From: Robin Clifford Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews Subject: Review: Men in Black 2 (2002) Approved: ramr@rottentomatoes.com Followup-To: rec.arts.movies.current-films Date: Wed, 03 Jul 2002 18:45:14 -0000 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: X-RAMR-ID: 32237 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734082 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 386 X-RT-AuthorID: 1488 X-RT-RatingText: C- Summary: r.a.m.r. #32237 X-Questions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Submissions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 92 Xref: news.island.liu.se rec.arts.movies.reviews:4049 rec.arts.sf.reviews:317 "Men In Black II" "Same planet. New scum." This is the war cry for the long-awaited sequel to the 1997 hit flick about our world and the aliens from outer space that secretly populate the earth. Agent Jay (Will Smith) is now the head honcho of the cops keeping order among the alien population, but a powerful newcomer, Serleena (Lara Flynn Boyle), has come to Earth to wreak havoc. Jay has to bring his old partner, Kay (Tommy Lee Jones), out of retirement to put a stop to the menace in "Men In Black II." Return helmer Barry Sonnenfeld and his MIB stars Smith and Jones have bellied up to the bar again in anticipation of recreating the success of the their original venture which took in over $500 million at the box office worldwide a few years ago. The aim, I suspect this time around, is to beat that B.O. figure and make everyone involved rich. Too bad the filmmakers forgot to provide a movie even remotely close to the first. Where "MIB" intro'd a new, alien-enriched world with lots of humor, both tongue-in-cheek and slapstick, action and effects, the remake gives us retread F/X and little of the original film's humor. Will Smith looks the least comfortable here than in any role he has had, and he has had some biggies. Agent Jay is the top dog, so to speak, in the MIB field operations and, like his predecessor Kay, has had to bear the onerous burden of policing the wild and wacky immigration world of intergalactic aliens. Jay is a cynic, now, and has lost the humor and smartass sassiness that so endeared him to everyone in the '97 flick. Now, Smith is required to mouth lines similar to "What is a dead Cerulean swamp dingy doing in the immigration lounge?!" Dialogue like this does not roll off the tongue and much of the time the actors are just mouthing their silly lines. Tommy Lee Jones is so deadpan as the returned Kay that you'd think he wished he stayed in retirement as US Postmaster Kevin. He is able to pay lip service to the shoddy dialogue on the strength of his ability to deliver it with authority. Lara Flynn Boyle is awash amidst a sea of special F/X as the multi-tentacle alien bad guy, Serleena, in search of the key to omnipotent power - a maguffin called "The Light of Zartha (sic)". Her "human" persona is supposed to be a Victoria Secrets catalogue model, evinced by her scanty black underwear, but the actress is given nothing to do. Tony Shalhoub reprises his role as alien pawnbroker, Jeebs, who has his head blown off again, not once, but twice. (It was far funnier in the first "MIB.") Johnny Knoxville as Serleena's two-headed henchman, Scrad/Charlie, is hamstrung by the material - a good idea wasted. The screenplay by Robert Gordon and Barry Fanaro is a manufactured rather than crafted story that reverses the ideas put forth in the first film. Remember when Kay decided he had enough of MIB and opted to be neuralized, wiping out all his memory of his super secret agency? Well, the scribes find a loophole - in the deep recesses of the former agent's mind lay the hidden memories of his past as an MIB and only needs to be releases by the application of the de-neuralizer. Very convenient but I can live with it. Unfortunately, there is little that is funny in "MIIB," with only a couple of exceptions. To give the filmmakers their due, the expanded presence of Frank the Pug (voice of Tim Blaney), the talkative doggy MIB, and the Worm Guys (they used to make the coffee) provide the film's six laughs (I counted). It's pretty sad when a supporting character, and a dog to boot, is the best thing in the movie. Listen closely to Frank's lyrics to "I Shall Survive." They're worth the effort. It's too bad that the human characters don't fare as well. The makeup and special F/X are slick but unimaginative. Goofy looking aliens abound but they are not any more creative than the beasties in the bar scene in the original "Star Wars." CGI stuff, like Frank's motor mouth, is done convincingly and well. Production design, by Bo Welch, does try to inject some character into the sets, especially the bachelor pad of the Worm Guys that is very groovy and retro and the place where girl can find out if it's true that "once you know worm, it's what you'll yearn." I came out of "Men In Black II" feeling like I had been had. The makers have forsaken the entertaining elements of the original and, instead, rehash old jokes and leave any life at the doorstep. I like Frank the Pug, though. I give it a C-. For more Reeling reviews visit www.reelingreviews.com robin@reelingreviews.com laura@reelingreviews.com ========== X-RAMR-ID: 32237 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734082 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 386 X-RT-AuthorID: 1488 X-RT-RatingText: C- From rec.arts.sf.reviews Fri Jul 5 14:12:17 2002 Path: news.island.liu.se!news.ida.liu.se!newsfeed.sunet.se!news01.sunet.se!news.net.uni-c.dk!logbridge.uoregon.edu!tethys.csu.net!news-hog.berkeley.edu!ucberkeley!newshub.sdsu.edu!west.cox.net!cox.net!sn-xit-02!sn-xit-06!sn-post-01!supernews.com!news.supernews.com!not-for-mail From: Brendan Cullin Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews Subject: Review: Men in Black 2 (2002) Approved: ramr@rottentomatoes.com Followup-To: rec.arts.movies.current-films Date: Wed, 03 Jul 2002 18:46:48 -0000 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: X-RAMR-ID: 32238 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734225 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 1050 X-RT-AuthorID: 5880 X-RT-RatingText: 5.5/10 Summary: r.a.m.r. #32238 X-Questions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Submissions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 68 Xref: news.island.liu.se rec.arts.movies.reviews:4050 rec.arts.sf.reviews:318 MEN IN BLACK II RATING 5.5/10 http://www.empiremovies.com/reviews/brendan/meninblack2.shtml For movie reviews, trailers and posters, visit: http://www.empiremovies.com/ Do not go into Men In Black II expecting an earth-shattering episode of the Men In Black series. This movie is almost the same movie as the original. There are, however, a few minor differences. Brace yourself for this... It is not nearly as funny. It is not nearly as original. And it is not nearly as entertaining. And what you get when you add up these three factors is a colossal disappointment. Now before you go running out to see the Powerpuff Girls instead this weekend, there are a few things that must be made clear. Men In Black II will be entertaining for some. I think it is a good movie for the kids and the very big fans of the first movie. But for some of the more sophisticated movie fans (yeah, whatever) this movie just does not cut it. I draw your attention to the Austin Powers series. The second Austin Powers installment was able to add great new characters and to many, is considered a better, funnier and more entertaining movie than the original. This is not the case with Men In Black. The new villain, played by Lara Flynn Boyle, looked great in lingerie but that's about it. Johnny Knoxville's two-headed alien mysteriously disappeared towards the end of the movie. And Will Smith (Agent J) and Tommy Lee Jones (Agent K) were not nearly as good as they were in Men In Black. Smith's one-liners were lame and Jones seemed very uninterested in his role. Furthermore, the chemistry the two of them had in the original movie was not there for this one. The only person that seemed genuinely interested in her role was Rosario Dawson, who played Agent J's love interest and the sort of damsel in distress. I do have to admit that the talking dog was better used this time around and probably the best thing in his limited role in this movie. Agent J's worm buddies were also sort of funny, although at times, I had difficulty understanding what they were saying. Oh, and Michael Jackson's much talked about cameo was brief, unexpected and not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Overall, the one problem with Men In Black II was that I just did not feel as entertained as I thought I should have been after seeing this movie. In this day and age of big-name actors, big budgets and big expectations, feeling mildly satisfied after a movie just isn't good enough. There will be some who will enjoy Men In Black 2. Don't get me wrong. It does have its moments, but in the end, I have to rate MIB2 as a mild disappointment. The magic of Men In Black disappeared and judging from the end of the movie, there is no indication that it will reappear in a third installment. Review Date: July 1, 2002 Author: Brendan Cullin Official Site: http://www.meninblack.com Director: Barry Sonnenfeld Distributed by: Columbia Pictures Theatrical Release Date: July 3, 2002 Cast: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Lara Flynn Boyle, Johnny Knoxville, Michael Jackson Empire Movies http://www.empiremovies.com/ Copyright © 2000-2002 Liam Cullin ========== X-RAMR-ID: 32238 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734225 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 1050 X-RT-AuthorID: 5880 X-RT-RatingText: 5.5/10 From rec.arts.sf.reviews Fri Jul 12 11:56:00 2002 From: Edward Johnson-Ott Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews Subject: Review: Men in Black II (2002) Approved: ramr@rottentomatoes.com Followup-To: rec.arts.movies.current-films Date: Tue, 09 Jul 2002 05:07:49 -0000 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: X-RAMR-ID: 32242 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734246 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 591 X-RT-AuthorID: 1099 Summary: r.a.m.r. #32242 X-Questions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Submissions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 93 Path: news.island.liu.se!news.Update.UU.SE!puffinus.its.uu.se!newsfeed.sunet.se!news01.sunet.se!erinews.ericsson.se!erix.ericsson.se!luth.se!logbridge.uoregon.edu!nntp-relay.ihug.net!ihug.co.nz!cox.net!sn-xit-02!sn-xit-06!sn-post-01!supernews.com!news.supernews.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.island.liu.se rec.arts.movies.reviews:4055 rec.arts.sf.reviews:320 Men in Black II (2002) Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Rip Torn, Lara Flynn Boyle, Rosario Dawson, Tony Shalhoub, Patrick Warburton, Johnny Knoxville, Jack Kehler, David Cross, Colombe Jacobsen, Peter Graves, Michael Jackson, Tim Blaney. Alien makeup effects by Rick Baker. Music by Danny Elfman. Screenplay by Robert Gordon, Barry Fanaro, Story by Gordon. Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. 88 minutes. Rated PG-13. Review by Ed Johnson-Ott, NUVO Newsweekly http://www.nuvo.net E-mail: ejohnsonott@prodigy.net Archive reviews at http://reviews.imdb.com/ReviewsBy?Edward+Johnson-Ott To receive e-mail reviews, write ejohnsonott-subscribe@yahoogroups.com with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. I went to see "Men in Black II" with high hopes, believing that the film had the potential to be one of the rare sequels that would improve on the original. After all, it had been five years since we were first introduced to the super secret quasi-government agency that polices the various alien species living on Earth – surely that was sufficient time to cook up a script even more inventive than the first one. Silly me. "Men in Black II" is just a typical sequel, uneven as hell and only about a third as entertaining as the original. The film has its moments, to be sure, but to best enjoy it you will need to lower your expectations. A lot. No, more than that. "MiB" ended with Agent Jay (Will Smith) using his neuralizer to erase the memories of his partner, Agent Kay (Tommy Lee Jones), allowing the tortured soul to rejoin the woman of his dreams and live a simple, happy life in a tiny Massachusetts town, blissfully unaware of any extraterrestrial activities. The sequel opens with Jay hitting the mean streets of NYC with Agent Tee (the always-wonderful Patrick Warburton), having neuralized several partners he deemed unacceptable (the absence of Linda Fiorentino, Jay's new teammate at the end of the original, is explained with a throwaway line). Tee's time in the service will be brief; his hotheaded behavior triggers a major tantrum from a giant alien slug living near a subway line. But the real threat comes with the arrival of Serleena (Lara Flynn Boyle), a shape-shifting sorta plant thingy that takes the form of a woman from a Victoria's Secret ad. Veteran makeup artist Rick Baker created the aliens for the film, but nothing he cooked up comes even close to being as scary as Boyle simply standing in her underwear, the hardened features on her face glaring above her emaciated frame. Yikes! Does anybody actually consider that grim face and skeletal body sexy? NOTE: Another celebrity with a frightening face pops up later in the movie, but I won't ruin the joke by revealing the identity here. After a quick funny-gross binge and purge by Serleena, we learn that she intends to locate an item that will give her the power to rule and/or destroy worlds at her whim. To that end, she slaughters an alien pizza parlor owner and secures the assistance of a two-headed nitwit (Johnny Knoxville). Enter Jay, with motor-mouthed talking dog Frank (voiced by Tim Blaney) in tow. Feeling the loneliness of being a man without a name, Jay interviews murder witness Laura Vasquez (Rosario Dawson), but fails to neuralize her afterwards. During a subsequent briefing with MiB head honcho Zed (Rip Torn), Jay learns that crucial information about the case lies in the excised memories of Kay. So the former NYC cop takes off to reunite with the craggy-faced Kay, restore his neuralized mind and save the world from Serleena. Will Smith is a gifted performer, but the film doesn't really begin until he and Tommy Lee Jones become a team again. Once the brash kid hooks back up with his deadpan partner, the film recaptures at least a fraction of the magic of the original. We get two terrific gags concerning tiny civilizations and a tart racial joke involving an autopilot, but alas, the script soon sinks back into sequel-standard, employing the "if it worked once in the original, beat it to death now" mindset. As a result, pawnshop owner Tony Shalhoub, ex-mortician clerk David Cross and the worm guys make extended redundant appearances. Clocking in at just over 80 minutes (minus the closing credits), "Men in Black II" feels about as necessary as "Ghostbusters II." Aside from the aforementioned sequences, expect much less wit, and far more busyness. Who knows, perhaps if you lower your expectations enough, you will be able to savor the occasional moments of inspiration in this pedestrian throwaway. © 2002 Ed Johnson-Ott ========== X-RAMR-ID: 32242 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734246 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 591 X-RT-AuthorID: 1099 From rec.arts.sf.reviews Fri Jul 12 11:57:07 2002 Path: news.island.liu.se!news.ida.liu.se!newsfeed.sunet.se!news01.sunet.se!erinews.ericsson.se!erix.ericsson.se!luth.se!fu-berlin.de!cox.net!sn-xit-02!sn-xit-01!sn-post-02!sn-post-01!supernews.com!news.supernews.com!not-for-mail From: Homer Yen Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews Subject: Review: Men in Black II (2002) Approved: ramr@rottentomatoes.com Followup-To: rec.arts.movies.current-films Date: Tue, 09 Jul 2002 06:09:03 -0000 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: X-RAMR-ID: 32250 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734727 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-AuthorID: 1370 X-RT-RatingText: C Summary: r.a.m.r. #32250 X-Questions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Submissions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 90 Xref: news.island.liu.se rec.arts.movies.reviews:4063 rec.arts.sf.reviews:322 "Men in Black II" – New Hotness? No, it's Old and Busted by Homer Yen (c) 2002 Note to the filmmakers of "Men in Black II": If fans of a franchise film are going to wait five long years for a studio to create a sequel, please make it worth the wait. Sure, it's always nice to see the Marine-like demeanor of Tommy Lee Jones and the smooth movements of Will Smith. But, they are trapped in a lousy vehicle that isn't even one-tenth as cool as the Mercedes that they drive around. It lacks zip, offers no memorable dialogue, and is quite short on entertaining moments (although the reference to Michael Jackson as an alien was funny). You would think that after all this time, the filmmakers could come up with something more substantial than this piece of uninteresting fluff, which barely clocks in at 90 minutes. In the original "Men in Black," we met up with agents Kay (Jones) and Jay (Smith) who worked as part of a secret society of protectors that guarded the Earth against evil aliens. Again, Jones and Smith return to reprise their parts, bringing their individual and likeable charisma to the screen. And the film wisely plays up their juxtaposed personalities for a few laughs. Kay is a straight shooter and all no-nonsense in his approach. Jay is a bit more liberal and even forgets to 'deneuralize' a witness because of her good looks. This is a no-no, for no one can know of the existence of the Men in Black. Another droll addition is a talking dog (voiced by Tim Blaney) that offers running commentary as Kay and Jay face their next test as guardians of Earth. An extraterrestrial bounty hunter (Lara Flynn Boyle) comes in search of a device, supposedly hidden on Earth, that gives the possessor tremendous power. The bounty hunter is a multi-tentacled creature that can devour a person whole. It looks menacing in its natural form and sexy in its morphed form as a hottie female, but her role basically consists of repeating the line "give me the Light of Zertha or else" while threatening the victim with bodily harm. So, it's up to Kay and Jay to figure out what the Light of Zertha is and to save the world. There are three major problems with this film. First, virtually nothing captivates our interest. Drama is noticeably missing from this film, which decides to concentrate on talking dogs and fanciful aliens. Yes, it's imaginative in several areas. There are some interesting alien beings and the civilization within a locker was unique. Yet, many of the effects, such as the two-headed alien and the subway worm looked cheap and obvious. Second, what might have been really funny was severely diminished by the heavy advertising in advance of the film. All the best moments and the best lines have been revealed in the trailers. Finally, for those that have seen the first film, there is a strong sense of been-there-done-that. The first film offered novel and unexpected ideas. This one seems like a rehash of the first one with slightly more ambitious effects and more big guns. "Men in Black II" is ultimately painless but unnecessary. And after it's done, you'll wish that they had flashed you with the deneuralizer on your way out to make you forget what you had seen. Grade: C S: 1 out of 3 L: 0 out of 3 V: 1 out of 3 ========== X-RAMR-ID: 32250 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734727 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-AuthorID: 1370 X-RT-RatingText: C From rec.arts.sf.reviews Fri Jul 12 11:58:06 2002 Path: news.island.liu.se!news.ida.liu.se!newsfeed.sunet.se!news01.sunet.se!erinews.ericsson.se!erix.ericsson.se!luth.se!fu-berlin.de!cox.net!sn-xit-02!sn-xit-04!sn-xit-01!sn-post-02!sn-post-01!supernews.com!news.supernews.com!not-for-mail From: Rose 'Bams' Cooper Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews Subject: Review: Men in Black II (2002) Approved: ramr@rottentomatoes.com Followup-To: rec.arts.movies.current-films Date: Tue, 09 Jul 2002 19:04:54 -0000 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: X-RAMR-ID: 32258 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734745 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 447 X-RT-AuthorID: 3672 Summary: r.a.m.r. #32258 X-Questions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Submissions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 130 Xref: news.island.liu.se rec.arts.movies.reviews:4071 rec.arts.sf.reviews:323 '3BlackChicks Review...' MEN IN BLACK II (2002) Rated PG-13; running time 88 minutes Studio: Columbia Pictures Genre: Comedic Science Fantasy Seen at: Goodrich Quality 16 (Ann Arbor, Michigan) Official site: http://www.spe.sony.com/movies/meninblack/ IMDB site: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0120912 Written by: Robert Gordon, Barry Fanaro (based on the comic book by Lowell Cunningham) Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Lara Flynn Boyle, Johnny Knoxville, Rip Torn, Tony Shalhoub, Patrick Warburton, Michael Jackson, Biz Markie Review Copyright Rose Cooper, 2002 Review URL: http://www.3blackchicks.com/2002reviews/bamsmib2.html I know this'll come as a shock to my regular readers, but I have a problem with accepting just any old crap that comes down the pike, especially as movies go. Hey, I can't help it: I have a hard time just letting movies run rampant with my Disbelief's Suspension. On the other hand, there are some things that just defy logic, purposefully; some things are just supposed to be laughed at, and let go before they have a chance to rest firmly on your medulla oblongata. Case in point: the MEN IN BLACK series. I've never seen the first movie all the way through, but I get the general gist o' the thing. And despite what I'd heard here and there about how bad the second movie was supposed to be, I decided to give it a chance anyway. Should'a just rented the first one, dag. THE STORY (WARNING: **spoilers contained below**) MEN IN BLACK II picks up the MIB story four years hence. Agent Jay (Will Smith) is now The Man In Black, but he's feeling the loss of his partner Agent Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) acutely, since Kay was neuralized and is now working as - what else? - a postal worker. Jay is feelin' no love from the public, either: of necessity, the Men are under-appreciated, considering they are ultimately the ones who maintain the peace in our little corner of the galaxy. So lonely is Jay that he goes against agency rules and fails to neuralize the lovely Laura (Rosario Dawson) after she witnessed a sho'nuff strange occurrence during a routine crime. It seems that there's this evil alien named Serleena (Lara Flynn Boyle) going around telling Victoria's Secret (so as to hide the fact that she's one ugly Medusa lookin' thing). Serleena is convinced that there's this Light that she has to have, and that Agent Kay is the key to finding it. After Serleena Wrecks Thangs at MIB Central, Jay has to bring Kay back into service so they can kick some alien butt. Only problem is, Kay doesn't remember anything about the MIB. Ooh, will wackiness ensue? THE UPSHOT Generously speaking, MEN IN BLACK II wasn't bad, per se. Coming from the perspective of one who hadn't seen the first one, I wouldn't recommend part II as a primer into the Wacky MIB Universe...but it had its moments. Most of those moments came from Agent Frank The Pug, the cutest ugly dog this side of the Boston Terrier. I heard myself guffawing a few times at Frank and some of the various other creatures - though not as much as I had hoped to. My big Issue with MIB II was with the storyline. In short, it was dumb (even if intentionally so), and I quickly tired of caring anything about it or the characters involved. I kept hoping Jamie Lee Curtis would take over Serleena's body from Lara Flynn Boyle, because Boyle wasn't doing much with it; likewise, I wonder who the wonderful Rip Torn pissed off, to have had such little face time on film. I cringed at Tony Shalhoub's Jeebs (and not just because he was butt ugly), and only the Biz Markie and Michael Jackson cameos, and Patrick Warburton's amusing Agent Tee, showed any real promise. The actors and characters were clearly a second-thought to all the magic that went into post-production. Try as they might, Will Smith and the humorously peevish Tommy Lee Jones, couldn't make me forget that for the most part, MIB II was more about the gee whiz of movie FX, than about anything they had to bring to the table. Too bad; I was hoping that at least some the "gee whiz" would come from the humans. I found this movie pretty forgettable; aside from Frank's great sight gags [so *that's* who let them out!], nothing really stayed with me after I left the theater. But at least now that I've seen MIB II, I'm satisfied: I don't need to see part III. After all, a mind is a terrible thing to waste. Even during the lazy hazy crazy days of summer. BAMMER'S BOTTOM LINE I'll continue my "Big Summer Blockbusters aren't really trying to make you think" generous streak and stop expecting much from movies during Popcorn Season. MEN IN BLACK II mostly hits its aim as Mindless Entertainment, though even at that, I was underwhelmed. Now, if they had just Kept It Real and made Michael Jackson an alien... MEN IN BLACK II rating: flashing yellowlight Rose "Bams" Cooper Webchick and Editor, 3BlackChicks Review Entertainment Reviews With Flava! Copyright Rose Cooper, 2002 EMAIL: bams@3blackchicks.com http://www.3blackchicks.com/ ========== X-RAMR-ID: 32258 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734745 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 447 X-RT-AuthorID: 3672 From rec.arts.sf.reviews Fri Jul 12 11:58:21 2002 Path: news.island.liu.se!news.ida.liu.se!newsfeed.sunet.se!news01.sunet.se!erinews.ericsson.se!erix.ericsson.se!luth.se!news.tele.dk!small.news.tele.dk!128.230.129.106!news.maxwell.syr.edu!news-xfer2.newshosting.com!sn-xit-04!sn-xit-01!sn-post-02!sn-post-01!supernews.com!news.supernews.com!not-for-mail From: Frankie Paiva Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews Subject: Review: Men in Black II (2002) Approved: ramr@rottentomatoes.com Followup-To: rec.arts.movies.current-films Date: Tue, 09 Jul 2002 20:02:04 -0000 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: X-RAMR-ID: 32267 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734749 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 876 X-RT-AuthorID: 1334 X-RT-RatingText: 3.5/4 Summary: r.a.m.r. #32267 X-Questions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Submissions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 71 Xref: news.island.liu.se rec.arts.movies.reviews:4080 rec.arts.sf.reviews:324 MEN IN BLACK II * * * ½ 2002 – USA Director: Barry Sonnenfeld Writers: Lowell Cunningham, Robert Gordon, and Barry Fanaro Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Lara Flynn Boyle, Rosario Dawson, Johnny Knoxville, Rip Torn, and Tony Shalhoub Reviewed by Frankie Paiva Is there anything new and original for audiences this summer in Men in Black II that wasn’t in the first movie? No, not really. From a critical perspective, the film isn’t very good. It is a complete rehash of the first version, with few surprises or twists. That said, the film was immensely enjoyable and entertaining. While it doesn’t do anything new, it keeps the same sparkling, fast-paced wit, bizarre characters, and well-executed special effects from the original. The jokes come rapid-fire, and the majority of them are hilarious. Smith has perfected his role as the cocky Agent Jay, but Jones is given less to do in this film as the older and wiser Agent Kay. It’s a few years after the first film, and Agent Jay has become the head agent of the Men in Black, an organization that protects the citizens of Earth from evil aliens, and monitors the aliens among us on our home planet. Lara Flynn Boyle is Serleena, a Medusa-esque alien villain made of snakes who, along with a two-headed, very-low-IQ man (Johnny Knoxville), is searching the Earth for a special light that will give her control of a planet she wants to rule. The only person who knows how to stop her is Agent Kay, but there’s a problem. Agent Kay was deneuralized (all memories of his previous experience as an agent was erased from his brain), and is now working in a Massachusetts post office. His memory must be restored so that the Earth will once again be saved. Many of Men in Black II’s are forgiven because of the performances in the movie. Everyone seems like they’re having a lot of fun. Smith’s instructions to people he deneuralizes and Jones’s memory recovery (a la Memento and Bourne Identity) are their comic high points. There’s also a love interest subplot involving Smith and a pizza diner worker (the gorgeous Rosario Dawson), who Smith is so infatuated with, he forgets to deneuralize her. It falls a little flat, but the two are cute together, and make a nice couple. This film will hopefully raise the talented Dawson’s star profile (after appearing in Sidewalks of New York and the underrated Josie and the Pussycats) and make her a big star. While Jones and Smith have the conflicting buddy thing down pat, Rip Torn and Patrick Warburton are less convincing (and less funny) as other members of the agency. Luckily, the filmmakers keep to what we came to see. New and exciting aliens. They’re in abundance here. My favorites were a group of twig-like creatures that love to play Twister (they appeared in the first film), a brightly colored bird that walks on two legs, and the always hilarious Tony Shalhoub, again appearing as pawnbroker Jeebs. The title of best alien, however, goes to another creature. A talking pug named Frank steals the show. Everything he says is funny, and he alone is worth the price of admission. Depending on your definition of alien, the award could also go to a certain internationally known pop star who many associate with an alien race. He makes a cameo in this film. While there are many scary monsters, this film is appropriate for most families with children over 11 or 12. The film has such broad comedic appeal that everyone in the family is bound to enjoy it. The film is preceded by a delightful computer-animated short that sets the tone for the feature perfectly. For the 4th of July weekend, or any weekend at all, Men in Black II is great entertainment and shouldn’t be held accountable for anything more than that. Its short running time (88 minutes), plentiful humor, and exciting visuals make it the perfect summer treat. Enjoy. ========== X-RAMR-ID: 32267 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734749 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 876 X-RT-AuthorID: 1334 X-RT-RatingText: 3.5/4 From rec.arts.sf.reviews Fri Jul 12 11:58:30 2002 From: Karina Montgomery Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews Subject: Review: Men in Black II (2002) Approved: ramr@rottentomatoes.com Followup-To: rec.arts.movies.current-films Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 04:23:58 -0000 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: X-RAMR-ID: 32295 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 737193 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 755 X-RT-AuthorID: 3661 Summary: r.a.m.r. #32295 X-Questions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Submissions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 80 Path: news.island.liu.se!news.Update.UU.SE!puffinus.its.uu.se!newsfeed.sunet.se!news01.sunet.se!erinews.ericsson.se!erix.ericsson.se!luth.se!news.tele.dk!small.news.tele.dk!193.174.75.178!news-fra1.dfn.de!news-stu1.dfn.de!news.belwue.de!news.uni-stuttgart.de!feed.textport.net!sn-xit-02!sn-xit-06!sn-post-01!supernews.com!news.supernews.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.island.liu.se rec.arts.movies.reviews:4108 rec.arts.sf.reviews:327 Men in Black II Catch the Network Premiere I knew I wouldn't like this film; I didn't particularly like the first one, and even though Will Smith has proven himself to be genial and likable, with good comedic timing and a fun attitude in films, I can't stand this franchise. I went in with low expectations, but expected to enjoy the effects, the singing dog, and perhaps some Will Smith-style banter. Let me assure you right now, every watchable aspect of this film save one is in the preview, so if you have seen the preview, you have seen literally every funny moment. OK, there is one extended line after the subway scene that made me grin, but it wasn't enough to warrant a full film viewing. Even with Patrick Warburton making a senseless appearance. The one "hidden" watchable aspect is a small scene involving Tony Shaloub as an alien shopkeeper with a just-off human appearance that is interesting to look at, and Shaloub could make almost anything funny with his delivery. So if you are a die hard Tony Shaloub fan, wait until this dreck makes it to the small screen and he's somewhere in the middle. David Cross shows up for a few seconds, but all that made me want to do is buy the Mr. Show DVD. Tommy Lee Jones, decreasingly interesting since The Fugitive, apparently faxed a likeness of himself to the set and had his assistant work the image like a puppet while a grip read the dialogue. This is a Harvard graduate from the heyday of the Harvard Lampoon, working with the funny and charming Will Smith and the generally reliable Rip Torn. Torn appears to be recoiling from the camera, as if even he cannot believe he is in this film. When are the Larry Sanders episodes going to be released on DVD in full so he can live off those residuals instead of this kind of whoredom? Smith himself appears a little pained but, trooper that he is, he is giving this movie his all. He has energy and enthusiasm and timing but nothing - nothing at all - to work with. You know the preview scenes of the talking dog? The dog serves no purpose. He shows up, talks a little canine-alien smack, and then is removed from the story. He has little comedic value (and the potential of a Dog in Black is at least wider than zero) and little narrative use. Johnny Knoxville is an abrasive two headed alien whose sole function is to allow director Barry Sonnenfeld the opportunity to work with the technical challenge of two-headed dialogue with one actor. Knoxville also serves no apparent purpose, since his snaky second head's admitted pseudo-comedic potential is not even touched upon. Neither do trippy cameos by Martha Stewart and Michael "King of Pop" Jackson. Lara Flynn Boyle is an alien in the body of a lingerie model, and even the simple concept of using sexuality to lure/kill/whatever isn't approached. There are no carryovers from the first movie besides the font of the opening credits, no comedy, no depth, and no action. Will Smith wrestles his way out of a conveniently cushioning pile of plastic tubing, which could have been funny, if it wasn't so annoying. I give it Catch It On Network TV instead of Avoid at All Costs because there isn't even enough here to offend, much less revile/avoid. And the subway scene ending and Tony Shaloub are worth 50 cents admission. -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These reviews (c) 2002 Karina Montgomery. Please feel free to forward but just credit the reviewer in the text. Thanks. reviews@cinerina.com Check out previous reviews at: http://www.cinerina.com http://ofcs.rottentomatoes.com - the Online Film Critics Society http://www.hsbr.net/reviews/karina/ - Hollywood Stock Exchange Brokerage Resource http://www.mediamotions.com and http://www.capitol-city.com ========== X-RAMR-ID: 32295 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 737193 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 755 X-RT-AuthorID: 3661 From rec.arts.sf.reviews Fri Jul 12 11:58:35 2002 From: Jon Popick Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews Subject: Review: Men in Black II (2002) Approved: ramr@rottentomatoes.com Followup-To: rec.arts.movies.current-films Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 19:13:13 -0000 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: X-RAMR-ID: 32302 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734733 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 595 X-RT-AuthorID: 1146 X-RT-RatingText: 5/10 Summary: r.a.m.r. #32302 X-Questions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Submissions-to: ramr@rottentomatoes.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 80 Path: news.island.liu.se!news.Update.UU.SE!puffinus.its.uu.se!newsfeed.sunet.se!news01.sunet.se!erinews.ericsson.se!uab.ericsson.se!erix.ericsson.se!luth.se!newspump.monmouth.com!newspeer.monmouth.com!nntp1.phx1.gblx.net!nntp.gblx.net!nntp.gblx.net!newsfeed.news2me.com!west.cox.net!cox.net!sn-xit-02!sn-xit-06!sn-post-02!sn-post-01!supernews.com!news.supernews.com!not-for-mail Xref: news.island.liu.se rec.arts.movies.reviews:4115 rec.arts.sf.reviews:330 Planet Sick-Boy: http://www.sick-boy.com "We Put the SIN in Cinema" © Copyright 2002 Planet Sick-Boy. All Rights Reserved. We've been awfully fortunate this summer thus far. There haven't been any over-hyped turkeys like Pearl Harbor, Godzilla or Wild Wild West stinking up the place. Instead, we've been dazzled by Minority Report and Spider-Man, and cheered the maturity of films like The Bourne Identity and The Sum of All Fears (not to mention the upcoming Road To Perdition). Disney's Lilo & Stitch was one of their best summer flicks in years, and the new Star Wars installment didn't even suck too much ass. The sequels aren't half bad either, at least if you're talking about Men In Black II. The good news is that it's a lot better than the original. The bad news is that the original wasn't anything to write home about. More good news is that the film is really short (87 minutes). More bad news is that MIB2's quick running time probably has a lot to do with the front-end deals gobbled up by the two stars, director and producers (they're taking 50% of the first $200 million it grosses, so a shorter film means more screenings, perhaps helping it to reach that barrier more quickly). Other good news? Michael Jackson has a cameo. Other bad news? He isn't playing an alien. At the end of the 1997 film, Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones, Space Cowboys) had his mind erased (I prayed someone would neuralize me right around that same time). As MIB2 opens he's working as a Postmaster in a small Massachusetts town, while former partner Agent J (Will Smith, Ali) has pretty much become the same efficient Men in Black agent that K used to be before he got zapped. The new film starts with a pre-credits Peter Graves-hosted clip from one of MIB's operations from the '70s. There's some nonsense about Kylothians and the Light of Zartha, but it basically explains how K saved the world back in 1977. Flash forward to present day, when the whole Kylothians/Light of Zartha thing has once again reared its ugly head. A tiny yet extremely dangerous alien named Serleena arrives in a ship straight out of Pikmin, transforms itself into a Victoria's Secret model (Lara Flynn Boyle, The Practice) and proceeds to search for the Light of Zartha. According to MIB Chief Z (Rip Torn, Freddy Got Fingered), the only agent capable of stopping Serleena is K, so J is sent to Massachusetts to un-neuralize him and bring him up to speed. See? Now they've swapped roles. Once the pupil, J has now become the teacher. So MIB2 is, like, a whole new film, right? Not really. Some of the same characters are back, like Tony Shalhoub's pawnshop owner Jeebs and Frank the Dog (voiced by Tim Blaney), while the absence of others (like Linda Fiorentino) are casually touched upon as if they barely ever existed. David Cross is here again, but he plays a different role. There are some new folks, too, though most of them (Patrick Warburton and Johnny Knoxville) appeared in director Barry Sonnenfeld's last film (Big Trouble). Rosario Dawson (Sidewalks of New York) is cast as J's love interest, though there isn't enough time devoted to this subplot to make it work (ditto for J's depression, which is only briefly touched upon in the first third of the film). In addition to the Michael Jackson cameo, we also see a lot of Martha Stewart, which is weird because of that whole talking dog thing in Sonnenfeld's Trouble. Acting-wise, Smith is at his comedic best. I usually can't stand the sight of him, but he made me laugh several times. Watching Jones is like watching paint dry, and Boyle looks more like Sherilyn Fenn than Sherilyn Fenn does these days. The scene-stealer here is Frank the Dog, who pulls off the only successful use of "Who Let the Dogs Out?" in the history of modern cinema. On the downside, the product placement might be the most blatant ever (MIB2 often plays like a super-long commercial for Sprint - maybe all they would pay for was a 87-minute movie). One couldn't expect anything other than an uneven film from a script cobbled together by the funny Robert Gordon (Galaxy Quest, Addicted To Love) and the opposite-of-funny Barry Fanaro (Benson, The Golden Girls, Archie Bunker's Place). 1:27 - PG-13 for sci-fi action violence and some provocative humor ========== X-RAMR-ID: 32302 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 734733 X-RT-TitleID: 1114604 X-RT-SourceID: 595 X-RT-AuthorID: 1146 X-RT-RatingText: 5/10