Fortunately, as there is no statute of limitations on the length of time before a film franchise may add another installment, moviegoers will find themselves highly entertained by the just-released Men in Black III. Ten years after MiB II, this latest iteration reacquaints fans of the series with the same characters they’ve loved from the first two films, with a few pleasant additions.
In MiB III, Agent J (Will Smith) must travel back in time to save the younger version of his partner, Agent K (Josh Brolin) from super-alien Boris the Animal. (The older version of Agent K is, of course, Tommy Lee Jones.)
As the film opens we learn that after 40 years of planning, Boris — who is just plain evil — has managed to escape from a high-security prison on the moon and is wreaking havoc in New York City in search of Agent K, whom he wants to kill for shooting off his arm in a 1969 battle.
Boris decides that his best approach is is to go back into time and kill Agent K before he is able to set up the Arcnet that protects the Earth from an alien invasion. If Boris succeeds, his alien army can carry out their 2012 invasion of the planet.
But Boris has failed to take into consideration that Agent K may have a supremely devoted partner who will not stand idly by while his partner disappears into nothingness. When Agent K suddenly fades away, J realizes he must build his own time machine and jump back to the ’60s, teaming up with the younger Agent K in hopes of stopping Boris before it’s too late.
The storyline is full of excitement and humor, and audiences will enjoy seeing J be dazzled by the differences between 1969 and 2012. Some of the best laughs involve Agent J’s encounters with the racial hostilities of the ’60s.
Emma Thompson, as the new MiB boss, adds tons of charm and wonderful humor to the film. Likewise, Josh Brolin excellently captures the essence of Agent K in a younger form. And moviegoers never tire of Will Smith’s classic effortless charm and comedic sense.
Besides the action and humor, III includes some heartwarming elements as well. Loyalty and friendship are highlighted, particularly in Agent J’s willingness to sacrifice everything for his partner and friend, and for the sake of mankind. Agent K has his moments as well, exhibiting his deep love for his friend.
MiB III conveys other important messages, such as the value of telling the truth, and the pain of regret.
Unfortunately, despite the positive elements of the film, several negatives may cause some parents to keep the children at home for this sequel. There are some sexual innuendoes involving Boris’ girlfriend and Mick Jagger, for example. A cross-dressing male model also makes an appearance.
And naturally, there is violence, particularly at the hands of the repulsive and frightening alien Boris, who is likely to provoke fear in some of the younger members of the audience. Agents K and J deliver some violent blows as well. In fact, they often use physical aggression during interrogations, and Agent K at one point opts to take the law into his own hands by killing an alien who was surrendering.
But overall, the film is a great throwback to one of the more popular films of 15 years ago, and better than MiB II.
