Friday, May 25, 2012

[IGH] at the Movies: Men In Black III



We got a chance to check out the next chapter of the MIB franchise, Men In Black III.  Was it a worthy sequel for us?  Let's see what we both thought....


Wilderowens' review


The MIB films have been filled with a fun and whimsical feeling. However, I went into this film with an impending sense of dread. With sequel after sequel scrambling for a few bucks, I was afraid to see this. Plus, the time travel storyline has been done so many times.  I was wrong to be worried though. Sonnenfeld did manage to keep this franchise fun and whimsical throughout. He handled the time travel gracefully and had plenty of funny one liners to keep the audience entertained.



The acting was comedic and touching throughout the film. Josh Brolin was extremely impressive in capturing Tommy Lee Jones perfectly. He made a perfect "K" and was a great foil/partner for Will Smith's classic "J".   This partnership is really what holds the film and franchise together. Emma Thompson was only on the screen for a few minutes but she brought her amazing comedic talents to her character of "O."


As always, I just didn't think the 3D was worth it . Save your bucks for the bar. I was also really irritated that there was no extra scene at the end. The first two films had one! It's possible they just didn't share it with the preview crowd but either way, I feel burned.


To sum up: Yes, it wasn't the best film I've seen but it was a laugh filled time. If you were a fan of the first two films, MIB 3 provides a touching ending to a fun story.


Wysefyre's review


I went into this unsure of what to expect. I love this franchise and didn't see the need for another sequel, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the film. 


As always, the movie's biggest strength is the relationship between Will Smith's "J" and Tommy Lee Jones' "K," and you get that in spades, but the addition of Josh Brolin as the younger "K" was a stroke of genius. The movie would not have worked if not for him.  Not only does he look like TLJ, but the voice and the mannerisms are spot-on. His performance is the kind of performance you want to show budding actors so they can see how it's done. 


I didn't particularly care for the villain, Boris the Animal, played by Flight of the Concords' Jermaine Clement. I don't know if it was the acting or the script or the really gross hand thing (you'll know when you see it), but I just felt like he was so one-note and over-the-top. He felt more like a vehicle to get "J" back in time than a being with a personal grudge. 


The plot itself was nothing spectacular; it's a story we all know, but there were plenty of moments that kept it from feeling stale such as the "fun" way to time jump and a particularly good time in a bowling alley. There were a few hilarious nods to the cultural climate of the 1960's; "J" in the elevator is my favorite, as well as nods to the MIB history. One of the things I loved the most about the movie is it acknowledged how much time has past. Can you believe it's been 15 years since MIB made its first appearance?


Like Wilderowens, I'm also disappointed that there was no extra scene at the end, but I'm actually more bothered by the fact that there was no *MINOR SPOILER* Tony Shalhoub. I know the story was focusing on something different, but I would have liked to have seen him for a moment. It just didn't feel like a complete MIB movie without him.


Should you see the movie? Yes. It's funny, action-filled, weird, occasionally gross, reveals new information about the characters, and clearly filled with a lot of love. Go see it. You'll have a good time.





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