" I am getting too old for this. I can only imagine how you feel."

Men in Black III

With the long awaited return of the franchise Agent J (Will Smith) and Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) return to monitor extraterrestrial life on earth. When a highly dangerous criminal, Boris The Animal (Jemaine Clement) travels back in time to 1969 and kills K, history is rewritten. J has no choice but to travel back in time himself to try and prevent Boris from killing his partner.

The concept seems more confusing than it really is and really how far a stretch is time travel from a series that thrives on the unbelievable. The film was exactly as I expected; funny, ridiculous and overall very enjoyable, however there were a few elements that were just a little off. For starters the chemistry between Jones and Smith wasn't really there. Smith was overly needy and Jones seemed liked he was annoyed for being dragged into another film. There is no doubt that Jones is a fine actor and has been for many years but as Roger Murtaugh famously said "I'm too old for this shit" and boy does Jones look it. I just hope he doesn't get dragged into a fourth movie.

The film definitely improved when Josh Brolin was introduced as the film returned to its familiar buddy comedy charm. Josh Brolin's performance of young Agent K is pitch perfect, it was evident even in the trailer his uncanny resemblance to Jones in particular his voice. Brolin will never receive the accolades that he deserves for his performance as this is a popcorn movie, however he really should be commended for his delivery. Will Smith is great as always delivering his sharp remarks which are especially effective in 1969 when racial prejudice was well and truly present.

As for the other characters, Agent O (Emma Thompson) has taken over control of Men in Black headquarters after the death of Agent Z (Rip Torn). Thompson doesn't feature much in the film however she is meant to be playing a character who is in her late sixties and for a woman who is only 53 the casting choice can only be seen as an insult. The villain known as Boris The Animal (Jemaine Clement) is introduced in spectacular fashion in the opening scene as the ruthless, spine shooting  antagonist. Clement really only had to provide his voice for the character, but the special effects team and Clements enthusiasm for the role, ensure Boris is one of the best villains from the franchise.

Given that the film is centered around the sixties the writers could have had a lot more fun with the era. Instead the time period is seen as more of an afterthought with significant events like the moon landing added in at the last minute. Overall the film felt a little out of touch with its predecessors, maybe the producers waited just a little bit too long to bring back the franchise.

There is no doubt that this sequel didn't need to be made, with the motives solely for profit. Yet I was still glad that it was, as the originals were so much fun. The film is worth seeing just for Brolin's performance and for Smith's return to the screen as he has been absent since Hancock. Men in Black III contains all the ridiculous antics that the saga is known for providing an enjoyable trip to the movies.

" I could be Agnet M "

Men in Black II

Agent J (Will Smith) is trying to find a replacement partner after Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) retired from the service. J soon realises that he needs the help of his old partner when an enemy of Men in Black, Serleena (Lara Flynn Boyle) returns to earth, threatening to annihilate the planet unless she retrieves The Light of Zartha.  In order to stop Serleena, J must enlist the help of Laura Vasque (Rosario Dawson) who witnessed Serleena murder her boss as well as restore K's memory of of his earlier encounters with Serleena.

There is no doubt some of the magic is lost. It's hard to top the mystery and intrigue from the first film, as the audience discovered for the first time that aliens exist all around us. The first film was a box office and critical success, yet it took a long time (5 years) for the sequel, making the wait for the second film almost too long. Men in Black II isn't a bad movie, in fact its actually quite a good movie, yet it has a reputation for being much worse than the original. Granted some of the originality is gone, this film is just as much fun.

In this film the roles are almost reversed for Agents J and K, with Agent K now a civilian who works in a post office, having to rediscover the hidden wonders of the extraterrestrial world that exist all around him. Agent J has a new sense of authority in the partnership as he helps K get his memory back. Will Smith relishes his role as the cocky yet lonely Agent J, that has become one of his more memorable characters. The Men in Black movies rely on the buddy cop set up where two mismatched agents or cops are teamed together whether its Starsky and Hutch, Murtough and Riggs even Turner and Hooch the result is successful. Yet Agents J and K are never just partners solving crime with J being recruited in the first film, K having to regain his memory in the second and then resorting to time travel in the third film. There has never a honeymoon period in this series where both agents are simply solve crime together, it's as if the writers or directors never felt comfortable enough in the casting of the actors which is a shame as they are both perfect for their roles.

The storyline is practically the same as the first film with a different villain simply slotting into place. Serleena provides a strong villain as the shape shifting triffid who is helped on her quest by Scrad/Charlie (Johhny Knoxville) a two headed buffoon who really doesn't provide many laughs. The visual effects for Serleena's vines, the various extraterrestrial life forms and characters such as Frank the pug are effective, but for a big budget film such as this you would expect nothing less. The characters which I really didn't like both for their visual effects and annoying voices were the worms, they added nothing to the plot and were just not funny.

By the end of the film I felt like not much had happened as events seemed to rap up very quickly without encountering too many different aliens apart from Jeff the giant worm. The most notable scenes involve J's replacement partner Agent T (Patrick Warburton), when J is rediscovering the world he had forgotten and an amusing cameo in the form of Agent M. Men in Black II is an easy movie to relax with when you want a funny, entertaining film for a rainy afternoon.

" Elvis is not dead. He just went home. "

Men in Black

Based on the comic by the same name, the Men In Black are a secret organisation responsible for monitoring extraterrestrial life on earth. The film quickly shows that extraterrestrial life is more common on earth than we think with aliens living in disguise all around the world. The film follows two agents, the stern, experienced Agent Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) and the cocky former cop, Agent Jay (Will Smith). The pair prove to be an effective team as they search for a ferocious bug (Vincent D'Onofrio) intent on finding an object known as 'the universe'. The duo come across all manner of alien life during their search, aided by impressive gadgets and weapons and those stylist black suits.

The film has all the hallmarks of a typical crime fighting partnership; an expressionless, take no shit mentor that has seen it all and the confident young cop who has a problem with authority, eager to learn the craft. The only difference is they are not investigating a murder trial or investigating a drug syndicate, they are hunting down aliens. Both actors were made for their roles, Tommy Lee Jones has shown his ability for playing the smart, forbidding cop in many films such as The Fugitive and No Country for Old Men. He plays the part with such ease yet also proves to have excellent comic timing. Smith is the king of blockbusters consistently playing the likeable, arrogant character and it proves successful again as his limit for supernatural weirdness is tested. I believe Smith is a talented actor who has proven himself in the genres of comedy, action and drama and should not be regarded solely as an action star.

The villainous bug is played unrecognizable by D'Onofrio, in a refreshingly new role that is a far stretch from Detective Goren, his character on Law and Order. D'Onofrio takes the role with both hands stumbling around New York like a zombie reeking havoc wherever he goes. The stiff human body and general grotesque nature of the bug could prove to be a difficult role. However D'Onofrio provides a very effective performance and was no doubt having a ball in the process.

The movie acts almost as a childhood dream that was long forgotten, the belief that aliens exist. The special effects were crucial in bringing this concept to life and they prove very successful whether its creating the birth of a squid or a wise cracking pug. The film is clever, stylish and fun as you are able to go behind the scenes and witness extraterrestrial life that doesn't exist, an agency that doesn't exist and men in black suits that definitely don't exist, yet it all comes with a hint of déjà vu.

I am a huge fan of the Men In Black series and eagerly await the third installment which comes out later this month. Men In Black should not be taken seriously as it is on all accounts a comedy. A comedy that in essence makes fun of the belief of extraterrestrial life, one doesn't have to go further than the opening scene to see this portrayed perfectly. This is a film that should be met with laughter not scepticism.