Smith and Jones Lead a Flawless Cast into the Wild

Rating: 9/10 (24 October 2011)

Just as much fun today as it was the very first time, if not more so. Tommy Lee Jones is brilliantly cast as the stern, no nonsense G-Man straight out of the 1950s, a role he was seemingly born to play, and while new recruit Will Smith was badly typecast at the time, there's a very real, palpable chemistry between the two that transcends what roles they may have played before or after. Further complimenting the scene is a dynamite supporting cast, with Rip Torn amplifying all things stoic and ancient about the government, Vincent D'Onofrio stealing every scene as a not-so-subtle wolf in sheep's clothing and a typically dry, sarcastic performance from Linda Fiorentino. The jokes are still funny, even though I remembered most of the punchlines, the adventure is a perfect blend of introduction and elaboration, and the pop culture asides still work fifteen years later. Even the special effects aren't aging badly, which is a rare blessing considering the rapid advances in CGI since it was in theaters. Enthusiastically funny, rambunctiously fast-paced and occasionally genuine, I was surprised to see it's still firing on all cylinders.