Save the Past, Save the Future; the Men in Black Are Back Again

Rating: 8/10 (30 May 2012)

The first "Men in Black" film arrived roughly fifteen years ago and pleased audiences. Five years later, the second installment of the franchise arrived and left many moviegoers disappointed. Then, the Men in Black went missing for ten years and now roughly a decade after the previous installment arrived, "Men in Black 3" arrives in theaters with a time-traveling storyline and we finally get to see our beloved Agent J and Agent K again.
The arrival of "Men in Black 3" last Friday marks an event of comebacks. Obviously, the film marks the return of the "Men in Black" franchise which has gone dormant for roughly a decade. But the arrival of this film also marks the return of Will Smith to the big screen. His last major role was in 2008's "Seven Pounds" and he has gone into a three-and-a-half year absence since then. Now he returns to the big screen as one of his most popular roles. He is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars on the planet and seeing him return to the big screen is welcoming.
Ten years separated this installment and "Men in Black 2", where as fifteen years separated "Men in Black 3" and the original one. Due to the large gap in time between the movies, the concept of Men in Black might be new to some people. Basically, it's about an organization that deals with paranormal and extraterrestrial activity on Earth. You can say that these people are the policemen for aliens.
So what's this third installment about? Intergalactic extraterrestrial criminal Boris (Don't call him Boris the Animal or ... you'll see) has escaped a super-max prison located on the Moon. He arrives on Earth to deal with some unfinished and personal business with Agent K. Apparently back in 1969, Agent K cut off Boris's left arm during a confrontation. Now Boris wants revenge and so travels back into 1969 to kill the younger K to prevent the 2012 K from existing. Agent J also travels back in time to prevent his partner from being slain by the extraterrestrial convict.
1969 is different from 2012. Unfortunately, 1969 is a time where there is still discrimination to black people, much to Agent J's dismay. Even though it's 1969 and their Neuralyzer isn't as advanced as the 2012 version, they still have some rad technology, especially the single-wheeled bikes used by the two Agents. But what steals the show is the appearance of Josh Brolin as the younger Agent K. Due to the plot, Tommy Lee Jones had to give out most of his role to Josh Brolin for most of the movie.
"Men in Black 3" also offers some interesting twists. Aside from the young Agent K, we also discover some shocking revelations. For example, we now know that famous photographer Andy Warhol is an undercover Man in Black under the name of Agent W. We also learn that there is some chemistry between Agent K and Agent O that dates back to 1969. At the end of the climax, we also discover an important moment about Agent J's early life.
"Men in Black 3" is a very entertaining film. It includes solid action sequences against extraterrestrials of bizarre natures. The action sequences are very entertaining and keep the film suspenseful. The climax of the film delivers and does not disappoint. The aliens were also very imaginative, creative and very detailed.
Not only does "Men in Black 3" excel in the action scenes, but the cast here delivered powerful performances. Will Smith who had been missing-in-action for three-and-a-half years proved that his star power has not diminished over these years as he delivered a solid, charismatic, and powerful performance. Although he had to relinquish most of his role to Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones also delivered an excellent performance as our beloved Agent K. But the guy who elevated the film's excellence is Josh Brolin. His performance as the young Agent K is compelling and spellbinding and all around impressive. The other supporting cast also did amazing performances.
The humor here is also heart-warming. Most of the humor comes from the man himself, Will Smith. When there is a depressing scene, there's always some humor to help alleviate the sadness.
"Men in Black 3" as a whole is an impressive and entertaining film. It has an interesting premise, action scenes that build up suspense, solid performances, and outstanding visual effects. "Men in Black 3" is highly recommended, for both fans of the previous two installments, and those new to the concept. While this installment may not surpass the first one in terms of quality, it's a drastic improvement from the disappointing second installment.
Rating: 8/10
Final Verdict: "Men in Black 3" is an excellent addition to the "Men in Black" franchise that includes an interesting plot line and solid performances, especially Josh Brolin, that is a major improvement to the second installment.