MIB3: Time is Not Their Friend

Rating: 5/10 (30 May 2012)

This film is not recommended.
The successful Men in Black series has finally turned three this year, after a 10 year hiatus. It still tries to incorporate its winning formula of sardonic humor, otherworldly creatures, and top-notch visual effects. However this time, it throws in time travel as a plot device, making this installment all the more warped, yet somehow less entertaining.
The plot remains simple: Agent J, with excessive mugging from Will Smith, travels back in time to 1969 to save the life of his partner Agent K ( an underused Tommy Lee Jones ), but more importantly, save the world from yet another alien invasion. Perhaps they should have save the time and money and reworked the screenplay instead.
Men in Black III was plagued with many re-writes as the script was incomplete when production started. And this lack of cohesiveness shows. But, at least, this high concept blockbuster brings to its third sequel the clever concept of time travel and its most creative idea of casting Josh Brolin as Tommy Lee Jones' younger self. It is a brilliant move that pays off and elevates a film that suffers from plot lows and too many non-comedic highs.
Barry Sonnenfeld, who helmed the original first film, still brings his inventive flair for direction to the series. Unfortunately, the script by Etan Cohen lacks real humor and peril. Interesting characters, like Emma Thompson's Agent O and Nicole Scherzinger as Boris the Animal's girlfriend, are introduced, dispatched, or are no longer involved with the plot mechanics. The production design by Bo Welch continue to have a creative edge, but the creatures, this time around, are not very innovative or as amusing as before. Plus, the CGI is rather unexceptional and humdrum ( as is the 3-D format ).
The droll banter that was a comic staple in the previous installments is sorely missing and there are so many lost opportunities poking fun at the late sixties trends and "vibes" that could have made the film's reversal of time refreshing and nostalgic while it engages its movie-going audience. None of that happens.
As for the acting, it's nondescript. Smith tries to be charming and hip and fails miserably. Jones seems to be walking through his role, adding no depth of character. There is absolutely no chemistry with Smith or his younger or older partner for that matter. The film's bland one-dimensional villain, Boris the Animal, played by Jemaine Clement, has no truly interesting traits, except throwing deadly stakes at intended victims and grousing in a studio- enhanced voice that reverberates too often and is merely artificial and annoying. The only two actors that come off unscathed are the aforementioned Brolin, who steals the film with his uncanny impersonation of Agent K which produces some needed laughs, and Michael Stuhlbarg who delivers some emotional heft and boyish charm as a new character named Griffin who can see the future.
I suppose that Men in Black III may be a mindless diversion from some moviegoers. But, for me, it became a pointless exercise that regurgitated its formulaic sci-fi fantasy elements with no real payoff. The film ultimately disappoints and loses its own sense of originality and whimsy in this third outing.
One doesn't need the memory eraser device used by the agents in Men in Black III. The film will do that very well on its own as you are immediately leaving the theater. GRADE: C+
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