Exceeded my expectations.

Rating: 8/10 (31 May 2012)

Stop me if you think you've heard this one before: It's been 10 years since Men in Black II. That one was OK at best but it certainly did not hold a candle to the first, which is still one of my favourite sci-fi films.
I came into Men in Black 3, expecting it to be better than the second one at least. I mean, when it took this long to get to the third film (much like Toy Story 3), it can't be that bad right? Well, it turns out it's much better than that. In fact I'll go as far as saying it's even better than the first!
Now I know what you're thinking, and I agree that it is a stretch. Don't get me wrong, the first movie is a classic, but the things that make MIB 3 good are just stupendously good. So no more comparisons for now, or at least until the conclusion of this review.
The story is what got me the most. A fracture has occurred in the space-time continuum, resulting in Agent K being dead for over forty years. It turns out that an alien criminal named Boris the Animal has escaped from his moon prison, and has time-travelled back to 1969 to kill a younger K before he severs his arm and arrests him. Agent J, who is the only person who still remembers K being alive in the present, goes back just a few days before K was killed in order to stop Boris. The way this plot unfolded, and especially the twists at the end where we see J's father were excellent as well.
The acting is great as always. There's no Rip Torn this time, because his character, Agent Zed, had unfortunately passed away. This resulted in a pretty funny scene where K delivers the eulogy in such a nonchalant fashion. Zed's duties were passed over to Emma Thompson as Agent O, and she makes a great leader. We also have Michael Stuhlbarg as Griffin, who can not only see the future but everything that can possibly happen in it. He wasn't just a comic relief, but he also served some very important plot points with his special ability. However, the best actor by far was Josh Brolin. I swear, he looked and sounded exactly like a younger Tommy Lee Jones. Not only do we have a great actor here, but also a great impressionist!
The action is fantastic, especially the final battle at Cape Canaveral. I love how the story tied in with the Apollo 11 mission, and that the ArcNet device they attached to the rocket was what saved the world from a possible invasion in the then-future. There are as many hi-tech blasters as you would expect, and there are also some great high-speed vehicle chases. A little disappointed that the little red button was never pushed, but I digress.
In conclusion, MIB 3 is a strong addition to what we can now call a trilogy. The first one will remain a classic in cinematic history, but there's just something about the third movie in a series that gets it right, and sometimes even beats the first, when a very long time is spent in between sequels. If you're a Men in Black fan at all, this is one you can't miss.