Good, but not great - the first one was better

Rating: Null/10 (20 July 2002)

I went to this movie with the expectation that it would be better than the first one (based upon comments from colleagues at work). I was disappointed. It is not that it is a bad movie, but more that it lacked the cohesion and plot integrity that the first one had. A notable example is that although we are told that the earth faces imminent annihilation, we are never really sure why or how this would be carried out.. even after the movie ends.
Another thing that bothered me was that in the first movie, you feel that Will Smith's character is smart, on the ball, but a little rough around the edges and will grow to be a great agent. In this movie, although he certainly demonstrates that he knows more about all the various alien species, he comes across as being less capable than he was in the first movie. I was looking forward to him being more competent, and less of a bumbler.
In short, the movie was entertaining and definitely worth seeing, but it lacked the charisma and tight story line of the first one.