Reheated

Rating: Null/10 (2 July 2002)

Bit of a dilemma on this one. To keep happy the fans of the first film, it needs to be like the first; but in being like the first, it loses what made the first memorable -- the dose of originality which took it a little way off the standard path but not too far to stray over the border.

So while there's pleasing brio from Will Smith and terseness from Tommy Lee Jones, there's also a sense of wind `em up and watch `em go. The plot dynamic with Alien Baddy Doing Bad Thing is no more than a device for them to work round, unlike Alien Baddy in Part 1 who was a more organic part of the plot, and a much better and more satisfying actor.

Some of the gags comment on the first film, and they're quite good; some are mere repeats (ie person X being an alien) and are weak.
The Zaphod Beeblebrox gag doesn't work.
Before reuniting with `K,' Will Smith has a new sidekick; unfortunately the sidekick is nothing more than a feed-line for gags.
Certain characters from the first film are crudely dumped, further enhancing the suspicion that the film is merely a vehicle for Smith and Jones to be cute.
But, hey, since the DVD of the film cost me just 80 US cents from Shanghai, I'm not complaining. And nor would I be had I paid full price at the cinema.