Has much of what made the original so good, but it is a little weak in comparison

Rating: 6/10 (19 December 2009)

The original "Men in Black" turned out to be a very successful blockbuster, so it was no surprise when it spawned a sequel. It took five years, but fans finally got to see "Men in Black II" in 2002. However, like many other movie sequels, this one turned out to be a disappointment to many fans of the original, and certainly didn't do as well. I first saw this sequel nearly four years ago, very early in 2006. I wasn't that impressed, and could only remember little bits from that viewing. After revisiting the original 1997 sci-fi action comedy last month, which I still found impressive, I decided I would watch this one again, which I did last night. I think my second viewing was a lot like my first, meaning that it was a mixed blessing.
Agent J is still working for the Men in Black five years later, while Agent K has retreated to civilian life, with his memories from his years as an MIB agent all gone. J has been unable to keep a consistent partner for his work since K's retirement, constantly dismissing his partners from the agency due to their incompetence. The planet's latest extraterrestrial threat is the return of an evil shapeshifting Kylothian named Serleena, an old foe of the MIB! She has come to Earth searching for the powerful Light of Zartha, and has taken the form of a lingerie model! The only one who can stop her is K, so J must bring back the ex-agent (who now works at a post office and is known as Kevin Brown), as the entire planet is depending on him! As J attempts to restore K's memory, Serleena takes over MIB headquarters and releases the alien prisoners!
The visuals in "Men in Black II" are just as good as those of its predecessor, once again with all the sets, special effects, and gadgetry. Also, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones still show their charisma as the co-stars. Unfortunately, these positives are not enough for this sequel to match the 1997 original. I laughed lightly at times, so there's some pretty good humour in the movie, but some parts are just too juvenile. The alien with his scrotum on his chin instead of his groin is a good example of this. The part with the little world inside a locker is also supposed to be funny, but it's not (or at least not usually), and it really seems misplaced in this flick. So, the humour definitely isn't as good here as it is in the original "Men in Black", and doesn't really work for the most part. There's suspense in this film, but not as much as there is in its predecessor, though this probably isn't as big a problem as the lack of laughs. The writers probably could have focused a bit more and maybe could have come up with more surprises.
Because of this movie's redeeming qualities, I would say it's slightly above average, but ONLY slightly. I don't think it's as bad as some "MIB" fans think it is, but can understand why it's significantly less popular than the 1997 summer blockbuster. Even if most sequels are inferior to their predecessors, and this one couldn't have been an exception, it still could have been better than it turned out to be. (Mind you, it also could have turned out far worse.) If you've enjoyed 1997's "Men in Black", you could find some entertainment value in this sequel, but I don't suggest you expect anything too breathtaking. It's been seven years since the release of "Men in Black II", but it appears a third installment is coming. Maybe they will work out some of the problems featured in this second installment, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.