No, it's not like #1, but it ain't #2 either!

Rating: Null/10 (3 July 2002)

Jeez, people are digging into this like it's Satan. This is a funny film that, if anything, has many sight gags, side-jokes and throw-aways that are precious and hysterical that may not all be caught. (C'mon, the dog asking if they are "still sitting Shiva?" That's GOLD! OK, maybe ethnic humor isn't for all since I was the only one laughing.) `4Men In Black II' has great swipes at celebrities, politicians, New Yorkers and more. This is fun, light and breezy viewing. Isn't this what we want from a summer blockbuster? All loose ends tied up? No. All the parts work together? No. But it is entertaining and stands on its own merits. (Perhaps 88 minutes is a tad short, though).
Tommy Lee Jones is great as always and while Will Smith does a little too much of his "Hey, I'm funny and have everything under control" shtick, he still does an admirable job. Kudos to the always amazing Tony Shaloub and Rip Torn, who had me at "Defending Your Life."
Barry Sonnenfeld has had some wonderful hits (`Addams Family Values' has to be one of the funniest films with a razor-sharp script), and sad misses (`Wild Wild West'.) MIB II helps restore some luster to his name-badge after the recent lower entries from him (remember `Big Trouble'? No? Well, neither does anyone else, but it doesn't change the fact that he is a wildly talented director who, like anyone else, is entitled to some non-blockbusting hits, OK?)
Alright, future star watch: Rosario Dawson. A long way from `Josie and the Pussycats.' Well, perhaps not mega-star, but certainly a wonderful character actress. She's got the acting chops and I would rather see her take on serious roles (meaning meaty, not just drama), instead of large and vacuous parts in big films, which could happen down the road. She's a force to be reckoned with and will be around for a while, one would hope.
Look, the first film broke some new ground and was such a delight, but seriously, you can't expect to repeat the same feeling again, now do you? Now that things are set-up, it has to go in different directions, and while the story isn't too deep or even menacing, it is the fun in getting through it that keeps us enjoying it. Forget about what I say here; forget about what all others say. Go in with your own tabula rasa and let the movie create the review for you. Don't pre-judge it but enjoy it.