Excellent special effects wasted on anemic sequel

Rating: 4/10 (21 July 2002)

Tommie Lee Jones and Will Smith reprise their roles as Agents J & K in Barry Sonnenfeld's sequel to the enormously successful Men in Black of 5 years ago. This time their roles are reversed. Will Smith portrays the veteran anti-alien agent and Jones is the naive postal worker whose knowledge of aliens has been neuralized (wiped out). When the earth is threatened by Lara Flynn Boyle (as the new alien villain), Jones is brought out of "retirement" and restored to partnership with Smith. It sounds like it should work, but it is only fitfully amusing and not very exciting. However, the special effects are even more elaborate than in the original, but it isn't enough. The only thing that saves the film is a canine alien agent who has a leaning towards singing songs like "I Will Survive" and "Who let the dogs out?" He steals the show from the stars. The movie itself is mercifully short (88 minutes, with about 10 minutes of credits making the body of the film only 78-80 min. long, or short, as it were). So if you liked the original, you might enjoy this one. It just isn't fresh or original, just a money-making rehash.