Hollywood is addicted to nostalgia. In the later part of 2011 we witnessed a silent film win Best Picture, Spielberg compose a war film about horse that would of been better received in the 50’s and Scorsese send a 3D love poem addressed to Melies. Recently we’ve seen Tim Burton take a 2 centuries old vampire back to the 70’s and now, with the latest install of the “Men in Black” series, we time travel to the 60’s for some flower power and a killer Josh Brolin performance.
The longing for the past is actually two tiered as “Men in Black 3” is another example of a sequel that should have been made years ago (but should be better received than the pointless “American Reunion” or the clunky “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”). I’m still waiting for the “Back to the Future” sequel where Marty’s son goes all the way back to 1985 (the year the original was released) and spends the entire movie trying to not sleep with his mother.
While it has been awhile it is nice to see the dapperly dressed boys again. It is business as usual for J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) as they run around New York saving the world from unwanted but very cool looking aliens. When one of universe’s most villainous villains, Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement), escapes from his lunar prison, K seems even more craggy than usual. K was the man who locked Boris away and the filthy beast wants revenge. So Boris goes back in time to 1969 to murder K before he can arrest him and J, the ever faithful, must travel back in time to stop it.
The premise is a good one and the time travel element allows for plenty of Sci-Fi tomfoolery. But the “Men in Black” franchise has always been equal parts comedy with the science fiction and here the comedy is missing. Long segments go by early in the film without a chuckle. The alien characters encountered as the boys piece together the case, usually a highlight, are limp and lifeless. Instead of visiting an hilarious Tony Shaloub and blowing his face off, we spend time at a bowling ally throwing the grumbling head of an alien down the lane. This is all uninspired and is where the “Men” show their age.
Once the “Men in Black 3” goes back in time there is some momentum as Brolin saves the movie with his pitch perfect Tommy Lee Jones impersonation. Clement doesn’t help matters, as his baddie Boris is rather bland. And ultimately Will Smith is Will Smith. Director Barry Sonnenfeld, who helmed all three in the series, seems rusty and should be since the last feature the man directed was the failed Robin Williams’ vehicle “RV” back in 2006.
The production crew is an all-star cast in its self. Danny Elfman provides the Elfmanesque score. Bill Pope (“The Matrix,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”) is the director of photographer although the camera is a little more tame and stationary compared to past efforts. The script (which wasn’t even finished when the production began filming!!) was a joint effort between A-list scribes David Koepp, Jeff Nathanson and Etan Cohen. In other words, “Men in Black 3” is a big, expensive summer movie that has all the components in the right place. It just doesn’t fully come together.