"Men in Black 3" Review by Chris

Because new ideas are overrated, Columbia Pictures is bringing us yet another "Men in Black" movie.  True to uninspired sequel form, this time around Agent J (Will Smith) must travel back to the past to save his partner. During his journey he'll face countless time travel clichés and plot holes. Despite the “not again” smeared all over this storyline, is there a chance that the third time's the charm?

To start, great acting has never been a problem for the "Men in Black" series. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones roll up to this movie with all their skills hanging out. Newcomer Josh Brolin more than fills the role of Young Agent K — his portrayal of Tommy Lee Jones is terrifyingly accurate. The banter between Agent K and J is, as it's always been, the highlight of the film. Every moment they’re together you bottle your laughter to make sure you don't miss the next punch line. Jemaine Clement, who plays the toothy and villainous Boris the Animal, is less up to snuff. His story and dialogue are generic and the actor brings nothing to the role to make it unique.

The story is just as generic as the trailers imply. Agent J travels back in time to save his partner and thus prevent an alien invasion. Along the way he'll see the secrets of his partner’s past, and learn a few things about his own. There are very few surprises, but the ones that are there are enough to keep the film moving and give it heart. Time traveling also provides nonstop moments for comedy. Whether it's blatant comments on Andy Warhol's paintings or more subtle visual cues, there are plenty of laughs.

Sadly, "Men in Black 3" also has many flaws. Several of the questions early on go either unexplained or are totally underwhelming. The story isn’t friendly to new fans, and there is very little explanation of the characters. It’s best to watch to first two before seeing this one. Fans of the original will also be disappointed that some of the plot of the first two are completely ignored.

So is "Men in Black 3" the intergalactic success this series deserves? No. It fails to fill the shoes of the first film, but is light years beyond the second film. Great acting, an amazing script and bizarre situations make this a fun experience that should be seen.

3.5 "Neuralizers" out of 5

Writing and Image by Chris

Edited by Aaron