Plot: What’s it about?
Agent J (Will Smith) has risen in the ranks at the M.I.B., but with his success, the bar has been raised for potential partners. After all, he was trained by the agency’s finest agent and as such, he demands a little more from his new partners. But he has went through a chain of potentials and neuralized each one, including the latest victim, Agent T (Patrick Warburton). He needs a partner however, so he is assigned to work with Frank, the lovable Pug. The two start to look into an alien on alien murder, which turns out to be much more than it seems, with the fate of the entire planet at risk yet again. An evil creature named Serleena (Lara Flynn Boyle) has returned to Earth, in search of an object known as the Light of Zarthon. Back in the 70s, the M.I.B. were asked to hide the Light, but as per their orders, they refused. But it seems as though one agent became personally involved and went against orders. That man was Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones), which means J has to find him and bring him back to his former position. But when deneuralization fails, K is forced to use clues he left himself to lead the way to the Light of Zarthon. But with Serleena kicking ass to possess the artifact, it will it be hard for the two to overcome the odds. Will K’s mind recall all the needed information, or is this the final mission for the Men in Black?
The men in black are back, as Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith return to the roles of Agents K and J, respectively. I always have doubts about popcorn movie sequels, as they’re usually bad, but Men in Black was fun, so I hoped the sequel could hold up. As it turns out, Men in Black II has a definite “been there, done that” texture, but it proves to be a fun, worthwhile picture. I don’t think it works as well as the original, but as far as sequels are concerned, this one is well crafted and should please fans. If nothing else, it has just the right blend of old and new elements, as several characters return, but a number of new ones also surface. So we have a strong bond with the original, but there’s enough new stuff to let it stand on its own, not something most sequels can accomplish. In addition to Jones and Lee, returning players include Rip Torn, Tony Shaloub, the lovable worms, and of course, Frank the Pug, while Lara Flynn Boyle, Johnny Knoxville, and Rosario Dawson head up the newcomers. The storyline isn’t as sharp and the romance is forced, but as far as popcorn cinema fun, Men in Black II delivers. It has tons of cool, well crafted special effects and lots of hilarious moments. This Superbit edition offers enhanced video & audio, but no supplements, so perhaps fans will want to own both this release and the two disc Special Edition, in order to have the best of both worlds.
The second time around as Agent J, Will Smith is just as obnoxious, over the top, and hilarious as before. I am by no means a fan of his music or acting on the whole, but I have to admit, Will Smith was a wise choice for his role here. His outlandish antics and lack of refined skills never hold him back, as the role seems written with his flaws in mind. So instead of working around them, Smith is able to amp them up a few more degrees and the result is a bad performance in most scenarios, but a good one for Men in Black. I still don’t often care for his efforts in other films, as his brash, amateur style is usually out of place, but his name generates mainstream audience interest, so I’m sure we’ll see him for some time to come. Other films with Smith include Independence Day, Enemy of the State, Bad Boys, Ali, Wild Wild West, and The Legend of Bagger Vance. The cast here also includes Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive, Natural Born Killers), Lara Flynn Boyle (The Temp, Happiness), Johnny Knoxville (Big Trouble, Tv’s Jackass), Rosario Dawson (25th Hour, Josie and the {Pussycats), and Tony Shaloub (Galaxy Quest, Spy Kids).
Video: How does it look?
Men in Black II is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. As the original disc had a great visual treatment and this was such a recent release, I had reservations about how improved this new edition could be. And as it turns out, the enhancements are minor, but you can’t deny that this is a superior presentation. I found detail to be more refined, colors to be bolder, and black levels to be more accurate. The original release was impressive, but this time around, halos are reduced and some minor compression issues are eliminated. A few instances of discolored flesh tones can be seen, but that never proves to be a distraction. The print looks excellent, detail is superb, and all the elements seem to fall into place here. This isn’t a flawless transfer, but it looks terrific and is better than the previous treatment.
Audio: How does it sound?
You can’t ask for much more than this, as we have two reference level audio tracks, 5.1 options in both Dolby Digital & DTS. The movie has endless explosions, blasts, crashes, and all kinds of other impact audio, so you know these tracks have ample chances to show off. And they do, with almost constant surround presence, even in the slower scenes, as subtle touches enhance the environment. So you’ll hear moments of immense power, but also moments of subtle, creative presence, which makes for a fun experience. The bass is deep and frequent too, so this material really offers an active, immersive soundtrack. The dialogue isn’t lost in the shuffle however, as vocals are crisp and flawless throughout. In head to head comparisons, the DTS option gets the nod, but both soundtracks are top notch. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, Thai, French, Chinese, and Portuguese.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes no bonus materials.
