Toadsly’s Succinct “Men in Black 3” Movie Review: An Exciting, Funny, Nostalgic, Emotional Summer Blockbuster

Tuesday, 29 May 2012 01:41

Written by Robert Biller

It’s been ten years since Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) and Agent J (Will Smith) last scooted around using “neutralizers” on humans to erase their memories and blasting aliens with Flash-Gordon-like space guns. Men in Black 3’s (MIB3) plot involves sending J back in time to intercept and kill an escaped, contemporary alien criminal (Boris the Animal), who has utilized the space-time continuum to return to 1969. If J fails, present-day Earth is doomed and young K (brilliantly played by Josh Brolin – he’s a dead-ringer for a 29-year-old Tommy Lee Jones) will be murdered. The film’s charm lies in its retro look, often played for laughs, and some great sidebars such as discovering Andy Warhol is a secret, sarcastic, jaded MIB agent who can’t stand the weirdoes he’s keeping tabs on in his Manhattan “Factory.” He hates the “crappy” art he’s creating to provide his cover. The special effects amaze – especially the recreated Cape Canaveral on the day Apollo 11 blasted off for its historic lunar manned mission. The real surprise, the one that lifts MIB3 above most summer cinema-sizzlers, is its touching revelation about the relationship between J & K. Many viewers near me fought back tears! And keep an eye out for Griffin the alien. He’s reminds one of Hobbit Frodo, and is the sweet heart of this incredibly affecting tale! Much, much better than the previous two MIBs!