Men in Black II (2002)

Written by Wuchak on May 24, 2020

Fun sequel, but not as good as the first one

Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith and Rip Torn return in this sequel about a secret government agency based in New York City that deals with extraterrestrial interactions on Earth.

Like the original 1997 movie, "Men in Black II" (2002) is amusing & thrilling in the first half, but loses its mojo a bit in the second half where some of the jokes fall flat. If you’ve seen the first film, there’s no need to see this one; but, if you want more with slight variations, then check it out. It’s the lesser movie, but it still fills the bill for when you’re in the mood for fun & thrilling popcorn entertainment.

On the female front, Linda Fiorentino is absent, replaced by Lara Flynn Boyle as the villain and Rosario Dawson as a pizzaria employee that catches Jay’s eyes. Meanwhile, the stunning Paige Brooks appears in a couple of small scenes.

The next two sequels are: Men in Black 3” (2012) and “Men in Black: International” (2019); the latter is the only entry in the series (so far) without Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith.

The film runs 1 hour, 28 minutes, and was shot in New York City & surrounding area (e.g. Fire Island for the Post Office scene), as well as Los Angeles/Culver City/Pasadena.

GRADE: B-/C+