Reel Critics

Ray Buffer

Barry Sonnenfeld (who also casts himself in a cameo) directs “Men In

Black II,” a sequel to his successful 1997 action comedy. This time

around our men in black are on the trail of an alien with a Medusa

complex (Lara Flynn Boyle) who has taken human form and is searching for

a source of power known as the Light of Zartha -- it is hidden on Earth.

The power source’s location is only known by Agent “K” (Tommy Lee Jones),

who retired at the end of the last film and had his memories erased.

Agent “J” (Will Smith) must dig “K” out of mothballs and find a way to

restore his memories.

Joining the fray of superhero films and comic-book adaptations, “Men

In Black” was originally based on a Malibu comic by Lowell Cunningham.

Screenwriters Robert Gordon (“Galaxy Quest”) and Barry Fanaro (“The

Crew”) concoct a hollow story that relies mostly on a derivative subplot

from an original film like “Memento,” a completely unnecessary homage to

“Plan 9 From Outer Space,” which Peter Graves narrates, and the ad lib

banter of its stars. Another example of unoriginal -- an alien referred

to as a “Ballchinian” may get a big laugh, but it too has appeared before

in “Kentucky Fried Movie.”

This film cost $1.1 million per minute to make. It is an unusually

short film at 88 minutes and we don’t see Jones until more than a third

of the way into the movie. Although it strives for greater meaning by

showing the diversity of life, and demonstrating at various times that we

are but a small part of a greater whole, I left the theater wanting more.

It’s been five years since the original “Men In Black” and one might

assume there would be a little more depth developed during those years

and infused into the “MIB II” plot. Sonnenfeld allows Rick Baker to reuse

his shrunken head special effects ad-nauseum. In fact, that leads me to

actor Johnny Knoxville who is initially disturbing but then quickly inane

and overused as Boyle’s two-headed sidekick. David Cross and Colombe

Jacobsen are offbeat and interesting as a nerdy video store owner and his

acerbic girlfriend, Rip Torn is virile and solid as the MIB’s boss,

Rosario Dawson as Smith’s love interest puts forth a good performance,

but Frank the Pug (voiced by Tim Blaney) is definitely a highlight of the

film. Michael Jackson and Martha Stewart make cameos and it is revealed

that Michael wishes to join MIB as Agent “M.” It’s a pity that Famke

Janssen had to drop out of the cast. Her replacement, Boyle as a snaky

alien mimicking a Victoria’s Secret model, did not scare anyone. This

role was both miscast and miswritten. Her character’s ultimate defeat

seems almost effortless and anticlimactic, much like the film.

* RAY BUFFER, 32, is a professional singer, actor and voice-over

artist.