Film: Men In Black 3 (2012)

Thoughts: The Men In Black series has excelled at one particular thing: easily consumable entertainment. The films never overstay their welcome, they can be enjoyed by the whole family, they feature a great mixture of live and CG special effects, and they mix a good amount of all the best genres. So it's pretty easy to give MIB3 an above-average review and score. So that's what I did! Even despite the slow opening act, there was still a good wealth of enjoyment to be had.

imdb sum-up:

"After breaking out of a moon-based maximum security prison, Boris the Animal decides to go back in time and eliminate the person who arrested him - Agent K. When he does so, Agent J realizes that the time line has been changed and he too travels back to July 15, 1969, the day before Agent K is killed. After overcoming some disbelief, J manages to convince K and others of just who he is and why he's there. With the help of a being who can see all time lines, they track Boris down. J also learns a secret, something K had never told him."

All of the parts work together fairly well here. The actors are doing their bit, just like in previous films, and the script is snappy enough to keep a smile on your face. The opening act feels very stale though: most of the laughs are giggles at best, and the whole thing takes a while to get rolling and to the point. But once J finds himself back in '69, the ride starts to go down the ascent, and the whole thing picks up speed on all fronts.

Naturally though, I look at the aliens and designs as a kind of 3rd lead in the MIB films, and this one doesn't disappoint. There's a heady mix of real and fake, and it almost becomes difficult at times to tell the difference between the two. I personally loved the '69 MIB base, with all its classic sci-fi influenced aliens and tech, coupled with the leather seats and off-whites. And Josh Brolin pulls a mean Tommy Lee Jones impersonation.

The action is fair, and the direction rates well. Basically, this is pure popcorn fun, but not of the classic variety. I don't think I'd watch it again honestly, but I am grateful that I got to watch it and form my own opinion of the film. Which is a thumbs up.

3.5/5