Page 28 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 6, 2012
‘Men in Black’ travel back in time to prevent a tragedy
by Dennis Seuling Time-travel movies are fun. Taking a concept that is totally foreign to science and treating it as reality in a fantasy tale not only creates endless possibilities, but also brings up lots of questions. The major question: Could a person from the present go back in time, alter events that will lead to a cataclysm, and thereby prevent that event from occurring? Stephen King explored this notion in the novel “11/22/63,” which concerns a man who goes back in time to try to prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy. “Men in Black 3” has arrived 10 years after “Men in Black 2.” Once again, Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) are back making sure that aliens covertly living on Earth obey the laws governing their visits. Something is weighing on K. He is even less communicative than usual, speaks in monosyllables, and appears depressed. The reason: Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement), an alien apprehended by K at Cape Canaveral in 1969, has escaped from a maximum security prison on the moon. Shortly afterward, Boris arrives in New York City, Agent K disappears, and Agent J is told that K has been dead for 40 years. Boris has gone back in time and altered history by killing Agent K. As a loyal partner, Agent J pursues Boris into the past to change history back. For some unspecified reason, J’s journey through time is launched from the top of the Chrysler Building. It’s a visually striking scene that offers a novel way of traveling through time -- and why not? Audiences have seen a myriad of machines, gadgets, and fast cars in other movies, so a jump from a famous skyscraper is as colorful a means as any to move the plot along. When he arrives in 1969, J encounters a younger Agent K (Josh Brolin) and must work feverishly to defeat Boris and save K’s life. The story is fun, and Smith has a fair share of quips and wide-eyed reaction shots, but the main attraction here is Brolin, who does a dead-on portrayal of a young, squinty-eyed Jones. It’s not the sort of over-the-top performance a comedian/ impressionist might do, but a thoughtful interpretation that captures Jones’ stone face, clipped delivery, and laconic persona. He convinces viewers that he is Agent K, late-‘60s issue. Director Barry Sonenfeld pulls out lots of stops in the movie’s third act, which takes place on a NASA launching pad and involves quite a bit of James Bond-style action. Good guys and bad guys scamper around a rocket that is about to take off for the moon, yet no one in Mission Control thinks to abort the launch. By this time, the viewer is hooked, so critical evaluation gives way to enjoying the wild ride. The finale offers a major revelation that is not
Agents K (Josh Brolin) and J (Will Smith) attempt to alter history in ‘Men in Black 3.’
telegraphed and does come as a quite a surprise. Emma Thompson, who co-stars, offers a bit of exposition as Agent O, but is otherwise wasted in a small role. The best character is Griffin (Michael Stuhlberg), a visionary who can see into the future, and countless variations of the future, so he never really knows for sure how events will play out as he describes assorted scenarios at a pace comparable to an announcer in a TV ad enumerating the side-effects of a prescription drug. This is a funny idea, and Stuhlberg, with his earlap wool hat and
geeky expression, elicits some good laughs along the way. He is to “Men in Black 3” what Ray Bolger’s Scarecrow was to “The Wizard of Oz” -- a strong supporting character who is not completely overshadowed by the leads. Rated PG-13 for a bit of violence, “Men in Black 3” is the epitome of a summer flick. It’s fast-paced, with lots of action, a fair share of laughs, and some eye-catching special effects. Those seeking a deep, thoughtful motion picture should look elsewhere. For an entertaining night out, “Men in Black 3” fills the bill.