The third MIB is definitely not the charm. It’s the weakest of the bunch, mostly because it’s not particularly funny, dramatic or cool – elements that helped make the original premise so engaging, entertaining and quirky. MIB3 has a few funny lines, but overall, it’s kind of a downer.
Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones basically phone it in as they reprise their roles as Agents J (Smith) and K (Jones), partners in a government agency that monitors alien activity on Earth. Agent J is the hip one; K is the surly one. And in MIB3, we learn why K is such a dour dude.
As the movie begins, an alien assassin known as “Boris the Animal” escapes from a super-max prison on the moon, steals a time travel device, and heads back to 1969 to kill Agent K before he can shoot off his arm. Yeah, that’s basically the entire plot.
Agent J gets privy to Boris’s scheme and travels back in time as well, to prevent his future partner’s death and get some insight into K’s deadpan demeanor. It’s all very Back to the Future-esque, only that’s been done before (and again)– and better.
By far, the best part of MIB3 is Josh Brolin’s spot-on performance as the younger Agent K. He absolutely channels Tommy Lee Jones. It’s eerie.
Bottom line: MIB3 is a straight-to-video-airplane-rental type of flick. No need to pay big bucks to see it now – and definitely don’t waste your money on the 3D version. There is no added value whatsoever. Heck, even the trailer falls flat: