Men in Black II

The first Men in Black movie was a colossal July 4, 1997 box office successógrossing over $587 million worldwide, $250 million alone in the U.S.A. Hoping to cash in o­n a good thing, Men in Black II is back. Same director (Barry Sonnenfeld), same leads (Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones), same Zed (Rip Torn), same Frank the Pug (Mushu), and a few new skirts, like Lara Flynn Boyle and Rosario Dawson. The storyline pits Agent Jay (Will Smith) and newly de-neuralized Agent Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) against some new scum, Serleena (Lara Flynn Boyle) and her two-headed sidekick, Scrad/Charlie (Johnny Knoxville). Jay becomes smitten with non-alien Laura (Rosario Dawson), which will probably figure in the next sequel. We do get to gawk at the elusive and exclusive Michael Jackson in a too-swift cameo, and see a menagerie of alien creatures, gadgets and cool-looking visuals courtesy of Industrial Light & Magic and a trainload of other CGI personnel. But it just didn't add up to its all-out blockbuster hype. Like the promo reads, "Same planet. New scum."