Will Smith's Panned Action Sequel Finds New Life on Streaming After 23 Years

Among Oscar-winning actor Will Smith‘s greatest cinematic setpieces is the Men in Black franchise, which continues to captivate audiences three decades after its inception. While it’s widely considered the worst installment of the original trilogy, Men in Black II remains a cult classic, as evidenced by its climb up the Starz streaming charts.

According to Flix Patrol, Men in Black II is a new entrant on Starz’s U.S. movie chart, coming in at #9 on the list. The 2002 sequel joins its 1997 predecessor on the Starz chart, with the original film ranking 7th on the streaming service, continuing its recent run in the top 10. The list is topped by the Mel Gibson-helmed action thriller, Flight Risk.

Men In Black characters with K and J talk on the park bench scene

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Why Is Men in Black II Slept On?

After Men in Black became a critical and commercial smash, as well as a pop culture staple, it was inevitable that the sci-fi action film series would get a continuation. Men in Black II welcomed back Smith’s James Darrell Edwards, aka Agent Jwho continues to ascend the ranks of his government agency that regulates every action involving extraterrestrials on Earth. However, with his former partner, Kevin Brown, aka Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones), retired, Agent J constantly neuralyzes his new partners, whom he feels aren’t fit for the job. When a new threat reaches Earth, Agent J reconnects with Agent K, who works as a postmaster in Massachusetts, convincing him to return as he’s the only person with the knowledge of how to stop said threat.

Though Men in Black II brought back Smith, Jones and director Barry Sonnenfeld, the formula that made the original fresh and interesting was virtually abandoned. Critics lamented the sequel’s diverting from the worldbuilding that was widely praised in the first movie and also deemed the titular protagonists unlikable, considering the questionable ethical choices they make throughout. The film has a 38% critical rating and a 45% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, a reflection of the sequel lacking the charm and nuance of the original. Some changes affected the film beforehand, however, including the departure of the initial screenwriter David Koepp, who went on to pen Sam Raimi’s Spider-Manand the reworking of some scenes due to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

MIB Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones)

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Despite its critical reviews, Men in Black II reeled in $445 million worldwide at the global box office against a $140 million budget. The franchise would right the ship a decade later with Men in Black IIIfeaturing Smith, Jones and Josh Brolin, who played a younger version of Agent K. The threequel capped the original Men in Black trilogy with a 67% critical rating and a gross of $654 million worldwide.

A standalone Men in Black sequel, Internationalpremiered in 2019, with Smith and Jones swapped out for Thor franchise castmates Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson. Though it earned respectable box-office numbers, International is widely considered a dud with a 23% Rotten Tomatoes critic score.

Fans can stream Men in Black and Men in Black II via Starz.

Source: Flix Patrol