Will Smith

It’s a simple straightforward movie: there’s an alien “problem”, a very “serious – no smile on my face – I mean business – and dress in black suits” government agent named K (Tommy Lee Jones) and a “just came from da hood – know noth’ about this sh..t” NYC cop named J (Will Smith).

They’ve got big guns and at least one’s got an attitude.

We can’t really speak of a plot, it’s all pretty simple: the intergalactic alien terrorist Edgar (Vincent D’Onofrio) is trying to incite an interstellar war that would destroy humanity and the agents have got to deal with the threat.

As any important mission, this one is also top-secret and involves a lot of running / shooting / special effects. The aliens are not too smart at all, but at least the big villain is a difficult opponent.

The witty dialogues and funny scenes, together with some pretty decent special effects (the movie did have a serious budget) make the entire blockbuster an enjoyable one. We’ve also got the “femme fatale” brought to life by Linda Fiorentino.

For those interested in some New York City sightseeing, you can admire the interiors in Guggenheim and see the Shea Stadium).

Don’t expect a life-changing movie or philosophies, it’s a simple “comedy-action” movie with a Sci-Fi twist that can entertain you for 2 hours.

The main character, and what a character, is Chief Deputy US Marshal Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones), another ‘dirty Harry” with the same bad habits that made Clint Eastwood‘s character famous years ago. He’s violent, and driven, almost a maniac when it comes to apprehending his suspects and bringing them to justice, dead or alive. He finds an excellent opponent in Mark Sheridan (Wesley Snipes) a tow-truck driver in Chicago who gets involved in an accident and then is found to be guilty of murdering two agents in New York.

Gerard loses him in a plane-crash and then embarks on his own heroic plan to get Sheridan and make him pay for the crimes.

The action is fast paced and filled with all kinds of turns and surprises, but the overall impression is still of an action movie without too much to offer. We’ve got Irene Jacob as Sheridan’s girlfriend, who’s there so that the movie won’t be carried by 2 men only. The movie might have been better without her.

As the plot progresses we find out that the initial information on the fugitive wasn’t exactly right and Sam Gerard is forced to reconsider his position, while still trying to obey the minimal rules he’s willing to on a daily basis. The movie is filled with all kinds of stunts that make it enjoyable. Tommy Lee Jones delivers as expected and Snipes does a decent job himself.

So, if you’re the “action” type of movie buff, you might consider watching it.