Like most of the undergrad population on this campus, I was too young to be a part of the target audience of the original “Men in Black” when in came out in ’97. Most of us were fortunate enough to have older siblings or pals introduce us to the comedic and badass stylings of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, and we can fondly look back on the original as well as the sequel. But even if “Lilo and Stich” was your primary extraterrestrial exposure, you’re in luck, because Will Smith doesn’t seem to have aged a day in “Men in Black III.” Plus, the first 15 minutes of this movie provide a handy refresher on the dynamic, crime-fighting alien duo of Agent J and Agent K, not to mention bring you up to speed on the current state of (Hollywood) race relations.

Meanwhile, those of you already familiar with these secret agents and their usual high jinks need not get anxious at the prospect of a contrived regurgitation of the same fight scenes and jokes. Like practically all movies these days (including the upcoming movie version of “The Great Gatsby”… say what?), “Men in Black III” comes to you in 3D. I often get distracted in recent movies because I’m preoccupied with guessing which things I’m seeing are/will be enhanced by 3D or merely wondering if such objects are 3D — I’m pretty sure all of a few blades of grass were the only 3D parts of “Lion King 3D”– but if there ever was a movie made for that extra dimension, this is it. Surprises were much more surprising, aliens much more alien-y and travels through time and space generally more absorbing. This movie has no shortage of fantastical creatures and even more fantastical gadgets, all of which translates nicely to the 3D experience.

“MIB III” doesn’t just stop with protruding plasma guns, but continues to break from the existing “Men in Black” canon with the plot itself. The movie is a romp through New York and U.S. history, driven by Agent J’s mission to stop a gnarly-looking alien assassin from killing Agent K and ultimately destroying planet Earth. Same old, same old pressure to save the world in 90 minutes? Yes, but when Agent J goes back in time to do it, he finds himself paired up with the 40-years-younger version of his partner (played by Josh Brolin in an eerily Jonesian fashion), which makes for an entirely novel crime-fighting team. And to top it all off, these two get started kicking ass and taking names in 1969 New York City (redux with aliens).

We already knew the black suits and skinny ties were timeless, but they’re perhaps best served with the Mad Men-esque backdrop of mod ’60s decor and secretaries in sharp pencil skirts and fab, voluminous hairdos. Just when you start to wonder if this is AMC or the big screen, Will Smith brings you back with his witty repartee, taking his thoroughly confused ’60s peers by storm in scene after scene. While Agent J keeps the humor current, Agent K and his generation allow us to indulge some more of our favorite aspects of the era, from period cars to Andy Warhol to the Apollo 13. Will Smith’s acting is on point, if not because it feels more like Will Smith being cool than Will Smith acting.

Though many of these scenes are great fun, the progression from one scene to the next relies heavily on some relatively predictable plot developments and an overarching theme of secret-agent bromance and machismo. Attempts at bringing gravity to the plot and its key moments of foreshadowing often fell flat. It’s probably not a good sign when a serious moment of warning makes you inadvertently burst out laughing. It doesn’t help that somber news is delivered to the protagonists by a unicorn, albeit a very loose and rather bizarre interpretation of a “one horned” being. On the other hand, the title of this movie isn’t “Pursuit of Happyness II,” and I wouldn’t go into it with a hankering for nuanced symbolism or a narrative that tugs at the heartstrings. If you are, however, in the mood for some laugh-out-loud moments with Will Smith, some involuntary alien dodging in your seat and an overall fun time, then this may well be a movie for you.

-Alex Kennedy