If there is one constant in Hollywood, it's that money is king. Creativity and originality are secondary to the box office take. If it works once, do it again. And keep doing it until it no longer brings in money. This is the logic if the sequel.

Rarely is Hollywood willing to take a chance on something new.

Men In Black, based on a comic book, was a fairly fresh and original twist on a couple of exisiting and proven genres. Deadpan government agents, aliens and comedic action were all familiar concepts in Hollywood and stacking the deck with a well-known comedy director and powerhouse stars Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith virtually guaranteed success.

As is usually the case, the film was a success not because it relied upon existing formulas, but because it had some genuinely good and funny writing and a great chemistry between the stars.

Nearly 600 million in worldwide box office ticket sales virtually guaranteed a sequel. It also virtually guaranteed that any sequel would be completely lacking in the original qualities that set apart the original.

The whole concept of Men In Black has loads of potential for adventure within its wacky universe. Unfortunately, what we get in Men In Black II is a rehash of everything that we've seen before.

If you recall, the first film introduced us to Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) as the veteran Man In Black and Agent J (Will Smith) as the new recruit. By the end of that film, J knows the ropes and K retires, having his memory erased so he can return to his wife.

The new film opens with J as the veteran who has a problem keeping partners. When a new threat comes to Earth, it's revealed that only the retired K has the information to save the planet. Unfortunately, his memory has been erased, so J must reintroduce him to the organization and find a means to restore his memory.

The problem here, as I've said, is that there's nothing new in this film. The first outing gave us a giant cockroach trying to steal a miniature galaxy hidden on Earth. This one shows us a worm-like creature trying to steal a hidden "light." Before, J was the rookie agent. In the second, K is the rookie, at least until his memory returns. Even the pacing of the films is identical, with the agents paying visits to the same aliens at the same places in the film.

That isn't to say that there isn't some enjoyment to be found here. The writing is on par with the first film, with some genuinely funny bits of dialogue (for instance, Will Smith has a great line regarding the white autopilot in the Men In Black car). Also, Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith do have a nice on-screen chemistry, playing off each other will deliveries and expressions designed for maximum giggles. It's just disappointing that all of these great elements couldn't have been put together into a more original storyline.

Simply put, the best way to enjoy Men In Black II is to not have seen the first film in quite some time. At least then, the jokes seem a little more original. This is one of those films that has no point for existence other than to generate money. Technically speaking, it isn't a bad film, bu there are no compelling reasons to see it unless you really have the desire to see more of the same.