The first thing that struck me, watching the opening credits and hearing that tired old Danny Elfman music, was that director Barry Sonnenfeld is trying to be Tim Burton. He just doesn't have Burton's inspired wackiness or dark depth, however, and the result is a movie with all the dimension of the comic-book pages from whence it came.
Considering I didn't pay for it, it was an entertaining way to spend 98 minutes. But elements of the movie that have real potential -- i.e., Linda Fiorentino's character -- are quickly tossed aside. When stuff blows up, it don't blow up GOOD. The aliens are never scary enough nor particularly original. The gags are funny at first, but are beaten into you until all humor is gone. The film needs more creativity and a lot more depth.
Will Smith, however, is charismatic and eminently likable -- I think he and Fiorentino would make a dynamic duo -- and Tommy Lee Jones is always good as the irascible-with-a-heart-of-gold authority figure. Vincent D'Onofrio (who did much better work in The Whole Wide World -- see it if you haven't already!) did the best he could with the bizarre character he had to play.
And Gabe -- since you like Tony "Annoying Stereotype/Phony
Accent" Shalhoub
so much, I defy you to find him in this movie. I had no idea
which
character he played until the end credits rolled.
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