Men in Black (1997) Review
"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals and you know it."
-Agent K
After discovering that alien life exists on Earth, James Edwards (Will Smith) is approached by Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) of the Men in Black, a secret organization that keeps the existence of aliens hidden from human civilization. James is recruited into MiB and becomes Agent J, his previous identity completely erased. As J learns the ropes, a murderous alien (Vincent D'Onofrio) arrives on Earth disguised as a human and the survival of the planet is put on the line.
What Works:
The chemistry of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones is the best part of the film. The two of them work well together effortlessly. I love K's dry sense of humor and J's energy is infectious. They are awesome lead characters and extremely easy to root for.
Vincent D'Onofrio should have been nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the bug. The physical look he manages to pull off is actually insane and will be forever ingrained in my brain. He's a fantastic villain and I can't see anyone besides D'Onofrio playing this character.
I really like how this film opens. In quick succession, we are thrown into wacky events involving K, J, and the bug all on their own. These are great character introductions and are very effective in bringing us into the world of Men in Black.
J's interview process gives us some of the best moments of the movie. The observation and common sense he uses is simply amazing. Moving the table and shooting the little girl instead of the aliens are iconic moments and show off even more interesting traits for J.
Finally, while the special effects haven't aged perfectly, a lot of them still look really cool. The bug and the squid baby in particular look fantastic. Even the effects that haven't aged as well give this movie a certain charm and only enhance my enjoyment of the film.
What Sucks:
My only real complaint with the film is we really get nothing about J's personal life. We don't see him have any attachments or hints of a social or family life. I think it would mean more to see J join the Men in Black and abandon his old life if we saw something of his personal life. It would increase the stakes and make his decision more emotional.
Verdict:
Men in Black is an excellent blockbuster and an extremely fun film. It has great heroes, an amazing villain, fun action sequences, and plenty of hilarious moments. I wish J had been a bit more developed, but without a doubt, this movie has got it going on.
9/10: Great
What Works:
The chemistry of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones is the best part of the film. The two of them work well together effortlessly. I love K's dry sense of humor and J's energy is infectious. They are awesome lead characters and extremely easy to root for.
Vincent D'Onofrio should have been nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the bug. The physical look he manages to pull off is actually insane and will be forever ingrained in my brain. He's a fantastic villain and I can't see anyone besides D'Onofrio playing this character.
I really like how this film opens. In quick succession, we are thrown into wacky events involving K, J, and the bug all on their own. These are great character introductions and are very effective in bringing us into the world of Men in Black.
J's interview process gives us some of the best moments of the movie. The observation and common sense he uses is simply amazing. Moving the table and shooting the little girl instead of the aliens are iconic moments and show off even more interesting traits for J.
Finally, while the special effects haven't aged perfectly, a lot of them still look really cool. The bug and the squid baby in particular look fantastic. Even the effects that haven't aged as well give this movie a certain charm and only enhance my enjoyment of the film.
What Sucks:
My only real complaint with the film is we really get nothing about J's personal life. We don't see him have any attachments or hints of a social or family life. I think it would mean more to see J join the Men in Black and abandon his old life if we saw something of his personal life. It would increase the stakes and make his decision more emotional.
Verdict:
Men in Black is an excellent blockbuster and an extremely fun film. It has great heroes, an amazing villain, fun action sequences, and plenty of hilarious moments. I wish J had been a bit more developed, but without a doubt, this movie has got it going on.
9/10: Great
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