MEN IN BLACK
Dr T. White
Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld
Written by: Lowell Cunningham (comic book) and Ed Solomon Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio and Rip Torn
Produced by: Laurie MacDonald and Walter F. Parkes
Running Time: 96 min.
Rating : ****
Production Co: MacDonald-Parkes / Columbia Pictures Corporation / Amblin Entertainment
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures / Sony Pictures Entertainment
Effects by: VisionArt / Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)
Official site: www.meninblack.com
OK, forget about BATMAN AND ROBIN, THE LOST WORLD, THE FIFTH ELEMENT, and even MARS ATTACKS! (well, I liked MARS ATTACKS! even if nobody else did). MEN IN BLACK is definitely the best sci-fi/comic book/comedy type of movie to come around in a long time. You must see it! MEN IN BLACK is about a pair of alien immigration agents - Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) and Agent J (Will Smith) - who hunt down real aliens; not the kind from Mexico, but the kind from outer space. It seems these aliens, in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, are all over, but mainly in New York City, where it is easier for them to go unnoticed (if you ve ever been there, you ll understand). You ll be surprised to learn just which famous people are actually aliens; well, I suppose finding out that Newt Gingrich is an alien is not all that surprising...but what about Sylvester Stallone and Dennis Rodman? Okay, we suspected it all along, I guess...
Most alien crises are handled relatively easily, but trouble begins when a bug - an evil alien (Vincent D Onofrio) who looks, well, like a big cockroach - comes to earth to assassinate the ambassadors from two galaxies. He also is looking for a galaxy himself...in fact, everybody ends up looking for this galaxy (it will make sense when you see the movie), which is actually located on...hah hah, you thought I was gonna tell you, but I m not!
There are a number of things that are right about this movie. First of all, although the special effects are certainly well-done, they never threaten to get in the way of the movie, as they did in THE LOST WORLD and THE FIFTH ELEMENT. The comedy, and the personalities of the characters, always take center stage in this one. Second, the story is really quite simple and easy to understand. In another movie, this might be a fault, but in a comedy such as this, simplicity is definitely a virtue, as you never have to try to figure out just what the hell is going on. Not much is going on, really, except a lot of funny stuff between our heroes and the aliens; who needs a complicated story to get in the way?
The acting, while not really all that realistic, is appropriate for a film like this: funny, but not stupid (as in Jim Carrey movies). Jones and Smith (sound like pseudonyms!) really work well together as a comic team. Jones, obviously, is the straight man, allowing Smith to be the wild and crazy guy (and I am impressed with Smith, who has really grown from a sort of amusing TV sit-com actor into a real comic movie talent, it seems). And they have a good script to work from: clever, witty, and downright funny.
Finally, those of you with kids will appreciate the fact that this is a film that adults will appreciate, but you can take your kids to it too!
Movies that are funny and interesting, but suitable for all ages, are rare these days. MEN IN BLACK is one of them, and is highly recommended!
* Wait for the TV2 broadcast.
** A little creaky, but still better than staying at home with Gotcha!
*** Pretty good, bring a friend.
**** Amazing, potent stuff.
***** Perfection. See it twice.
Read other movie reviews at The Flying Inkpot.Other film reviews by other writers can also be obtained from the InkVault through key word searches.
Explore the Flying Inkpot
They're Alive!
Concert Reviews
Bit deadish:
Other Resources at The Flying InkpotHome Readers' Comments
From: ROBERT (oic@pulsenet.com)
The movie was awsome by the video.
From: WILLIAM (debrob@midarch.demon.co.uk)
I LIKED MEN IN BLACK VERY MUCH, ESPECIALLY THE BIT WHERE THEY WERE TESTING WILL SMITH TO SEE IF HE COULD BE A MIB AGENT. ALL IN ALL I FOUND IT VERY FUNNY .
From: shawn (mamjamcram@webtv.net / Sunday, July 11, 1999 at 13:51:13)
This is a really hip and funny movie.You really can't take it as seriously as a film like Independance Day, though.Its similar in context,mankind VS alien(s) whom want to destroy human life.The "BUG" is as funny as any other character when he is in his human host.The way he has trouble walking and talking is very comical.Will Smith adds his own style of humor,while Tommy Lee Jones is funny because of his dry sense of humor.The special effects are stunning, and the lady who works in the morge is really nice looking.One question I had was "how could a bug that size fit in a ship that small?" Really a good movie,worth seeing if you havent already.
