Men in Black (+ BD Live) [Blu-ray] Reviews

• A great movie and an even better and loaded DVD!!!

  
  By A2B7LP1CE8DN5Q on 2000-10-04
  Wow! This limited edition isn't limited in features. Disc one has the wide and full screen versions, visual commentry with Barry Sonnenfeld and Tommy Lee Jones and a technical audio commentry with Sonnenfeld, Rick Baker & the ILM team; this feature is exclusive to the limited edition version. Throw in the standards like the sound setups: English 5.1, english 2-channel (Dolby Surround) and french (Dolby Surround) and subtitles that include english, french, spanish, cantonese and mandarin, and that wraps up disc one! Disc Two is loaded! I can't list them all or I will use up all my space, so I will list the major ones. There is a 3 scene editing workshop which allows you to become the filmmaker, so to speak. You get to edit 3 chosen scenes that were filmed in a lot of different angles and then watch the final cut. Sonnenfeld will also descibe his own editing process. Next, there is a Edgar bug fight scene deconstruction using different angles. Then you have "concept to creation" creatures feature and art and production photo gallery. There are extended & deleted scenes, storyboard comparisons, a documentary, a music video, DVD & web links, trailers, talent files and more! Whew! I said there was a lot, and as you can see, I wasn't exaggerating. Throw in a booklet and letter from Sonnenfeld and small poster which may be signed by the artists and you have a DVD with enough features to keep you entertained and busy. Quickly, the transfer was beautiful and, of course, the movie is great. This movie was one of my favorite Will Smith roles. Aside from the comedy woven into the script, the special effects were great! This is a must have for any fan of the movie or comic book! Enjoy!
  
  

• Don't spend the extra money for this version!

  
  By on 2000-09-12
  There's no need for me to write about this movie. Many before have done so, and many will follow, with the usual, "It's a great movie" stuff. And, unfortunately, this info will get buried with the reviews that follow. But I hope a few of you get a chance to read it before it slides back into the next pages.

  For the extra bucks you pay for this Limited Edition of one of my all-time favorite movies, here's what you get: a pasteboard box (NOT a plastic keep case!) with the disk info on the back attached with something a little more sticky than spit. That was my first, and very lasting, impression.

  The extra disk, while briefly amusing, was a disappointment. The part where the Edgar Bug Fight scene (and the MiB car transformation scene) is deconstructed "using angles" merely allows you to switch through five presentations from storyboard through final edit. By using the angle button you actually destroy the evolution; if you allow it to play it will start the sequence again at the next level.

  The long-awaited editing workshop is a joke. You are given three different scenes, each with three shots. Then make one of three choices for each shot and play the results. Looks good on paper, but it's actually much less interesting. Quite tedious.

  There is an extra audio commentary track, but how many times do you actually watch a movie with the commentary track turned on? And if you want to watch the music video, you have to go to the second disk.

  This is a GREAT movie. But the only way I can recommend this version is if you absolutely have to have the full screen presentation, which is unavailable on the "cheaper" model.
  
  

• Even the Collector's Series is PACKED!

  
  By on 2000-09-30
  I see many people have beat me to reviewing the movie, so I'll review the DVD(s). First of all, if you haven't played the DVDs, you don't know what you're missing! Compare the greatest DVD you've seen before with either of these two and you'll see just how many features we have here! The Collectors' Series has features like the two theatrical trailers for MIB, visual (or audio) commentary, a behind-the-scenes featurette, a behind-the-scenes look at the metamorphosis of MIB, the deconstruction of the tunnel scene, and studies of the 3 main CGI creatures: the Jeebs head transformation, the worm guys (carrying the cigarettes), the opening scene revelation of Mikey, extended and alternate scenes, a mess of storyboards, storyboard-to-film comparisons, behind-the-scenes photos, and conceptual art, and the music video. As you can see, this is one CRAMMED single-layer disc. But only buy the so-called "Limited Edition" if you're a DVD fan that will go to ends of the earth to get a ridiculous amount of features (some of which you won't even want) on a DVD (or two) for it. Also, only get it if you're a reluctant DVD owner and you hate having to watch movies in anything but fullscreen. Because all the Limited Edition has more is the fullscreen presentation, the Edgar Bug Fight scene deconstruction, a few extra conceptual art and the so-called "scene-editing workshop". If you're willing to pay so much extra for only those features, feel free, but you can get 3/4 of the features of the Limited Edition on the Collectors' Series and save a lot of money.
  
  

• Lots of fun, lots of special effects eye candy

  
  By A2B7BUH8834Y6M on 2000-07-06
  Based on the comic book of the same name, these guys keep the aliens living among us under wraps. A lot of tongue-in-cheek humor and a new way of looking at a multitude of aliens , good and evil, small and large.

  Will Smith makes the movie entertaining and the special effects quality and originality will keep you from blinking. Fun gadgets will also intrigue the sci-fi afficianado. This full-featured DVD is well-worth the money, especially with the multi-angle shots. I've already seen this on tape a number of times and I'm anxious to get this limited edtion DVD edtion.

  There is some language, but not much beyond what you'd see on prime-time TV nowadays. Very enjoyable and entertaining.
  
  

• What if those tabloid space alien stories were true? Blu-ray due out June 17th--Update on image/sound

  
  By A1K94LXX833JTT on 2008-05-09
  Men In Black is a spoof/sci-fi/action flick about a super-secret cross between the Immigration and Naturalization Service, FBI X-Files division, and a disinformation office. Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith are, respectively, a seasoned agent and a new recruit who work to find, legalize, track and police aliens from other worlds, and to hide the fact that such aliens exist. Aliens are given disguises and allowed to live among us as long as they don't cause too much trouble. There is apparently a lot of latitude in enforcing that requirement, since it turns out that Newt Gingrich, Sylvester Stallone and Dennis Rodman are actually aliens.
  
  Beyond that set-up, the plot exists mainly as a vehicle on which to hang a bunch of gags, some very odd characters, and action sequences. And that's enough. The heroes fight aggressor aliens and save the Earth and a very small galaxy while remaining (mostly) cool and making wisecracks. What more could you ask for?
  
  This is a fun movie with lots of elaborate special effects and sets that ought to really benefit from the hi-def treatment. The new Blu-ray release will have a bunch of special features, but only a few not taken from previous releases. Here are the new features:
  
  -- Intergalactic Pursuit: Men in Black multi-player trivia game
  -- Ask Frank the Pug interactive game
  -- Alien subtitle track
  
  Probably not much there, for most of us, but the old features are still plenty:
  
  -- telestrator commentary with director Barry Sonnefeld and star Tommy Lee Jones (the telestrator lets them draw on the screen, as it were, like John Madden, but don't expect much extra excitement)
  -- technical commentary with Barry Sonnenfeld, alien make-up effects guru Rick Baker, and three folks from Industrial Light & Magic
  -- extended and alternate scenes (five scenes)
  -- "Metamorphosis of Men In Black" (on how the project developed, 23 minutes)
  -- Visual Effects Scene Deconstructions, with optional technical commentary (two scenes analyzed)
  -- Character Animation Studies (animation of three characters analyzed)
  -- Scene Editing Workshop (you get to edit some scenes)
  -- Storyboard Comparisons
  -- Conceptual Art Gallery
  -- Production Photo Gallery
  -- Men in Black music video with Will Smith and Mikey
  -- 2 trailers
  
  Specs: 1.85:1 Widescreen Transfer (1080p), English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, French Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Portuguese Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, Thai Dolby Digital 5.1, subtitles in Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin Simplified), Chinese (Mandarin Traditional), Dutch, English (UK), English (US), French (Parisian), Indonesian / Bahasa, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Latin Am), Thai.
  
  Update (11 June): in a comment to this review (number 19), Kerry says he (or she?) has seen this Blu-ray DVD already and that it wasn't so much better than a regular DVD. This moved me to check several professional reviews to see what others who have already seen it thought. They all said that the Blu-ray is significantly better than even the older Superbit edition, with better detail and depth of color, and also really great true high-def sound. None of the reviews I saw had any significant complaints about the video or audio; all were very positive about it being worth it to upgrade.
  
  
• A very, very funny movie!
  By on 1999-03-30
  When i first saw the trailer for this movie, I thought it was going to be another cool violent alien movie like Independence Day. But this movie is nothing like ID4. This is a comedy, and it is one of the funniest movies ever made! I don't know why, but I always crack up at the part where Edgar (the bad alien) knocks the table with all the bug killer stuff on it over on the street! HAHAHAHA! Tommy Lee Jones is the suave, cool, know-it-all, fast talking, well-experienced special agent "K." It is his new job to train rookie MIB agent "J" (played by the hilarious and very talented Will Smith). It is the MIBs job to "protect the earth from the scum of the universe, and this time, they have to save the entire galaxy from a big bad bug named Edgar (played very creepily by Vincent D'Onofrio). Also starring in this sci-fi, special effects extravaganza are Linda Fiorentino (who plays the sexy and seductive Dr. Laurel Weaver), Rip Torn (who plays the head of the MIB, Zed) and Tony Shalhoub (who has one of the funniest moments in the move after he gets his head blown to bits by K followed by one of the most amazing use of special effects I have ever seen: his head morphs back into place!). A must-see if you're looking for action, comedy, and just plain fun!
  
  
• Be careful of the DVD, it may not be compatible w. players
  By A2C1NV7BIU1D3V on 2000-09-10
  I love this movie and already own the VHS edition so was excited to see it coming out on DVD. I own a JVC DVD player and was very disappointed that it did not play this DVD.

  I made a trip to my local electronics retailer and we tried it in several DVD players. Sony (of course!) players worked as well as Panasonic and Samsung (go figure!). Yamaha, JVC and Toshiba did not.

  This is not an unusual occurance, so caveat emptor everyone, try before you buy, something made difficult by Amazon's return policy.
  
  

• A sublime, entertaining movie in a great package.
  By A1XX5797TIZT5Q on 2002-05-28
  Men in Black was one of my favourite Hollywood blockbusters of the '90s. One of only a handful successful comic-book translations in history, the film retained the irreverence and zany creativity of the best comics while adding the visual grandeur, attention to detail, and narrative focus of the best features.

  Rewatching this movie now, it's lost none of its charm. The meticulous Bo Welch production design is superb, director Barry Sonnenfeld's sense of pacing and comic timing impeccable, the Danny Elfman score absolutely perfect for its subject, and the cast is uniformly excellent. Nobody else could have played the role of Agent Jay with such pizazz as Will Smith; Tommy Lee Jones delivers hands-down his best comic performance ever, Linda Fiorentino is delightfully weird as coroner Dr. Laurel Weaver, Rip Torn nearly steals the show as perennially grumpy, inscrutable agency head Zed, and Vincent D'Onofrio is fun to watch as Farmer Edgar/Edgar Bug.

  The bonus materials are also great. The "editing workshop", which allows you to play with alternate footage and put together a new version of one of two scenes, is my personal favourite (although I actually agree with Sonnenfeld's poker-faced quip that, "[The audience] will find out that everything I did was perfect). "The evolution of MiB" gives a hint of the major changes that happen on (to) a big movie as it's being made, and the MIIB (Men in Black 2) teasers definitely suggest that MIIB is a must-see for summer 2002.
  
  

• Nice DVD, lousy film...
  By A1B3HGBE9GAI08 on 2001-09-06
  Perhaps more than any other film of '97, Men in Black insulted my intelligence. I think the film thought it was terribly clever, and that's what really bothered me about it. The plot is a simple A to B progression with no twists whatsoever. Every scene exists simply to set up one lame gag, however, the problem is that the gags (which are simply a goofy CGI shot followed by a Will Smith witticism(tm) or Vincent D'Ornfrio as a redneck Beetlejuice) are just NOT funny... at all... Speilberg produced this movie, which is odd, since the thing it most lacks is what he provides best : a sense of wonder.

  The DVD has some great special features, but what's the point if the film included is nearly unwatchable in its garish loudness?
  
  

• People...lighten up!
  By A37P2ELKFDH4XP on 2000-01-17
  This movie was original, action packed, and a lot of fun! Tommy Lee Jones plays his part as cool as he did in "The Fugitive" and it was nice seeing Linda Fiorentino in a role where she didn't play a sleezy skank. If you want to see a role where Will Smith is out of his character on " Fresh Prince of Bel Air", I suggest " Six Degrees of Separation. The man CAN act, it's just that he is being seriously typecast at the moment.
  
  
• "Whatever You Say Slick...."
  By A1NV8HZTGKIPXQ on 2002-06-30
  Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith. There had to of been a couple of raised eyebrows when people first heard of this big screen pairing. What will these two be like together?. Some might've thought it was a recipe for disaster. On the contrary. Jones and Smith clicked. They just melted together like butter. Sure the effects and make-up and all that was fun and well done, but it's the on screen chemistry of this new duo that makes this film the fun it is. Director Barry Sonnenfeld(The Addams Family movies, Get Shorty, Big Trouble)directs this highly entertaining summer movie that is one heck of a pleasing journey. Will Smith plays a rookie cop who is recruited by the MIB to work opposite Agent K(Jones)to keep track of aliens on earth. Their main adversary here is an alien who has inhabited the body of a farmer, played hysterically by Vincent D'Onofrio. D'Onofrio is quite incredible as the human taken over by the alien. The skin doesn't fit right and he is rapidly decaying. Gross and funny. Rip Torn is on hand as the leader of the MIB group. Linda Fiorentino shows up as well as Dr. Laurel Weaver. Another familiar face here is Tony Shalhoub("Wings", "Thirteen Ghosts", "Big Night")as an alien passing as a human. Smith and Jones know better. The make-up is very good. The effects are satisfying. The movie moves along at a nice rate where there isn't much time for the film to slag, or the audience to wander off. It's brisk and enjoyable. This is a film that could almost of been directed by Tim Burton. Burton's longtime composer, and musical genius, Danny Elfman, composed the movie with the great kind of score we come to expect from him. Again, this movie really lies in the hands of Jones and Smith. They deliver some great comic moments. It just comes across as very natural. It's nice to see the notoriously serious Tommy Lee do something funny. "Men In Black II" looks like it will uphold the tradition of this first film too. I hope it can keep the same kind of fun/cool of this one. That's what this movie and others like it are for. They are not here to be overly analyzed and taken seriously. Look at some of the more harsher reviews and you'll know what I mean. You have to go to a summery like popcorn movie and know that you are seeing a summery popcorn movie. It can be a good, intelligent, well done movie without having some Oscar-worthy plot. You gotta know that going in. Anyways, this is a fun treat for anyone who likes fun entertainment. Who doesn't?.
  
  
• Men In Black re-re-release
  By A29R4FCO6RFX4K on 2002-10-12
  Barry Sonnenfeld's Sci Fi comedy blockbuster starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones is one of the most purely entertaining films of the 90s. The premise, taken from the DC comics is simple, yet an excellent choice considering the talent behind the project and the possibility (now reality) of a new and exciting franchise.
  With the superb comic duo of Smith and Jones (As agents K and J respectively) and an inventive take on Sci Fi cliches, added with well-played wit and charm, it's effortless coolness is just right. Jones' dry persona in the film, combined with Smith's jibes, is one of the best buddy parings since Newman and Redford. The supporting cast including Rip Torn as head honcho "Z" and Linda Florentino are great, and extra kudos for Vincet D'Onfrio as the bug in the "edgar suit".
  Danny Elfman's Batman-esche score adds a nice layer of comic adventure. And extra kudos for FX maestro Rick Baker's award-winning alien creations. All of the seamless combinations of ILM and practical effects are literally out-of-this-world. The audacious concept that aliens are living among us (disguised as humans) provides for some humerous moments, including an alien observer screen that shows that MIB-producer Steven Spielberg and Sylvester Stallone (among others) are extra-terrestrials. Ok, so it's somewhat of a re-tread of GHOSTBUSTERS in some caveats, and it dosn't even pretend to have depth. But hey, the universal question pervades: Who cares? With comedy this good, it's minor flaws can be ignored. Building on it's endless comic potential to a satisfying showdown, MIB will no doubt linger long in anyone's memory, regardless of if you've been nuetralised.

  But for cryin' out loud! Yet another re-re-release of the MEN IN BLACK DVD. However for all the jaded people who, knowledged by the usual re-release pattern so common in many DVDs (MATRIX, LORD OF THE RINGS et all) decided to wait for a better edition of MIB, then here's the best one to get. With enough extras to satisfy fans, this "Deluxe Edition" has it all. A 2 Disc set, the extras include a Commentary by director Barry Sonnenfeld, Rick Baker and the team at ILM, a featurette and trailer from Men In Black 2 a scene editing workshop, Creatures: Concept to Creation, Music video, Storyboard comparisons, Conceptual art gallery, Multi-angle scene deconstructions, Original featurette, Character animation studies, Extended and alternate scenes and trailers (Phew!). The picture and sound quality are top-notch too. Very impressive stuff, and one of the many reasons you junked your VHS collection yonks ago. And altogether, a 5-star DVD. But then, in a couple of months, a DVD 2 Pack of MIB and MIB 2 might pop up...
  
  

• The Best of The Best of The Best
  By A3M2WW0PO34B94 on 2005-04-12
  I had the opportunity to watch the new collector's edition of "MIB' the other night. What a great DVD with a lot of neat extras.
  
  Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) and his partner Dee (Richard Hamilton) are two of the Men In Black, an elite force of men in a secret institution that are charged with "Protecting the Earth From The Scum of The Universe". Dee is unable to stop an alien from attacking, requiring Kay to blow it to bits. Dee wants out of the business. Kay needs to find a new partner. James Darrel Edwards III (Will Smith), a NYPD detective, is the best candidate. Kay sees something in him. Zed (Rip Torn), the director of the division, agrees to let Kay recruit Jay (Smith), despite his misgivings. Almost immediately, the Earth is threatened by an alien force that wants to prevent another galaxy from falling into the hands of Edgar (Vincent D'Onofrio), a hick farmer that has been killed by an alien. The alien, a roach like creature is using Edgar's skin as a disguise. Edgar is searching for the galaxy. The Men In Black must stop him, or the other alien race will destroy the Earth.
  
  "Men In Black" is a quintessential summer film, a film that works in so many ways. Released in July, 1997, the film cemented Will Smith's stardom. Smith is very good. He plays Jay in a somewhat somber way, cracking jokes, but in a more refined manner than we had seen him do to this point. He is actually trying for a character here and he succeeds. Tommy Lee Jones is just perfect as his partner, the aging, wiser mentor of the couple. Jones has many funny moments, allowing his dead pan persona to help define his character.
  
  The film is also aided immeasurably by it's brevity. So many films like this run in excess of two hours because they spend so much time establishing the characters and then telling a story. "MIB" does all of this in 98 minutes, moving along at a brisk pace, keeping us occupied and interested.
  
  Two of my favorite scenes both showcase Tommy Lee Jones. The first is the tunnel sequence. The Ford LTD that Jones drives zooms through the Holland tunnel aws Jones sings along to Elvis Presley. The catch? The car is riding on the roof, Jones is singing along merrily as Smith is frantically trying to get seated. The second is a scene in which Jones interrogates an alien that has disguised himself as a little dog. Jones is shaking the dog, trying to get information out of the alien. Very funny. Smith is also very good, perhaps best in the audition sequence. His character is participating reluctantly in the audition, trying to fill out a test with a pencil that breaks, no where to write. Very funny.
  
  The DVD presents a great print of the film, very clear and crisp, available in widescreen (yeah!) and pan and scan (boo!). It was a joy to watch the film again, so quickly transported into the world that director Barry Sonnenfeld creates along with the writer, Ed Solomon.
  
  The 2 DVD set has a second DVD with a lot of extras, perhaps the most interesting of which is a 'scene editing workshop'. I only had time to try one of the three options. This option presented three different takes of three different parts of the scene. You can preview each take, select one and then move on to the next segment. After you have selected one scene for each bit, you can play them back as you have edited them. Then you can compare them to the film.
  
  The second neatest feature is the 'special effects deconstruction'. Two segments are presented and you are allowed to view five different aspects of it, switching back and forth as you watch it. The first aspect is the original storyboards, then a blue screen strip, followed by a composite and so on. This allows the viewer to watch, in an abbreviated fashion, the process of creating these sequences. A lot of fun and a lot of information.
  
  There are also a lot of production photos, including a large segment of photos taken at ILM as some sequences were created.
  
  There are also the requisite trailers, talent files and commentaries.
  
  Interestingly, there is a teaser trailer for "MIBII", which doesn't reveal anything at all for the simple fact that they can't. The film has been delayed due to budget constraints and other problems.
  
  A great DVD. Check it out.
  
  
  
• Can you find something really large to gag me with?
  By AEF8X4ECM4Q3S on 1999-12-19
  Two men in black suits investigate supernatural sightings by normal citizens and erase their memories if they know too much. Stupid, immature, and crude comedy with dark touches and SPACE JAM humor that isn't worth finishing initial viewing. But I did, foolishly. Nothing more than an excuse for Smith to show off and swear excessively without getting a PARENTAL ADVISORY slapped on him. Worth less than a star.
  
  
• Buy the Cheaper version - "Deluxe DVD" is a Deluxe DUD!
  By on 2000-09-21
  First of all, the movie is just "OK". Smith is pretty good in his role (he should have looked for another role like this instead of trying to be James West in a horrible version of a classic TV show!), and Jones is wonderful (as he has been in almost every role that I've seen him in). The problem is that discs are in cheap packaging, and the supplemental material is really dismal (especially when you see what can be done on DVD's like the recently released T2: Ultimate Edition). After going through the "extras" on disc 2, all I could do was wonder what I had just wasted my time on! There was nothing of interest on disc 2 other than wonderful menu graphics (Too bad they didn't pay as much attention to the content as they did the menu! The graphics are really terrific). Save your money, pick up the movie-only disc.
  
  
• Smart and Fun.
  By A10KKJMBY5L7TK on 2001-01-21
  Aliens are alive on Earth! Disguised as normal people, they live normal lives, for the most part. Like any group of people, um, intelligent creatures, most are good but - there are some bad ones out there. M.I.B. tells the story of Earth's unofficial "alien police" who keep the "bad" aliens in line.

  In particular, M.I.B. tells the story of a new potential agent (Wil Smith) on his first case. An assassin alien has come to Earth to kill the prince of an alien empire and steal a rare jewel. Lead by a veteran agent played by Tommy Lee Jones, both agents try to save the prince and capture the assassin.

  During the chase, we are treated to the birth of an alien octupus, exposed to amazing technologies, and given "credible" explanation to some of the enduring mysteries of our time. This movie delivers on both the action and comedy fronts. It is funny on many levels, very enjoyable. Usually I like to compare this movie to another because we all have different senses of humor, but it is hard to do here. M.I.B. may not be unique, but I don't know of any films quite like it. Recommended.
  
  

• There back in Black!
  By A1JWTU1H6ALS27 on 2002-05-11
  This is a excellent DVD loaded with extras including the music video by Will Smith, storyboards, extra footage, and a sneek peek at Men in Black II! Grat movie, Great DVD.
  
  
• pathetic
  By A3H24XRXQBQY3O on 2004-05-02
  This was a pathetic movie. It had absolutely no substance, wit, or comedy. The comedy attempts in this movie were worse than 007. This is basically the "plot"-
  Wow we are part of a secret organization to kill bad aliens that are threatening our way of life. In order to do this we must have super cool guns, black suits, and a little stick that flashes to make us lose our memory. A cool car would also be nice. How original!
  This movie comes recommended for the maybe 10 year old girl who would most likely have the following conversation with a friend about the movie:
  "omg luvs that movie was soooo cute! And omg like that Will Smith is like ToO hOt! those lil aliens were cute to. Will Smith is like SoOoOo dreamy! C U l8r alligator! hehe! :)"
  here, we have the 10 year old girl who likes the movie because they think Will Smith is hot and the little aleins are cute.
  The other group I would recommend this movie would be to the maybe 13 year old boy:
  "wow dude those guns were like so cool. The aliens were so hardcore and I liked watching things being blown up with the guns! That was almost as good as the Fast and the Furious! Nice car! The rap music in it was so cool too because rap is awesome!"
  Obviously, the fast and furious crowd who enjoys rap music and watching things being blown up with fake guns would also enjoy this movie. Woah, cool dude!

  If you are not one of these types of people, dont watch the movie. It is extremely cheesy, boring, and bad. I cant believe I watched it.
  
  

• Science Fiction Send Up
  By A2AOZQ3WTNVVOK on 2004-11-30
  Just who are the infamous "Men in Black?" For certain paranoid individuals the "Men in Black" are members of a government agency that appear to cover up incidents involving aliens or possibly the paranormal. Barry Sonnenfeld takes the theory of a super-secret government agency to an effectively satirical extreme, generating a lot of laughs in the process.
  
  This movie opens with Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) and Agent D (Richard Hamilton) interrupting a group of INS agents from their interception of a van load of illegal aliens. For those who have never seen the movie the opening is confusing at first, because Agent K finds a particular individual in the group of illegal aliens and pulls him aside, and then allows the remaining aliens to go free. We soon discover that the illegal "alien" that Agents K and D have pulled aside is more than a little different from your average illegal alien, as the alien suddenly sprouts teeth and appears to be ready to chow down on an INS agent.
  
  Will Smith is New York City cop James Edwards. He encounters an extremely agile alien that he keeps pace with for a lengthy time, impressing Agent K. Agent K asks Edwards to come to a certain location the next day. Edwards's attempts to take a series of tests that make very little sense to him. Indeed, Edwards quickly learns that no one taking the test understands why they are taking it. While it seems to us that Edwards is doing poorly on the tests, he is selected to be one of the "Men in Black," and Agent K's new partner. Edwards is unable to believe that aliens exist, but he is quickly disavowed of that misconception as he meets a number of them in the Men in Black headquarters.
  
  While we are introduced to Edwards and the Men in Black, an alien has landed and taken on the visage of Edgar, played by Vincent D'Onofrio. The alien has come to Earth to obtain a jewel that is being sought by another alien race. If the other alien race does not get the jewel back, they will destroy the Earth. Agent K and Edwards, who has now been renamed Agent J, try to locate Edgar and the jewel and save the Earth.
  
  While my description of this movie makes it sound as though it is a cheesy B science fiction movie, this movie is actually a nicely plotted comedy that manages to make fun of the "Men in Black" conspiracy theory and science fiction movies and their aliens. Things we know can not be possible are shown matter-of-factly and generally always humorously.
  
  Take for example the car Agents K and J use to travel about town. It appears to be a non-descript government car; in other words, boring. However, the government car has a few little features that make is quite different from the typical government vehicle. Agent K asks Agent J to fasten his seatbelt. After a few comments about low-performing government cars, Agent J finds himself on the ceiling of the car while the car travels upside down through a tunnel.
  
  The casting of Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith in their roles was excellent. Tommy Lee Jones has an excellent deadpan delivery that allows Will Smith to twist into continuously humorous one-liners from beginning to end. When Tommy Lee Jones is the butt of Smith's jokes the expression on his face or the serious way in which he responds to Smith provides a number of laughs. Tommy Lee Jones also gets his moments. For example, Jones goes after a gun that the alien has swallowed. Later Jones says, with a straight face, that he really liked that gun, explaining why he asked a huge toothed bug-like alien to eat him.
  
  The science fiction story is a framework for a series of jokes, both verbal and situational, that are the heart of this movie. Because the Men in Black portion of the movie is played straight the humor is wonderfully effective. This government agency is very serious about what it does, but Will Smith sees the humor in their taking everything too seriously. Of course, we see the same humor that Will Smith sees in a bunch of stuff shirt government types taking themselves too seriously, and that makes this movie a comedic winner.
  
  
  
• Flashy Thingy
  By A2BKYPT9BVT1JO on 2005-05-05
  This movie is a classic already. There are so many great scenes it becomes a surreal extraterrestrial trip. Will Smith exploded in the 90s to become one of the leading block buster action Heroes. Thus, I think right now Men In Black is looked over in terms of its art because the formula is par with other Smith movies. The dialogue, however, is exceptional. The dialogue is never overdone, but manages to fit into the quirky originality of the movie(Jeeves in the pawn shop). Many of the most impressive lines and puns were formulated by Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith, as the director notes in the commentary. The opening scene of the smashed dragonfly sets the tone for the dark humor and amusing awkwardness. The music is uncomfortably fun and wierd, so it's just right. I also think audiences like films with an exciting premise, which J finds himself in. Also, talking caffiene addicted beer chugging worm guys can't hurt, right? Tommy Lee Jones' portrayal makes Agent K a hall of famer of film characters. Plus, Ray Park (Darth Maul) is in it. He plays the alien with the freaky eyes, and he actually did his wall flip without assistance! The DVD is exhaustive, with more bells and whistles than agent K's arsenal. MIB is definitely a much stronger film in the theater, but nonetheless cool. Now..."Look here into the light..."
  
  
• 5 star cinema
  By A29SJTG21BVWF4 on 2005-08-06
  A hilarous and campy film that hits the spot on orginality. Will Smith continues his comedic acting as the young hotshot rookie. And Tommy Lee Jones does a great job as the overbearing yet lovable experience "MIB" character. Both actors bring life and vitality to the movie and characters they play. A film that brings a great sense of comedic punch lines and humorous slapstick. A great for the whole family to watch.
  
  
• Hilarious!
  By ABV9ZCDL2T976 on 2000-01-18
  This movie cracked me up! Tommy Lee Jones is great as the straight guy, Will Smith is very funny and Rip Torn is great as the boss. Vince "Edgar" D'Onofrio is incredible as the bug. A movie to see if you just want to kick back and laugh.
  
  
• Don't
  By AYMJOPC1AJI1M on 2000-01-01
  Please, don't waste your money and your time in this video. Will Smith certainly is the worst actor in the world and the film is horrible. Irch!
  
  
• One of the Best
  By on 2000-03-10
  Men in Black is one of the best movies of all time. It has very catchy lines that keep you entertained. Will Smith delivers a great job of acting. Tommy Lee Jones is always great. Linda Florentino is the funniest coroner I've ever seen in a movie. This is definitely my favorite comedy movie and I reccommend it to everyone
  
  
• The film that really surprises
  By A2GHTSBU7IHIBO on 2000-05-02
  There are a number of difficult subjects in cinema, one of them being that of extra-terrestrial life. Like many pet subjects that appeal to a wide range of people, there is a danger of creating something which heads directly for the middle ground and leaves us with no sense of accomplishment: a bit like safe sex, in a way - safe cinema. So when a movie tackles a difficult subject in an original way, we are so much more pleased by the result, for having had so much trash run by us before. That's how I feel about "Men in Black," a film I resisted seeing for months if not years, before finally having to admit that it's a beauty in a class of its own.

  Of course there is a certain amount of mainstream Hollywood madness, but this is beautifully tempered by an interesting scenario and some highly credible acting. The special effects also tend to work because we are willing to accept the film's odd reality. I even found myself accepting, to my amazement, the creature at the end of the film - I had been able to buy what director Barry Sonnenfeld was selling. I won't say the film is that funny - it is not a classic comedy at all. Yet it has underlying currents of humour as well, and frankly, I think that adding up all the pluses gives a very solid (and surprising) score indeed.
  
  

• tight detail
  By on 1999-09-25
  MIB took me by surprise because I didn't know what to expect. Even the previews don't give away the precise plot. After seeing the movie, I don't see how one could truly understand what this movie is all about via the previews.

  The attention to detail in MIB is staggering.

  In one of the opening scenes some aliens are trying to cross the border. You can see headlights shine toward the windshield of the truckload of aliens. Basically you soon find out they are being stopped by Immigration & Naturalization Service officers. One of the INS officers, a real cowboy, tries to scare the driver and promises that he'll need any money he earned driving aliens across the border for his attorney. Just at that moment (really well done-I've played it back several times) you see a headlight flash in the INS officer's face. The INS officer's reaction is awe-struck at whoever is coming into the scene--->It is Tommy Lee Jones & his partner who say they are from Division 6. Tommy Lee Jones says "We'll take it from here."

  At that point you know that the INS officers think these guys are not who they say they are, but Tommy Lee Jones is very authoritative and commanding.

  Tommy Lee Jones lets all the aliens go except one, who Tommy Lee Jones is apparently looking for. Tommy Lee Jones rips off the aliens' clothes and it turns out there is actually a REAL alien hiding under the clothes, holding a synthetic human head on a stick.

  In another scene, Will Smith, who is not aware of alien activity, is chasing a guy down the New York City streets. While running, Will orders the guy to stop running, saying he's from the "NYPD," and that he'll "Knock Your Punkass Down" if the guy doesn't stop running. They end up in the Guggenheim Museum, which I won't spoil however it is very beautifully shot.

  In another scene, a bad alien bug is disguised in human skin and is searching for a galaxy somewhere in NYC. 2 good aliens meet to discuss an upcoming Earth departure, and they meet in a restaurant. One of the aliens tells the other that he ordered Pirogis for him, to which he responds "Aaaaaaah." Well, I thought it was funny.

  No boring moments, even the very very last scene made me laugh.
  
  

• Men In Black was Wack
  By on 1998-03-09
  This movie was so boring. I couldn't believe I flocked to it on the first weeks of it's release. The special effects are good but the story line is so stupid. I recommend this movie to people under 13 years old. If you're older than 13 don't waste your time on this flick. END
  
  
• Man Its Bad
  By A3EBSRQHOS1IER on 2000-09-06
  This movie is god awful. Will Smith should stick to what works for him, action movies with comedy in them (ex: Bad Boys), because he was garbage and so was Mr. Jones. He proved he cant do just regular comedic movies in MIB, and also that Wild Wild West. Buyer beware, this movie isnt even worth a dollar.
  
  
• By golly, this a FUN movie!
  By A204ETWOV23HO4 on 2001-09-05
  I am admitting here that I did not see this movie in the theater, and only recently rented it to watch on a small TV. However, even on a small screen without full-blown multi-track sound, I still loved it! This is a brilliantly executed movie, with clever dialogue, some wonderful story line, and great acting by Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith both. Jones is absolutely perfect at being the completely unflappable straight-laced professional dealing with the most bizarre things - space aliens, shape changers, tentacled aliens giving birth - and makes a great dramatic counterpart to Will Smith's very excellent acting of the freaked-out character seeing all the weirdness for the first time. This is a great, farcical romp with a lot of laugh-out-loud moments, some great special effects, and very clever alien design and situations (such as the scene in which Will Smith is in the background, helping an alien give birth in a car, and being bounced all over and thrown around by the alien's giant tentacle, while Jones is discussing space travel permissions with the male alien in the foreground of the scene). It's also a good film for the family, without sex and very little dirty language. I can see the kids loving this for the cool aliens, the surprise situations, much of the humor, and the over-the-top bad guy scene at the end. I would not hesitate at all to show this film to children.

  The DVD is chock-full of goodies, too, including a very fun "edit your own scene" part. The commentary is quiet good, and the making of Men In Black is also very interesting and informative

  This is a very, very fun movie for an evening of light-but-good entertainment, along the lines of Ghostbusters or Cannonball Run. It's not real high on a literary or artistic scale, though it is not inartistic - it's just not on a par with an Orson Welles film, or Howard's End, etc. It is also not quite a "watch it over-and-over" film that I would need to have on DVD - the novelty of the story, while I enjoyed it immensely, isn't quite riveting enough to watch it frequently, in the way that Ghostbusters is. I would be satisfied simply to have the cheaper video. However, the extras on the DVD make it absolutely worth the price if you are a big fan of this movie, or a fan of overloaded DVDs. I give it four stars for movie quality, and 5 stars for the overloaded features of the DVD.
  
  

• Much more fun than I expected
  By A2RN05UDH183AV on 2002-07-12
  After seeing the previews, I had no desire to see "Men in Black." It just looked silly and didn't make sense. I finally watched it only because my boyfriend had the tape in his collection and I was bored. Boy, did I misjudge this movie! It was ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS!

  Part of my problem with the previews is that I wasn't quite sure what the plot was about so let me start there. The "men in black" are part of a special super-secret immigration agency dealing with extraterrestrials. Unbeknownst to the general population, space aliens have been living amongst us for several decades. As long as they behave, they are welcome. If they misbehave, they may be deported or zapped with some pretty fancy weaponry.

  Will Smith plays an ultra-hip New York police officer who comes to the agency's attention after chasing down a space alien. Tommy Lee Jones plays his very experienced, suave partner. Jones' dead serious interactions with the panoply of odd aliens is outrageous. And although I'm not a Will Smith fan, I have to admit that in MIB he's just just too cool for words!

  MIB is definitely a must for the video library!
  
  

• Independence Day [Blu-ray]
• Batman Begins [Blu-ray]
• Men In Black II [Blu-ray]
• Iron Man (Ultimate Two-Disc Edition + BD Live) [Blu-ray]
• The Mummy [Blu-ray]