Movie: Men in Black
Production Companies: Columbia Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, Parkes/MacDonald Productions
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Producers: Walter F. Parkes, Laurie MacDonald
Scriptwriter: Ed Solomon
Main Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D’Onofrio, Rip Torn
Release Date: August 1st 1997 (UK)
Running Time: 98 minutes
Certificate: 15
Introduction
Despite Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson delivering an almighty slap in the face (see what we did there?) to the Men in Black franchise, that still isn’t enough to tarnish the legacy of the original film: Men in Black. Adapted from the comics of the same name, Men in Black really helped solidify Will Smith’s legacy in Hollywood thanks to his terrific turn as Agent J opposite the evergreen Tommy Lee Jones as Agent K. Also, despite the film coming out in the 90s so much about it still holds up to this day. Now without further ado, let’s get into our review of the film.
Synopsis
Men in Black follows Agent K (Jones) as he recruits and then trains up a new partner (and definitely not a replacement) in the form of former NYPD officer Jay (Smith). Soon after his recruitment, K and J are sent after a giant killer bug which has taken over the body of a**hole farmer Edgar (D’Onofrio). Edgar is planning to steal a galaxy from another powerful race of aliens and sell it off to make millions. This leaves the Men in Black in desperate pursuit of Edgar lest he escape Earth with a galaxy and condemn them to death.
Analysis
Vincent D’Onofrio’s Performance in Men in Black
One of the best parts about Men in Black isn’t just the chemistry between Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith, it’s the performance of Vincent D’Onofrio as Edgar. Simply put the physical performance is remarkable for a 90s comedy film as you can see how much D’Onofrio has put in to make it look like he’s not in control of his own body. Look at any of the scenes after Edgar gets turned into a skin suit as the limp and heavy, almost delayed arm movements which D’Onofrio didn’t get nearly enough credit for.
Also, it helps that the rare comedic moments that Edgar has D’Onofrio also nails. Evidence of this can be seen in the scene after K and J shoot his ship down and they ask him to put his hands on his head. D’Onofrio utterly nails the sarcastic retort as he removes the Edgar skin suit. Overall, this is truly an incredible performance which shows just how good an actor Vincent D’Onofrio is.
The Score and Sound Design in Men in Black
And speaking of underappreciated parts of Men in Black, we’re going to mention Danny Elfman’s score and the general sound design. Firstly, Men in Black probably ranks among Elfman’s best which is really saying something. Whether it’s the iconic sting playing over the opening credits and at the end of the film or the integration of pop music into the soundtrack, Elfman absolutely nails the score. Similarly, Men in Black’s sound design holds up pretty damn well for a 90s sci-fi comedy as seen with the various gun sound effects, like in the finale when J and K shoot down Edgar’s ship.
Further proof of this is seen when J starts squishing the termites in order to draw the bug back down to Earth which sounds so good you’d almost believe Will Smith has a visceral hatred for all bugs. Also, one last note on the soundtrack and the iconic sting, it fits incredibly well and helps convey a sense of mystery and intrigue surrounding yet another government division who supposedly don’t exist.
Summary
To summarise Men in Black, this is a riotous and hilarious 90s sci-fi comedy which still very much stands up to modern standards. This is largely due to its performances, especially from Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Vincent D’Onofrio and Linda Fiorentino, and an excellent, under-appreciated score from Danny Elfman. Dodgy sequel baiting aside (we never did get Fiorentino and Smith paired together properly in MIB 2) Men in Black is still a solid film which deserves all the love it gets.
Overall Rating: 8/10 – Very Good
Target Audience: 15+
Content Warning: Mild Sex and Nudity, Moderate Violence and Gore, Moderate Profanity, Mild Alcohol, Drugs and Smoking, Moderate Frightening and Intense Scenes
Recommendation: Yes
