Subject: Review: Men in Black (1997)

From: [email-masked] (Luke Buckmaster)
Date: 4 Mar 1998 17:33:25 GMT

REVIEW: Men in Black (1997)
by Luke Buckmaster

Veteran actor Tommy Lee Jones and rising film star Will Smith are now the 
coolest guys on the planet.  The best, last and only line of defense against 
the worst scum of the universe.  They work in secret and they dress in black.

They see things that we need not see, they be places that we need not be, so go 
what you like look at the Roswell crap, show up with the black suit because 
that's the men in, that the men in, that's the Men in Black (Movie Zone 
recommends purchasing the MIB soundtrack from your local music retailer).  

Ok, so the films got catchy music and special effects, an appealing plot and 
some fine Hollywood actors, so what else does it need to be a success?  Well 
nothing really, since the film has earned nearly 240 million dollars in the USA 
alone and is number 14 on the American all time highest grossing list.  But 
what could have been a really great movie was only a reasonably good movie.  
Confused?  Read on.

Working for a highly funded yet unofficial government agency is K (Tommy Lee 
Jones) and newly recruited J (Will Smith), who investigate and patrol 
extraterrestrial life on earth.  In no time they discover some wandering aliens 
(disguised as humans), and an intergalactic terrorist on a mission to 
assassinate the High Prince of Baltia (a high figure in the universe).  When 
the prince is killed and his most treasured possession falls into the wrong 
hands, one group of aliens take personal offense and threaten to destroy Earth 
if his "jewel" is not recovered.  So K and J find themselves find themselves 
racing against time to find the alien terrorist and recover his precious 
commodity in one intergalactic week (one hour).  Still dressed in black and 
ready for action, the coolest partners this side of the universe have the fate 
of Earth in their hands.

If there's one thing MIB does extremely well, it's the fun factor.  The various 
scenes that make up the film are clever, funny and go straight to the point so 
the audience is never losing interest or becoming bored.  Will Smith is a great 
credit to the movie, and supplies many hilarious one lines that fans will 
appreciate.  Perhaps the most dazzling part of MIB are its unmistakable special 
effects which launch creativity and imagination, and from small worm guys and a 
gruesome huge insect the aliens look like nothing ever done before.  It is 
however, a little too short - one hour and ten minutes really doesn't satisfy 
those waiting months to see it (MIB was probably the most hyped movie since 
Independence Day, which mysteriously also starred Will Smith).  Although the 
entire movie is of a high quality and is presented in a comic style way, MIB 
misses out on being the best of its kind, and what could have been something 
truly special just missed the mark.

3 STARS

Lots of laughs and an appealing plot

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