I revisited this movie under the idea that it would still maintain it's charm from years ago and I was right. A Sci-fi comedy is something that's become quite rare in Hollywood as of late. I could never understand why and when ever it comes up in conversation (believe me it does sometimes), I always point back to Men In Black and the trilogy it spawned. A year removed from Independence Day, Will Smith (Jay) returns with a hit Sci-Fi comedy with Tommy Lee Jones (Kay) and Linda Florentino (Laurel Weaver) at his side. Jay is an undercover NYPD officer who gets caught in some extraterrestrial conflict, having come in contact with an alien here on earth. Reporting back to the station, we meet Laurel Weaver, a resident medical examiner who claims to believe Jay and the weird story he told the chief. Just as she leaves we meet Kay, who erases her memory with a neuralizer and then takes Jay to the MIB (Men In Black) headquarters. It is here that we find our heroine inducted into the mysterious agency known as the Men In Black and the partnership of Kay and Jay begin. From here, with the help of Dr. Weaver, the duo work to find the location of a hidden galaxy that just might save the earth.
Objectively, the movie is shot quite well for its time. The CGI for the aliens is very realistic and it really immerses you in this alternate Earth. The plot moves quickly but not to quick and there's an ample amount of both smart humor as well as stupid but funny humor. The movie also does a great job switching between comedy and seriousness within it's action sequences as well as the sequences with Edgar (Vincent D'Onofrio) the antagonist. One could also add that any sense of mise en scene was done masterfully here. The lighting was above average throughout the whole film and the general focus on dominant feature shots is not negative in terms of the film's quality whatsoever.
In a subjective sense, as I stated earlier, this movie has kept it's charm in my opinion throughout these last few years. I vividly remember watching this movie in my childhood around the time of Halloween and in all honesty I believe it's a top three film for Will Smith. To be brutally honest, most Sci-Fi comedies are quite unremarkable yet Men In Black has forever remained with me. The other thing Men In Black does well is illustrate how quickly one's life can change in an instant. Jay went from an NYPD officer to intergalactic agent within one night. People's lives change like this all the time and Men In Black is masterful at showing this. Additionally, I was captivated by the aliens within this movie. In an age of CGI the likes of The Mummy Returns CGI, this movie was WAY ahead of it's time. Characters like Edgar and supporting alien Mikey (John Alexander), these creatures were brought alive in a magnificent way. On a side note, can we appreciate Tommy Lee Jones? He played Kay to a T and perfectly represented the by-the-book corporate agent his character was made out to be. Severely underrated actor; and I would recommend him to anyone looking for some hidden gems in the movie scene. Unfortunately, the sequels are plagued by a general dullness and lack of smart humor but I'm happy I can still come back to this movie each year.
Can we take a moment to appreciate Jones's and Smith's on screen chemistry here? Although both characters were naturally written to contrast each other, Smith and Jones were possibly the greatest casting duo for this role. I don't think anyone else could have done as well as these two. Can we petition for Hollywood to make another series with these two spear-heading it? I know I'd sign.
In summary, I would definitely rate this movie as Good-Good. For a movie to reinvent and eventually define it's genre is nothing short of astounding. The humor is timeless and the acting and cinematography exceptional.I would highly recommend this again to anyone looking for a timelessly funny classic and a refreshing breath back into the comedies in general for that matter.
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