Men in Black (1997)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Barry Sonnenfeld

Writers (WGA):

Lowell Cunningham (comic)
Ed Solomon (screen story)

Release Date:

2 July 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Protecting the earth from the scum of the universe

Plot:

Two men who keep an eye on aliens in New York City must try to save the world after the aliens threaten to blow it up.

Plot Keywords:

Cult Favorite | Redneck | Alien Baby | Marvel Comics | Secret Agent

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 17 wins & 28 nominations

Cast

Tommy Lee Jones	...	Agent K (Kay)
Will Smith	...	James Edwards / Agent J (Jay) / "Slick"
Linda Fiorentino	...	Dr. Laurel Weaver / Agent L (Elle)
Vincent D'Onofrio	...	Edgar
Rip Torn	...	Chief Zed
Tony Shalhoub	...	Jack Jeebs
Siobhan Fallon	...	Beatrice, Edgar's Wife
Mike Nussbaum	...	Gentle Rosenburg the Arquillian Jeweler
Jon Gries	...	Nick the Van Driver
Sergio Calderón	...	Jose
Carel Struycken	...	Arquillian
Fredric Lehne	...	INS Agent Janus (as Fredric Lane)
Richard Hamilton	...	Agent D (K's first Partner)
Kent Faulcon	...	1st Lt. Jake Jensen
John Alexander	...	Mikey

Also Known As:

MIB (USA) (promotional abbreviation)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language and sci-fi violence.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS (8 channels) | Dolby SR | DTS

Certification:

Denmark:11 | Iceland:12 | Netherlands:AL (1999 video rating) | Australia:PG (re-rating on appeal) (rejected) | UK:PG (cut) | Philippines:PG-13 | South Africa:10V | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Canada:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 | Ireland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:7 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

54 Macdougal Street, Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Amblin Entertainment

Trivia:

Producer Steven Spielberg hired Jurassic Park (1993) and The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) collaborator David Koepp to do an uncredited rewrite.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When the car is going super fast and upside down near the finale, J falls upside down and you can clearly see what appears to be a white leg. However, that leg actually is that of Will Smith (as shown on the DVD version's special features).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Nick the Van Driver: Goddamn bugs!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Disaster! (2005)

Soundtrack:

The Promised Land

An Unlikely Comedy Team Carries This Film

"Men in Black" is a fast-paced action-comedy that over-achieves the whole way. Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith make an amazing comedy team as the title characters who protect the Earth from the scum of the universe. Everything is tongue-in-cheek and the whole film works in a really great way. A great film that benefits from its characters and amazing special effects. 4 out of 5 stars.