Blu-ray Review: Men in Black

Part of: The Wild Blu Yonder

We all know a lot of people. Even in the small group of people you do hold close (family, relatives, close friends) there’s always some suspicion that someone in the group was not an original occupant of this planet. Leave it to Hollywood to prove these theories correct with Men In Black.

Will Smith is funny, and that's not even remotely debatable. He does a great job here oozing charisma and charm, totally convincing in a role almost tailor-made for him. This is a Tommy Lee Jones movie though. His monotone performance and expressionless face remain the same throughout the movie and it never gets old. This movie wouldn't be anywhere near as entertaining were it not for him.

Surprisingly, the aliens are not really the focus of the movie. They get a lot of screen time, but the pacing makes sure not to throw everything at the viewer early. It’s an hour into the film until there’s any significant action, flawlessly easing the viewer into the Men in Black mythology. The viewers play a secondary part to Will Smith's unconvinced character, following the same path his Agent J does.

When the otherworldly creatures are on screen, they come to life via a variety of techniques from men in suits, CGI, to animatronics. There isn't a botched effects shot in the film and the designs are wildly original. The blending of practical suits along with animatronics and CG is wonderful, imaginative, and whimsical. This is hardly a film short on originality. It’s been 11 years, and the film doesn’t look dated in the least.

Once you add all of that to a great soundtrack by Danny Elfman, you know this one was huge success, one of the highest grossing movies for Columbia in their history. This is simply a fast, funny, and hugely entertaining sci-fi comedy in the same vein as Ghostbusters. You can't go wrong here.

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Article Author: Matt Paprocki

Matt Paprocki is a 12-year movie and game critic. He currently freelances for Blu-ray review site DoBlu.com and video game site MultiPlayerGames.com.

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