2
(nothing direct)
6
(strong language, innuendo, mild violence, gross jokes)
6
(definitely see this at least once)
When people talk about adventure comedies from the 80’s they usually include "Ghostbusters," for the 90’s it’s "Men In Black." It’s not the funniest comedy, it’s not the most amazing sci-fi, but it’s the best fusion of the two from that time.
MIB is not a government agency as the trailers say, but a super-secret organization that polices alien activity on Earth. The visitors here mostly do not cause trouble, Earth is considered a refuge for many species, but there’s something here that the bug race wants, something over which the Arquillans would rather destroy the planet than let the bugs find. Earth is caught in the crossfire unless the MIB can stop the bug. Armed with alien technology that sometimes causes as much trouble as it solves, agent K goes on a bug hunt with rookie agent J.
The plot is simple but solid. The focus, though, is on comedy and odd creatures. This means that make-up and special effects play a major role in making the movie look good, and that’s exactly what they do. While some improvements could be made with current technological advances, the creatures, ships, and other effects look smooth and realistic – a testament to the talent of Rick Baker.
The comedy involves a lot of slapstick, exploding alien parts, and some innuendo. K's cynical deadpan against J's rookie ignorant but youthful enthusiasm provides for good comic moments a lot of which involve J being put into a high-pitched-scream situation. A few pop-culture reference pop up like the insinuation that Elvis was an alien who didn't die but simply went home.
The actors truly own their roles and make the characters believable to the extent a couple of alien chasing super-agents can be. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones make a great team. Rip Torn is perfect, and while some people complain about Vincent D’Onofrio, I think he’s outstanding as the quirky, funny-but-dangerous bug-in-an-Edgar-suit. He really brings to life the frustration of the bug forced to hide uncomfortably in a human form and dealing with a race he sees as inferior. From his inability to get his body into certain positions no matter how hard he tries to his mindset of seeing humans as low on the evolutionary scale, there are a lot of little characterization nuances that Vincent adds to the role. Linda Fiorintino does a decent job as the coroner, but there are a couple of scenes I don’t think she sells satisfactorily.
Danny Elfman brings us another catchy movie theme. I'd even go so far as to say this is one of my favorites of his from that time, and I listed to a lot of his music. Will Smith brings us a fun, energetic rap song that fits well with the feel of the movie.
Morality
There is a fair amount of strong language in this most of which I find unnecessary. It doesn't push the envelope too much, but at times it feels like the language is there just to validate the movie as more “adult” than for kids.
There are a couple of mild sexual jokes. The most notable is when Linda is trying to hint to Will that the bug is in the room with them but with Will taking her gestures and comments as sexual while hinting right back that he wants into her skirt.
There is no nudity with the most revealing thing being a flash of Linda's undies during a struggle. If you want to remain modest always wear pants when being abducted by giant bug aliens.
The violence is mild and mostly against aliens. Yeah, they get shot in the head, but you'll see the head grow back. I don’t think there is any actual blood though there is a somewhat gruesome shot of a guy that has been broken in half by the bug and and guy getting a bug sprayer jammed down his windpipe. Then there's the insinuation that the bug has skinned Edgar and is now parading around in the decomposing facade. There are some other gross scenes depending on how sensitive you are, but they’re slime gross, not gory.
Spirituality
This is a science-based story that resists getting into any sort of philosophy. While there are mentions of the evolutionary scale I personally find that such a diverse and complex universe (and even galaxies within galaxies) make me think of its design rather than the cosmic fluke that produced all that we see.
If there's a moral negative it's that the humans are continuously lied to by the MIB agents who aren't shy about manipulating minds to hide their secret. Even though this is done with the protection of man in mind and is put forth as a comic and plot device, the Christian should value truth over a lie even under the best of intentions.
Final Thoughts
This is an entertaining sci-fi comedy if you're in the mood for such a thing. It messes with the mind ever so slightly without requiring a lot of mental or emotional investment to enjoy.
Buying Guide
There are numerous buying options for the first "Men In Black." I'll try to help you figure out which one is best though it may take a while.
There are several editions of the DVD. The original single disc came in Widescreen or Pan-&-Scan and has far fewer extra features than the others. The Superbit offers superior picture quality (for its time, anyway) but few if any extras at all. The Limited Edition, and the newer Deluxe Edition appear to be very much alike except for some packaging differences and additional MIB2 promos on the latter version. The Collector's Edition is also similar but may have fewer extras.
There is a Blu-ray, a Blu + DVD pack, and a newer edition with 4K encoding.
Then there are the packages with the other "Men In Black" movies. To my surprise I don't see a set of all 3 movies on DVD (this will probably get released eventually) although the first 2 are offered together in several packages. There is, however, a Blu set offering the trilogy which is also offered as a “gift set” with a Worm figurine.
I'll get into a few more researched details of the various editions, but if you want just the nitty-gritty on the limited edition skip on down to the next section.
Blu-ray:
I'll start with the Blu. Video is 1.85 widescreen at 1080p. Audio is 5.1 Dolby HD. Nearly every review I saw rated the audio and video quality extremely high. Extras appear to be very similar to what I got on my DVD perhaps with a few additions and include the commentary with the Telestrator option, the technical commentary, alternate scenes, metamorphosis, effects deconstructions, character animation, storyboard comparisons, art galleries, scene editing workshop, Will Smith's music video, various trailers, a trivia game, and something called “Frank the Pug.” It may or may not include an Ultraviolet copy (some listings mention having that while others don't).
A 4K Blu is the latest, greatest thing on the market. The picture is supposed to be even better than standard Blus. Otherwise the specs appear to be the same as the standard Blu. Unfortunately I have not been able to find out if this offers any extras. It may be like the old Superbit DVD's sacrificing any bonus materials for enhanced picture.
The Blu trilogy package appears to include the standard Blu release of each movie which means you should be getting all the bonus materials.
The “gift set” (I hate that designation for its marketing gimmickery, but that's what it's called) offers all 3 movies plus a Worm figurine. Listings are surprisingly uninformative considering the asking price of the package, but it appears to be the Blu trilogy package with the added figurine.
Other DVD's:
I almost dread going through all the DVD's; there are so many. -deep breath- Here goes... The older single disc version is available in widescreen or pan-&-scan. There are no extras listed. Assuming the DVD transfers are all the same you can read about the quality of my release (next section) and apply my comments to this version.
The Deluxe Edition DVD offers both video aspect ratios with 5.1 surround sound. The extras appear to include the same commentaries listed below, alternate scenes, Will's music video, storyboard comparisons, documentary, production notes, scene editing workshop, art gallery, trailer, sneak peek at the sequel, and some DVD-ROM web links (almost exactly the same stuff as the Limited Edition with the addition of the sneak peak).
The Collector's Series DVD offers widescreen and 5.1 surround sound with character animation studies, storyboard comparisons, image galleries, Will's video, talent files, and the DVD-ROM links. There are actually 2 versions of this release with one having Dolby sound and the other having DTS audio encoding. It may not have the full compliment of extras, but the list I saw may not have been complete so I can't say for sure.
The Superbit collection was the way people got a higher quality presentation before HD. It offers a superior image to the standard DVD's but offers no extras.
The two double-features with the sequel probably include the Deluxe Edition of the release.
Final Recommendation:
My biggest complaint about the extras is that I would liked to have seen Danny Elfman and the score get some attention. Other than that these are some unusual and creative offerings. But which edition should you get? Obviously if you don't care about extras you might be able to grab one of the early bare-bones DVD's for super cheap.
The Limited Edition is actually surprisingly cheap these days (I guess it didn't end up being all that limited after all), but it's really only going to give you the exclusive box and the concept art poster beyond what you can get with some of the newer releases. Other than that the Deluxe Edition is your best bet on DVD. The Collector's Edition may be a suitable alternative, I just can't veryify that it includes as much for your money as the Deluxe.
Of course, Blu is the way to go if you have that capability: the HD presentation plus the most complete set of extras out there is certainly the best option. I'd check out the 4K edition if I could verify it has the extras, otherwise I'd go for the regular Blu. If you're after the whole trilogy on Blu you might want to check out that figurine set.
I'll be telling you about the Limited Edition DVD. It's very similar to the Deluxe Edition as far as content (but not packaging). This was the edition offering the most extras when the movie first came out on DVD. It looks like most if not all of this has carried forward to the Blus as well as the Deluxe DVD.
Video
1.85 widescreen and 1.33 pan-&-scan:
When you start the movie you'll be given a choice of ratios. The image looks quite good with only the limitations of DVD holding it back and maybe just a little smudging here and there.
Audio
5.1 Dolby, 2.0:
The sound is stronger even than some Blus with great clarity and range and good surround sound immersion.
Packaging
One thing that sets the Limited Edition apart from the others is the packaging. The case is a hinged cardboard box with plastic trays. It looks quite nice with its solid black coloring and silvery logo. You will have to use a little more care with it than plastic cases as the cardboard tears easily at the corners. My big complaint, though, is with the info card on the back. The box would look much nicer without it, but the glue used on it tore the paper cover on mine leaving a white circle on the otherwise uniform black. Highly annoying If you care about keeping the condition of your boxes looking good.
There are a number of inserts that just lie in the box. They fall and scatter easily if you’re not careful since nothing holds them in place. Some of them are just promo cards - Check out MIB online! – and stuff like that. One is worthy of note, though. It is a book made up to look like an MIB training manual that has production notes, images, and other info.
The interface is great featuring well-done animation, sound effects, voices, and music. You actually get to explore the MIB headquarters a little with the menu screens taking up different sections or rooms. The break room with the Worms is especially funny.
Extras
-Commentaries:
-Director, Tommy Lee Jones: It's interesting to hear in itself, but it also has some unusual options. The main one is the visual option. Barry and Tommy are silhouetted much like Mystery Science Theater so you get to see their gestures, but wait, there’s more! Barry has a device that lets him draw on the screen so you get graphics as well. The downside is that the program is real picky about DVD player setup. You may have a hard time getting it to play exactly right. It also offers an index of topics.
-Director, makeup effects artist, visual effects supervisor, animation supervisor, computer graphics supervisor: This is a technical commentary that’s full of great stuff for all the tech-heads out there. It also has an index of topics.
-Music Video:
-Men In Black - Will Smith (4:19) This music video is included with the VHS release so it’s no surprise that it’s included here. It’s a good song if you like rap music and a well done video. The editing is tight and the graphics almost as good as the movie.
-Extended & Alternate Scenes: Some require close attention to pick out any differences from what's in the movie.
-Outside Leschko's Diner (1:01) The aftermath of Edgar.
-Jay's MIB Audition (0:59) Some extra moments with the shooting range.
-Mrs. Edelson (0:37) Some extra moments with the alien teacher.
-Chinese Restaurant (0:36) A different take with K.
-Bouncing Ball without SFX (1:07) It’s exactly the same as the movie scene but without the CG effects of the ball causing the damage.
-Visual Effects Scene Deconstructions: These look at scenes from 5 different angles: storyboard, finished product, and the stages in-between. It’s a great look at the process at seeing something go from being a lame machine to a life-like organism. There’s also an intro to the section and an optional commentary. Each one loops automatically selecting the next angle option for viewing.
-Tunnel Scene (1:31) Learn about the car.
-Edgar Bug Fight Scene (4:00) Creating the bug and Tommy working with nothing.
-Original Featurette (6:38) This one is just a TV promo. It’s got a few good spots, but overall it’s not great.
-Metamorphosis Of MIB (23:12) While some of the info is repeated from the commentaries, there is a lot of original material including pieces of the original plot. It's quite good.
-Character Animation Studies: See the aliens as they look in various stages of creation from a guy holding a stick to the fully animated creature. There is an intro for the set to help you get started.
-Mikey (0:08) It would be better longer to let the visuals sink in.
-Jeebs (0:12) Regrowing a head.
-Worm Guys (0:11) It's fun to watch them develop.
-Creatures Concept To Completion: These creature galleries feature images that morph to show the stages of creation. They are manual slideshows with animated morphs between the images.
-Edgar Bug
-Jeebs
-Mikey
-Mr. Gentle
-Farmer Edgar.
-Conceptual Art Gallery: This is a more typical slideshow (manual again) look at the concepts including some of the same images in the morphing gallery.
-Jeebs
-Misc. Aliens
-Gadgets & Weapons
-Production Designs
-Farmer Edgar
-Edgar Bug
-Baby Alien
-Mr. Gentle
-Mikey
-Storyboard Comparisons: Split-screen comparisons with the final product.
-Edgar Becomes a Bug (1:27)
-Saucer Crashes in Queens (1:51)
-Birthing the Baby Alien (2:02)
-Storyboard Gallery: These are the drawings with written directions, nothing flashy but it's interesting.
-Jeebs
-Tunnel
-Mikey Chase
-Edgar Bug Fight
-Final Sequence
-Production Photo Galleries: Manual slideshows.
-Visual Effects Team ILM: Extensive looks at some of the miniatures.
-On the Set with Talent: Behind-the-scenes shots some with descriptive captions.
-Makeup & Puppet Team Cinovation: A close up look at some of the aliens.
-Scene Editing Workshop: One of the most unusual features is the scene editing workshop. 3 scenes from the movie have been included for editing. Each has 3 shots with 3 takes. For each scene you preview the segments, choose the one you like best, go to the next segment, repeat the process, and, when you’ve finished, play back your original edit. You can then compare it to the scene in the movie to see if you and Barry agree on what the scene should look like. It’s a lot of fun and more releases should do something like this. There is also a humorous intro by Barry.
-The Farmhouse
-The Morgue
-Jay's Tryout for the MIB
-Talent Files: A few trivia facts and partial filmographies for 11 cast & crew.
-The MIB Recommend: Trailers
-MIB Teaser (1:44) The best-kept secret in the universe.
-MIB Theatrical Trailer (2:31) Our mission.
-Previews: There are also 5 previews in the same menu with the trailers including a short teaser for MIB2.
DVD-ROM:
-Web Links: The standard web links available on both discs.
-Alien Profiles: Disc 2 includes 8 alien profiles from the viewpoint of an MIB agent. It’s fun if you really want to immerse yourself in the MIB universe.
-Weapons Profiles: Along that same vein are 6 weapons profiles,
-MIB Non-Lethal Devices Profiles: 7 non-lethal device profiles (you need shockwave for this one).
-MIB Recruitment Game: It isn’t all that great. The graphics and gameplay lack. It’s mostly just point the mouse and shoot.
-3D MIB HQ: Lastly we have a 3D MIB HQ tour, the most disappointing part of the DVD-ROM. Disappointing because it sounds really good but isn’t worth the time. You have control of a camera and can pan and zoom anywhere in the room. It’s a cool concept, but the graphics, necessary for such a feature, are horrible.
Physical:
-Farmer Edgar Conceptual Drawing: This is a small poster signed by Barry Sonnenfeld and Rick Baker. I don't believe you can get this anywhere else making it the only real reason to consider getting this edition over any of the more recent ones.