If you have ever seen a methadone line at 7am, been in central booking intake, seen the inside of a homeless shelter, or are a fan of reality tv shows, it is likely that you believe in extraterrestrial life. Some of those people cannot be earthlings. (apologies for those families dealing with the scourge of heroin addiction – mine is one of them) As news stories continue about our trustworthy federal government covering up the existence of visitors from outer space, I figured Men In Black would be a good review for this edition of Weekend Buff.
Men In Black was a big success when it hit theaters in July 1997 (that feels like yesterday). The movie grossed almost $6 million and broke box office records. The film depicts a secret government agency, called MIB, that investigates and monitors alien activity on earth.
The agency is impressed by NYPD detective James Darrell Edwards, who chased down an alien who was known to be particularly hard to catch. Detective Edwards is recruited by the agency, forgoes his lucrative tier 2 pension, and agrees to sign up. He thought he had the best seat to the circus as an NYPD cop, but he finds himself on another level of incredulity that makes the streets of NYC seem tame.
Detective Edwards is designated Agent J, and is teamed up with Agent K, an unflappable agent with plenty of time on the job. Agent K has seen it all, and nothing seems to get his adrenaline going at this point. Most cops arrive at that feeling at some point.
Together they are assigned to track down a particularly nasty alien, known as a “Bug”, who has recently arrived on Earth. The Bug is bent on stealing a powerful energy source so it can destroy an alien civilization. Agent J and K must find the energy source and stop the Bug.
The film is set in 1997, New York City, and that is part of its charm. Major NYC sites such as the Guggenheim Museum and Flushing Meadows Park are the scene of several battles with alien life.
The MIB Agency is a microcosm of police forces around the nation. Inadequate training, too much paperwork, and byzantine procedures hamper the efforts of the agents, but they succeed in spite of all of it. Nothing about police work could be more accurate.
Agent K is played by Tommy Lee Jones. Director Stephen Spielburg was hoping for Clint Eastwood to take the role, but fortunately, he declined. Jones is fantastic as the deadpan Agent K. Will Smith, at the height of his fame, takes the role as the charismatic and energetic Agent J. Both are born for their roles and make the film a success.
The relationship between Agent J and Agent K mirrors that of partners in any police department. Two wildly different personalities working together to solve problems. The two aren’t always on the same page but grow to appreciate what their other half brings to the job. Smith and Jones (they probably could have kept those names for their characters) develop an on-screen chemistry that makes the film a comedic and dramatic hit.
They are supported by the sultry Linda Fiorentino as a medical examiner Dr. Laurel Weaver, who has discovered alien life forms in her morgue. Rip Torn is fantastic as MIB head Chief Zed. He takes the entire circus in stride, confident that his agents will get the job done. Vincent D’Onofrio is the dangerous alien “Bug”, bent on destroying life as we know it. That’s ironic as the ultra-liberal TDS sufferer D’Onofrio may have the same goal in real life. Tony Shaloub, SNL alum Siobhan Fallon Hogan, and World War 2 vet Mike Nussbaum round out the supporting cast.
Men In Black runs a little more than the typical hour and half. The film is full of comedic one liners, fantastic special effects that still hold up, and solid character development for the CGI aliens. It’s a rare special effects-rich film that stands the test of time and technologic advancement.
I couldn’t find it for free anywhere, but it is available for rent for the usual $4 on most streaming services. Enjoy this decades-old summer blockbuster in a time when wo ke Hollywood seems to have forgotten how to make them. And don’t forget to neurolyze yourself after the final credits roll. You don’t want the government to disappear you!
Thanks for reading The Ops Desk. Stay Safe!
Good choice
Two thumbs up!!