Do you want to see ‘Men in Black’?

Men in Black (1997)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 7.5/10
Reviews Counted: 69
Fresh: 63 | Rotten: 6

Thanks to a smart script, spectacular set pieces, and charismatic performances from its leads, Men in Black is an entirely satisfying summer blockbuster hit.

Average Rating: 7.3/10
Critic Reviews: 19
Fresh: 16 | Rotten: 3

Thanks to a smart script, spectacular set pieces, and charismatic performances from its leads, Men in Black is an entirely satisfying summer blockbuster hit.

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Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 957,686

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Movie Info

For his fifth effort as a feature-film director, one-time cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld brought his cartoonish visual style and darkly humorous sensibilities to this adaptation of, appropriately enough, a tongue-in-cheek sci-fi comic book. Will Smith stars as James Darrel Edwards, a New York City cop with an athletic physique and a flippant, anti-authoritarian attitude toward law enforcement. After chasing down a mysterious perpetrator one night who turns out to be an alien, James is

PG-13, 1 hr. 38 min.

Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy

Directed By: Barry Sonnenfeld

Written By: Ed Solomon

In Theaters: Jul 2, 1997 Wide

On DVD: Oct 23, 1997

Columbia TriStar International

Men in Black Trailer & Photos

Cast

Tommy Lee Jones
K
Will Smith
J
Linda Fiorentino
Laurel
Vincent D'Onofrio
Edgar
Rip Torn
Zed
Tony Shalhoub
Jeebs
Becky Ann Baker
Mrs. Redgick
Patrick Breen
Mr. Redgick
Sergio Calder�n
Jose
Keith Campbell
Prep
Willie C. Carpenter
Police Inspector
Debbie Lee Carrington
Alien Father
David Cross
Morgue Attendant
Michael Goldfinger
NYPD Sergeant
Richard Hamilton
D
Carl Johnson
Boris Leskin
Cook
Peter Linari
Tow Truck Driver
Harsh Nayyar
News Vendor
Mike Nussbaum
Gentle Rosenberg
Ken Thorley
Orkin Man
Sean Whalen
Passport Officer
Carel Struycken
Arquillian
Tim Blaney
Andy Prosky
INS Agent
Michael Willis
Cop In Morgue
Siobhan Fallon
Beatrice
Charles C. Stevenson Jr.
MIB Agent Bee
Jon Gries
Van Driver
John Alexander
Mikey
Verne Troyer
Alien Son
Steve Rankin
INS Agent
Mark Setrakian
Brad Abrell
Thom Fountain
Alpheus Merchant
Security Guard
Kent Faulcon
1st Lt. Jake Jensen
Richard Arthur
2nd First Contact Alien
Bernard Gilkey
Baseball Player
Norma Jean Groh
Mrs. Edelson
Michael Kaliski
First Contact Alien
Fredric Lane
INS Agent Janus
Drew Massey
Sean Plummer
First Contact Alien
Mykal Wayne Williams
Scared Guy

Critic Reviews for Men in Black

All Critics (70) | Top Critics (19) | Fresh (74) | Rotten (6) | DVD (48)

Every time the film makes you chuckle, you may also feel it's zapped you with a neuralizer.

July 6, 2010 Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly

| Comments (6)

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Top Critic

A wild knuckleball of a movie that keeps dancing in and out of the strike zone.

July 7, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Todd McCarthy

Variety

Top Critic

The smartest, funniest, and best-looking sci-fi comedy since the movies learned to morph.

June 5, 2007 Full Review Source: Slate

| Comments (6)

David Edelstein

Slate

Top Critic

It's just the best yuk of the week.

April 17, 2007 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Desson Thomson

Washington Post

Top Critic

As ragged as the humor is, there still are more hits than misses.

November 6, 2002 Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune

| Comment

Jeff Strickler

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Top Critic

At times, it may succeed at manipulating you, but you won't like it.

June 18, 2002 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle

| Comments (6)

Mick LaSalle

San Francisco Chronicle

Top Critic

Sony doesn't do much to spruce up their original, excellent transfer of Barry Sonnenfeld's big, fun monster movie, but the product remains a worthy one.

May 14, 2012 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine

| Comment

Chris Cabin

Slant Magazine

"Men in Black" still holds up after 15 years. It's as fun, funky, and edgy now as it was in 1997, and HD breathes even more life into it.

April 26, 2012 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis

| Comment

James Plath

Movie Metropolis

Lots of fun, but too scary for some kids.

January 2, 2011 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

| Comment

Randy White

Common Sense Media

What is it about the black suit/black tie/white shirt get-up in movies?

September 1, 2009 Full Review Source: City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul

| Comment

Rob Nelson

City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul Source: City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul

What [it] lacks in depth, it makes up for with an infectious childlike enthusiasm for its zany premise.

October 18, 2008 Full Review Source: Bullz-Eye.com

| Comment

Jason Zingale

Bullz-Eye.com

Ultimately, this film isn't quite as screamingly funny as its coming attractions trailer suggested, but it is an amiable enough piece of entertainment.

September 16, 2008 Full Review Source: ESplatter

| Comment

Steve Biodrowski

ESplatter

Combines the talents of Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and director Barry Sonnenfeld to hilarious, endearing effect.

July 23, 2008 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Film4

Director Barry Sonnenfeld brings a sense of whimsy to the comic script, balancing farce with big-budget action and somehow making it all work.

June 16, 2008 Full Review Source: MSN.com

| Comment

Sean Axmaker

MSN.com

The fun is in the believing, and Sonnenfeld makes it easy to do that.

June 11, 2008 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis

| Comment

James Plath

Movie Metropolis

Just a collection of sketches in which Jones and Smith run into farcical E.T.s.

March 11, 2008 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com

| Comment

Rob Gonsalves

eFilmCritic.com

Cool hot-weather fun -- this will be the one to beat right through the dog days of summer.

April 17, 2007 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

Maitland McDonagh

TV Guide's Movie Guide

Will Smith, the only spark of life in Independence Day, now is allowed to shine in brighter, smarter material.

May 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid

| Comment

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

It's so much fun, in fact, that it's almost over before you realise that you've been watching a great idea for a movie in desperate search of a plot.

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Derek Adams

Time Out

A solid, entertaining, intelligent, and funny entry into the annals of this summer's moviegoing selection.

April 9, 2005 Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews

| Comment

Robin Clifford

Reeling Reviews

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Men in Black

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Men in Black, a film that's very original, tries to be cool and quirky, and suceeds. It's what I would easily call the better version of Independence Day. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are highly likable in their lead roles, and as a screen couple perform with complete chemistry and energetic slickness. The jokes

November 2, 2011

Directors Cat

Super Reviewer

"Men in Black" is a modern sci-fi comedy classic. While the movie isn't perfect, the chemistry between Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones is. "Black" is about a secret organization that deals with aliens here on earth. When one of their main agents retires, Jones then recruits Smith to join the force, and they have to

May 12, 2012

Everett Johnson

Super Reviewer

Men in Black Quotes

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1. J: You do know elvis is dead? Right?
2. K: No, Elvis is not dead. He just went home.
– Submitted by Austin B (32 days ago)
1. D: Do you know how many treaties you just violated?
2. Mikey: One?
3. K: One!
4. D: Try seven.
5. Mikey: Seven!
– Submitted by bob j (43 days ago)
1. K: Fifteen hundred years ago, everybody knew that the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew that the Earth was flat. And fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow.
– Submitted by Jonathan R (4 months ago)
1. Edgar: Hey! This is my truck!
2. Tow Truck Driver: Yeah. And make sure you tell them that down at the impound.
3. Edgar: Agh! [reaches for his double barrel shotgun and cocks it]
4. Tow Truck Driver: [whips out his revolver from his shirt] Please........
– Submitted by Nick S (4 months ago)
1. J: [talking to the recently neutralized Beatrice] Why don't you go shopping, get some new clothes, pretty yourself up a bit.... Oh! And, get a decorator in her quick, cause... D*MN.
– Submitted by T R (4 months ago)

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