RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Men In Black
Men In Black

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Men In Black (1997)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
91 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:65

Fresh:59

Rotten:6

Average Rating:7.5/10

Consensus: MIB has plenty of spectacle, but its clever script and charismatic leads are what carry the film. Its mixture of comedy and cool makes for a whole lot of fun.

Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Synopsis: In the 1950s a super-secret government agency was formed to monitor and police the activities of extraterrestrial aliens on the planet Earth. Some 40 years later a founding father of the agency,... In the 1950s a super-secret government agency was formed to monitor and police the activities of extraterrestrial aliens on the planet Earth. Some 40 years later a founding father of the agency, Agent Kay (Tommy Lee Jones), finds himself with a new smart-mouthed partner fresh from the NYPD who is soon dubbed Agent Jay (Will Smith). Their first mission is to save the Earth from destruction by a giant insectlike alien (Vincent D'Onfrio) that, incidentally, drives an exterminator's truck. Armed with their matching Ray-Bans, skinny ties, and space-age weapons that Jay barely understands--he calls the Neuralyzer the "flashy thing"--the new duo begin another average day of fighting intergalactic terrorists. An amazingly hip and terribly clever movie that riffs on everything from E.T.--THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL to CASABLANCA, this Barry Sonnenfeld film is based on the equally savvy comic book by Lowell Cunningham. [More]

Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio

Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio, Rip Torn, Tony Shalhoub, Siobhan Fallon, Mike Nussbaum, Sergio Calderon, Carel Struycken, Michael Willis, Richard Hamilton, David Cross, Kent Faulcon, Bernard Gilkey, Jonathan Gries, Fredric Lane, Sean Whalen, John Alexander

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Screenwriter: Ed Solomon
Story: Lowell Cunningham
Composer: Danny Elfman
Producer: Laurie MacDonald, Walter F. Parkes, Steven Spielberg

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Jun 17, 2008

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Men In Black

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

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

Full Review Source: City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul | comment Comment
09/01/09
Rob Nelson
Rob Nelson
City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Newsweek | comment Comment
10/18/08
David Ansen
David Ansen
Newsweek
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Seattle Times | comment Comment
10/18/08
Moira MacDonald
Moira MacDonald
Seattle Times

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

Full Review Source: ESplatter | comment Comment
09/16/08
Steve Biodrowski
Steve Biodrowski
ESplatter

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

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
07/23/08
Channel 4 Film

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

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
07/07/08
Todd McCarthy
Todd McCarthy
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
03/11/08
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

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

Full Review Source: Slate | comment 5 Comments
06/05/07
David Edelstein
David Edelstein
Slate

It’s just the best yuk of the week.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
04/17/07
Desson Thomson
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
04/17/07
Maitland McDonagh
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.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
05/26/06
Jeffrey M. Anderson
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.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Derek Adams
Derek Adams
Time Out

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

Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | comment Comment
04/09/05
Robin Clifford
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews

A fun movie.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
01/27/04
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

The plot is paper-thin, characters are one-dimensional and even the protagonists' one-liners are forgettable.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
09/04/03
Dragan Antulov
Dragan Antulov
rec.arts.movies.reviews

Fortunately, the cast's one-dimensional performances and deadpan delivery of funny dialogue actually enhance the humor.

Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
05/20/03
Susan Tavernetti
Susan Tavernetti
Palo Alto Weekly

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

Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
11/06/02
Jeff Strickler
Jeff Strickler
Minneapolis Star Tribune

Though the story is pure cartoon, the movie is exceptionally smart and exceptionally well-paced.

Full Review Source: Cincinnati Enquirer | comment Comment
10/15/02
Margaret A. McGurk
Margaret A. McGurk
Cincinnati Enquirer

This movie is a lot of fun, except that it has a little too much slime.

Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | comment Comment
08/07/02
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

Good old alien fun

Full Review Source: sbs.is | comment Comment
08/02/02
Stefan Birgir Stefansson
Stefan Birgir Stefansson
sbs.is
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 >> >|
all

Latest News for Men In Black

December 09, 2009: Josh Brolin Rumored for Men in Black 3 Opens in new window
Could Josh Brolin really be contemplating joining the cast of "Men in Black 3"? More...

October 30, 2009: Columbia Wants More Men in Black Opens in new window
Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones haven't signed yet, but Columbia is moving forward with another "Men in Black," hiring Etan Cohen ("Tropic Thunder") to write a script. More...

April 03, 2009: Weekly Ketchup: Sony announces Men in Black III
Right smack in the middle of this week was April Fool's Day, so some stories this week had to be always be viewed with a grain of salt, but there was indeed real movie news. ... More...

April 01, 2009: Sony Announces Men in Black 3 at ShoWest Opens in new window
Not to be outdone by Disney and Warner Bros.' action-packed ShoWest presentations, Sony used its showing to announce the impending arrival of a third "Men in Black." More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
77% 77% The Hangover
88% 88% Inglourious Basterds
66% 66% Public Enemies
24% 24% G-Force
44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
82% 82% Paranormal Activity
58% 58% 9
44% 44% Jennifer's Body
58% 58% A Perfect Getaway

More New Releases…

See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

RT Editors' Picks

RT Editors' Picks

Which films of '09 were staff faves?

Awards Tour

Awards Tour

Stay up on the latest awards and noms!

Sex and The City 2

Sex and The City 2

Friendship, fashion, and fun in one trailer!

RT on DVD & Blu-Ray

RT on DVD & Blu-Ray

9 and Paranormal Activity!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • New Moon Tops Moviefone's 2009 List Source: Hollywood Reporter
5
  • Star Trek Tops 2009's Most-Pirated Movies List Source: Hollywood Reporter
17
  • Weekly Ketchup: Peter Jackson's Secret Sci-Fi Project
108
  • New Toy Story 3 Clip, Photos Posted Source: Slashfilm
26
  • Danny Trejo Talks Machete, Possible Sequels Source: Collider.com
14
  • It's Official: Jackass 3-D Coming in 2010 Source: Collider.com
16
  • Bryan Singer Returning to X-Men for First Class Source: Superhero Hype
102
  • Mark Strong Talks Kick-Ass, John Carter, and Robin Hood Source: Collider.com
1
  • How Avatar Happened: The Path to Innovation Source: CinemaBlend.com
19
  • Rob Marshall Says Pirates 4 Is Still a Maybe Source: ComingSoon.net
32
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Avatar, Sherlock, and Alvin Team Up To Break Records
255
  • RT's Best of the Decade!
173
  • Total Recall: Jude Law's Best Movies
60
  • RT Editors Choose Their Favorite Films of 2009!
56
  • Weekly Ketchup: Peter Jackson's Secret Sci-Fi Project
36
  • Critics Consensus: Sherlock Holmes Is Worth Investigating
33
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: 9 and Paranormal Activity
18
  • Friday Harvest: Sherlock Holmes, Toy Story 3, and more!
10
  • What We're Watching on Blu-ray from 20th Century Fox!
0
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Five Favorite Films With Peter Jackson
72
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
21
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
24
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
16
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
24
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Men In Black at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Men In Black at IGN

Fresh Links

Featured
Best Dozen of the Decade
Best Dozen of the Decade External Link

Last week, MSN gave us their top 09 films. Now see what their favorites of the decade are!

Top 50 of 2009
Top 50 of 2009 External Link

Here's a list of the 50 best movies of 2009, according to the good people over at Moviefone.

Santa's Naughty List
Santa's Naughty List External Link

Hollywood.com takes a stab at determining who in movies will be on Santa's naughty list in 2009.

Top 10 Movies of 2009
Top 10 Movies of 2009 External Link

TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.

Top 20 of the Decade
Top 20 of the Decade External Link

Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo
About Us | Advertise | Contact Us | Press | Careers
IGN | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | Direct2Drive | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Game Sites | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | GIGA.DE | What They Play | Battlefield Heroes
By continuing past this page, and by your continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. | Support | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! RSS Feeds
IGN’s enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA.
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.