Review of Men in Black (1934) by Marc B — 06 Jan 2013

Based on the comics written by Lowell Cunningham, Men in Black was adapted into a film seven years after the first comicâ(TM)s release, being directed by Barry Sonnenfield, of Addams Family and Get Shorty fame, and produced by Steven Spielberg.

Tommy Lee Jones is Agent K, a seemingly empty man who works for the Men in Black, an agency attached to no government who⦠err, well; they stop aliens, who disguise themselves as humans living in New York City, taking over the planet.

Will Smith, who gives an amusing performance, portrays James Darrell Edwards III, an NYPD police officer who, whilst fighting crime littered amongst the streets of New York, comes across an alien. Agent K, however, intervenes and, realising the potential in the officer, invites him to join the Men in Black; and, of course, he accepts.

With a plot that, to me, feels rather naked and a very annoying antagonist known as Edgar the Bug, who just sort of groans and walks strangely, I felt that Men in Black was a bit of a let-down. Because whilst Will Smith gives a humorous performance that hugely differs from the much more serious Independence Day and there are numerous laughs throughout the film, the film lacks an enthralling story-line that an alien blockbuster, much like Smithâ(TM)s Independence Day, needs.

Whether it is the old standard visual effects, which at the time was top-notch, the simple fact that the storyline was ultimately rubbish, or the fact that it Iâ(TM)m not sci-fi alien film fanboy, but for me it just didnâ(TM)t click!