Plot: What’s it about?
After his partner steps down due to age, special agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) is forced to find a new one, though his line of work is most unusual. His main interest lies in a police officer named Darrell Edwards (Will Smith), but a group of elite military and police agents are brought in as competition for the position. Once Edwards has passed all the tests and earned a chance to join K’s side, he is told the truth about the organization. If he so chooses, he will be agent J in the Men in Black, a top secret force that polices alien beings and handles all interplanetary issues, conflicts, and all other matters. Soon enough, J is the newest suit on the team and no sooner than he joins, then he finds himself and K involved in a plot to demolish Earth. Unless the two agents can work together and track down a most important piece of equipment, the world will be destroyed and mankind will be but a distant memory. Can an old school agent like K and the new kid on the block J find a way to combine forces, or will the world end as a result?
A smash success at the box office, Men in Black was supposed to be one of the first Columbia films loosed on DVD, but as we all know, that wasn’t the case. After an extensive wait however, Columbia delivered the goods and issued three versions of the film, separate Dolby Digital & DTS versions and a two disc Limited Edition. When the sequel Men in Black II was primed to hit theaters, Columbia went back and slapped on a couple MIB2 extras, then reissued the Limited Edition in a new package, dubbed as the Deluxe Edition. The movie itself is no masterpiece, but it is a well made popcorn flick and earned its place as an audience favorite. The story is solid enough and offers plenty of chances for action & humor, which keeps things balanced and moving at a brisk pace, even during exposition scenes. Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith turn in terrific efforts as the leads, but a gifted supporting cast lends a hand, as do the various visual effects, creature work, and other special effects tricks. If you already own Men in Black, this new Deluxe Edition is a hard sell, but it is cheaper than the Limited Edition, so if you’re in the market for the double disc edition, then by all means, this Deluxe Edition is recommended.
I am by no means a fan of his music or acting on the whole, but I have to admit, Will Smith was a wise choice for his role here. His outlandish antics and lack of refined skills never hold him back, as the role seems written with his flaws in mind. So instead of working around them, Smith is able to amp them up a few more degrees and the result is a bad performance in most scenarios, but a good one for Men in Black. I still don’t often care for his efforts in other films, as his brash, amateur style is usually out of place, but his name generates mainstream audience interest, so I’m sure we’ll see him for some time to come. Other films with Smith include Independence Day, Enemy of the State, Bad Boys, Ali, Wild Wild West, and The Legend of Bagger Vance. The cast also includes Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive, Natural Born Killers), Linda Fiorentino (The Last Seduction, Jade), and Vincent D’Onofrio (Full Metal Jacket, The Cell).
Video: How does it look?
Men in Black is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, with a full frame edition also included within this release. As with the previous DVD versions of this movie, the visual effort is top notch and has minimal flaws, though I would have liked to have had the full frame option dropped, in favor of a DTS soundtrack. The print is clean and has only minor defects, while the overall image sharpness is high and this means a crisp, bold looking presentation. The colors are vivid and sometimes bound right off the screen, while flesh tones remain natural, save a few scenes that look a little too soft. I saw no errors with the contrast, which looks accurate and refined at all times, impressive work indeed. This is the same visual transfer from the prior releases and since it looked good then, it looks good now.
Audio: How does it sound?
The same Dolby Digital 5.1 track is back also, though Columbia chose not to include the DTS option, which was a bad decision, without question. Even so, this is a well crafted and fun audio treatment in all respects. The movie has plenty of outrageous audio potential and this mix takes full advantage of them all, from the offbeat sound effects to the music by Danny Elfman to the more action oriented sequences. The surrounds are alive and active throughout, with power to burn and more atmosphere than you could shake a stick at, even the subwoofer is unable to rest for long in this track. A powerful, but natural sounding audio treatment, this is one impressive track, but I still wish the DTS option were also included here. This disc also includes 2.0 surround options in English and French, as well as subtitles in English, French, Spanish, Cantonese, and Mandarin, should you need those at some point.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Aside from a trailer and fluff featurette on Men in Black II, the extras here are the same as found on the Limited Edition. That is no reason for concern however, as that means a wealth of supplements can be perused and enjoyed. The commentary with director Barry Sonnenfeld and star Tommy Lee Jones is excellent, complete with visual enhancements, which add to the impact of the comments, of course. A second track is with Sonnenfeld, special effects artist Rick Baker, and members of the technical crew, which also pans out well and shouldn’t be missed. A series of promotional, but worthwhile featurettes look at the general behind the scenes, special effects creation, and other aspects of how Men in Black was brought to the screen. A cool scene editing workshop is also found here, which allows you to tinker with a few scenes, while you can also browse a selection of extended & alternate sequences. This release also includes some storyboard comparisons, a multi-angle effects demonstration, some concept artwork, talent files, character animation studies, Will Smith’s famous Men in Black music video, production photos, and the film’s theatrical & teaser trailers.
