Men in Black
Columbia Pictures | Release Date: July 2, 1997 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
72
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 22 Critic Reviews
Positive:
15
Mixed:
7
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
USA TodaySusan Wloszczyna
The snappy sci-fi hoot Men in Black...is a kind of "Independence Day" for smart people. Read full review
90
SlateDavid Edelstein
The smartest, funniest, and best-looking sci-fi comedy since the movies learned to morph. Read full review
88
San Francisco ExaminerBarbara Shulgasser
The script by Ed Solomon is tight, well-paced and lighthearted. If this were a musical, Fred Astaire could have played the Jones role, although somewhat more dashingly. Read full review
88
Chicago TribuneGene Siskel
A smart, funny and hip adventure film in a summer of car wrecks and explosions. [4 July 1997]
88
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick Groen
Sonnenfeld moves things along with alacrity and panache, serving up the exotic visuals quietly, blending in the sprightly humour efficiently, and keeping the mix at a rolling boil. Read full review
80
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
Don't expect any psychological depth here, but the cool wit and fun... are deftly maintained, and Sonnenfeld provides a bountiful supply of both fanciful beasties and ingenious visuals. Read full review
80
Rolling StonePeter Travers
Sonnenfeld deftly orchestrates the intricate two-part harmony, and Smith and Jones -- a powerhouse comic pair -- make it all look easy. Read full review
80
SalonCharles Taylor
Behind its mask of deadpan goofiness, it's a friendly, clever picture, one that doesn't feel untouched by human hands. And at an hour-and-a-half, it doesn't wear out its welcome. Read full review
80
The New York TimesJanet Maslin
Dryly clever. Read full review
75
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith give uproarious comic performances as government agents ordered to keep New York's monsters in Manhattan, where they'll blend right in with the rest of the confusion. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
When the plot finally does click in, it slows down the trajectory a little, but not fatally. Read full review
75
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
The movie that "Mars Attacks!" wanted to be, but wasn't. This is a snappy, clever, often-funny motion picture that provides the perfect blend of science fiction-style action with comic dialogue. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
A genially twisted riff on the familiar alien invaders story, a lively summer entertainment that marries a deadpan sense of humor to the strangest creatures around. Read full review
70
L.A. WeeklyManohla Dargis
A great goof of a film...However daftly amusing, and periodically inspired, Men in Black is distinctly short on character and plot, even for a cartoon. Read full review
70
Washington PostRita Kempley
Sonnenfeld, who demonstrated a knack for Gothic comedy in "The Addams Family," brings the same mischievous gleefulness to this deliriously macabre enterprise. Read full review
60
Washington PostDesson Thomson
The movie, which is based on the Lowell Cunningham comic book series, throws out some wonderful implications, but they’re frustratingly few and far between. Read full review
60
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
Extravagant special effects notwithstanding, this is really a triumph of casting: The aplomb with which Jones plays wry straight man to Smith's street-smart wiseacre is terrifically enjoyable. Read full review
60
The A.V. ClubStephen Thompson
Deserves credit for supplementing its special effects with a breezy script and genuinely charismatic performances by Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Read full review
60
VarietyTodd McCarthy
A witty and sometimes surreal sci-fi comedy, Men in Black is a wild knuckleball of a movie that keeps dancing in and out of the strike zone. Read full review
58
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
The aliens aren't particularly scary or funny, and so the joke of watching Smith and Jones crack wise in their faces wears thin. Read full review
50
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
Like the inky void of space, there's really not much here, but what there is, is certainly entertaining. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
Summer fluff that admits to being summer fluff, but it's no better off for admitting it...Intended as lightweight comedy, but if you think about it too much, it's not so funny. Read full review
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