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    • BLU-RAY REVIEW

    Men In Black

    Featured In Issue 133, July/August 2008

    Picture3
    SoundNR
    WSR Score4
    Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
    (Studio/Distributor):
    Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
    (Catalog Number):
    25231
    (MPAA Rating):
    PG-13
    (Rating Reason):
    Rated PG-13 for language and sci-fi violence.
    (Retail Price):
    $28.95
    (Disc Type):
    Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
    (Widescreen Edition):
    Yes
    (Full Screen Edition):
    No
    (Running Time In Minutes):
    98
    (Color Type):
    Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access):
    Yes
    (Closed Captioned):
    Yes
    (Regional Coding):
    A, B & C
    (Theatrical Year):
    1997
    (Theatrical Release):
    Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release):
    Yes
    (Disc Release Date):
    06/17/08
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):
    No
    (Director):
    Barry Sonnenfeld
    (Screenplay/Written By):
    (Story):
    (Music):
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer):
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor):
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers):
    (Co-Producers):
    (Producers):
    (Academy Awards):
    (Principal Photography):
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
    (Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
    (Disc Soundtrack):
    Dolby TrueHD 5.1
    (Theatrical Sound):
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (DTS Bit Rate):
    (Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
    (Additional Languages):
    (French Language):
    (Spanish Language):
    (Chinese Language):
    (Subtitles):
    (Cantonese Language):
    (Mandarin Language):
    (Japanese Language):
    (Italian Language):
    (German Language):
    (Portuguese Language):

    Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith star as Agents K and J in the playfully hip and hilarious science fiction comedy Men In Black. Veteran MiB agent K (Jones), discovers a talented New York cop (Smith) whom he recruits to join the ranks of the elite organization that keeps control of the aliens populating our planet and ensures that those civilians who discover the secret have their memories wiped out. As partners, their first case is to stop an intergalactic terrorist "bug" on a mission to assassinate two ambassadors from opposing galaxies currently residing on Earth. Austin Powers celebrity Verne Troyer appears as "Alien Son."(Stacey Pendry)

    Special features include an enhanced telestrater feature commentary track by Director Barry Sonnenfeld, an interactive BD-Live multi-player game Intergalactic Pursuit, an Ask Frank The Pug interactive game, five extended or alternate scenes, the 23-minute featurette Metamorphosis Of Men In Black, and a seven-minute Original Featurette. Two scenes are featured in Visual Effects Scene Deconstruction With Commentary, and there are Character Animation Studies of three of the films characters. Creatures Concept To Completion follows the development of five of the film's aliens, and there are three different photo galleries, Storyboard Comparisons of three scenes, an interactive Scene Editing Workshop featuring three scenes from the film, the four-minute music video "Men In Black," an "Alien" subtitle track, original trailers and teasers from the film, and additional previews.

    The 1.85:1, H.264 AVC-encoded Blu-ray Disc® shows solid detail, although fine textures are not resolved as well as in better high-definition releases. Black levels are consistently elevated, although not distractingly so, and shadow detail is adequately well resolved. Fleshtones are too pink, though, and contrast is slightly too low. Colors are somewhat desaturated, and edge enhancement, unfortunately, is noticeable. (Danny Richelieu)

    The lossless Dolby® TrueHD 5.1-channel soundtrack features a nicely mixed surround field, but there are times when the audio collapses to the front stage. Fidelity is generally good, but effects can sound unnaturally dated. Deep bass is penetrating with good definition, and music is mixed well across the front stage. Dialogue occasionally sounds bright, though, and the high level of underlying noise becomes a distraction at times. Clipping distortion can also be heard from time to time throughout. (Danny Richelieu)

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