Men in Black...Yes, a Spy Film!

Although typically viewed as a comedy, Men in Black, starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, also plays the double role of a spy movie. Yes, the main characters are after aliens disguised as humans that are invading our planet; however, they do portray the universally recognized secret agent men. With clean-cut black suits and ties, nifty over sized gadgets, and a car tinkered for destruction, the agents identify with the spy genre and also are working for a super-secret government agency. Could this feed into the spy genre anymore? Also, the film illustrates what the audience typically expects from the spy genre: exaggerated combat, queer enemies, and plots to destroy mankind. I have attached a movie clip of the trailer from the original Men in Black (1997), that presents the gadgets and enemies that are loved by all. I also have a link to a review of the movie, from an unknown source, that describes more of our witty spy characters and the film's plot. The movie also informs us of what America was wanting from the spy genres in the late '90s.