Men in Black (1997)
Action, Adventure, Comedy, Science Fiction
The Kernel take
A 72 Metascore on a $90M budget that's already grossed $589.4M worldwide represents the kind of critic-audience disconnect that summer blockbusters trade on—commercially unstoppable even when critical enthusiasm stays measured.
Director track record: Barry Sonnenfeld
Men in Black (72) sits well above Barry Sonnenfeld's own 46.8-point average across 9 scored films—a notable outlier in a directorial career that has struggled with critics—though it trails Get Shorty (81) as his best-reviewed work.
Lead track record: Tommy Lee Jones
The film lands above Tommy Lee Jones's own 62-point average across 23 scored films—a career-high moment for his work in comedic science fiction—though it falls short of No Country for Old Men (92) as his most critically acclaimed role.
Box office
Budget $90M · Box office $589.4M