@@joshuamalone8437 lol I know right? There is such a disconnect and misconception between what the military is and regular citizens. You always get comments like ones above.
This really is an awesome scene. Sure it comes off as funny, but there is a hidden line to this very test. 1. They are seated in chairs that are extremely cramped giving you little room to find a way to take the test. Little elbow room and everything else. 2. The test was printed on very thin paper, hence why some punctured the paper easily. 3. Of all the people in this room, only Jay noticed the table and used it. Sure, no-one else used it, but Zed never said you couldn't. I believe the test was to see who is willing to look stupid and go against the norm in order to accomplish their task. Everyone else tried to be as professional as possible, and that is why they failed. You must also wonder why would they have an observation room in there if not to observe you taking the test to see how you would take it. After all, if they cared only about the scores, you wouldn't need an observation room.
That must be some strong tape if it breaks the pencil trying to rip the tape and considering the paper itself is pretty fragile evident from the Air Force dude poking a hole through it and it kept limping.
sgtdanny69148 depends on the force he put into it, I’ve personally broken pencils opening letters with envelopes thin enough my finger could of also worked
@@shh11111 It's just the waysome older tests were. You used your pencil to break the seal, but sometimes the seal would get stuck and break your pencil is you forced it.
That indicates that their conformism and lack of imagination ruled them out. Z did not seem entirely sure about Will Smith's character either but he did not think any of the others more qualified.
The test was to see who has any freakin' common sense. The table was just one aspect of that. Edwards is also the only person who even bothered to question what the devil is going on.
plus, he showed up (im guessing the same way the others did. And when the (guy) left saying "ok, lets get going" they all assumed the test... without any instructions.. meaning not a person who would follow rules..?
When I watched it at the age of 9, i kept on wondering why they’d hire him since he was causing a whole “mess” in the process. When I watch it again in high school, I realize that the whole test wasn’t about acing the test, it’s about realistic adaptation to the situation. To me this is the best example of book-smart vs. street-smart.
So true, when your dealing with aliens in New York gotta have those street smarts . Sometimes it's just about finding the right fit, not necessarily the best warrior.
oh shit ! you did jrotc in high school wow ! you must be hard core kid. but hey what do i know im just a U.S.Marine BTW i meant his attitude was that of most Marines Attitudes that all.
Highschool was 8 years ago for me buddy. I have since put 6 of those years into the Army. All I'm saying is that "boot as fuck" gung ho culture was an experience I shared with the OP. I Helped conduct Air Assault School at West Point too, so these West Point kids are people I have first hand experience with. Really sharp kids. Not a whole lot of street smarts though. Sure, maybe the Marine Corps have a bunch of boot fucks in it. However, Initial Entry (Boot Camp, Schools etc), ROTC, and the Academies all have a high number of dudes like this before they grow out of it. I promise you that "90%" of the Corps aren't aren't boot fucks anymore lol. They may used to be. But now adays, it's more salty old fucks and Terminal Lance Corporals.
I have a few West Point graduates in my family, (all uncles who I was honestly never to close to so I’m no expert) and from what I heard this is very accurate, part of West Point training, at least back then, was to memorize a hand book full of actually pointless information. One story I was told was that they’d tell you how many light bulbs where in each building and expect you to be able to rattle it off at any point, so this is exactly how I’d imagine a West Point grad responding in this situation. In his head he was just told something from his instructor and he better be able to prove he was paying full attention.
I always loved the part where zed dismorfed his face for the art of the film. Rip Torn actually improvised that part himself, what a talented individual
I always wanted to get into acting. Back in the 70s when I was a kid I would always go on and on about how much acting meant to me. Until one dark day, my dad - sick of my bullshit - pulled up this very clip on his phone, and said "son, unless you can act like Rip can, quit". And so I quit, never thought about acting again. Because if I can't achieve that level of talent, I'm really just insulting the craft.
Men in Black was released in 1997. It was a year before Google even EXISTED. While indeed, the filmmakers could have done a bit more research, be careful not to assume that our current universal access to information is ubiquitous throughout all of history.
I have a feeling the only person really being tested is the NYPD Detective. The Military guys were there just there to, basically, be part of the test itself. Also, let's be honest here, of all the people in the military, which of them would believe the HARDEST that they really were the best the US Military could do? Bunch o' Wet Behind the ears rookies, that's who.
Haha, yeah that could be realistic. A unit receives an order to "send someone to interview for some random-ass government assignment." Commander is like, "ha, send that new West Pointer. He's annoying as fuck anyway. I ain't got time for this shit." I can believe that.
That 6 figure job interview. Came in a 3 day old unwashed suit and forgot your underwear. Boss: “ where do you see yourself in 3 years?” Me: “ Doing your.... son?” Boss:” Good Gravy son your hired!!!!!
The point of this scene is that the real test is common sense, not the test on the paper. They may all be smart, but none of them had common sense to use the table.
It's not a question of intelligence it's about obedience, if you're just going to blindly follow authority and orders some jobs are just not for you, the job required critical and out of the box thinking, being the best at following particular orders isn't going to cut it in that area.
Nope. The test was for 'motor skills, concentration and stamina' - as said to them before the start of the test. Will Smith's character demonstrated all that during the test - irrespective of what he wrote on the test paper.
It was all of the above. The MIB are COPS, not soldiers. They're looking for people that think, that try to figure things out, that question and/or curiosity. A good Detective knows to "pull at the threads" and generally just be, as His Emminence Sir Samuel Vimes, Commander City Watch once said, a "suspicious bastard." I think 'motor skills, concentration and stamina' refers to the whole series of tests altogether, including the Shooting test and the "Eye Exam."
There was some emperor's new clothes syndrome happening here as well. Like Will said that guy had no clue why they were there yet he stood up and responded about best of the best as though that totally makes sense. Best in terms of what? He doesn't know, but like many some people like to act like they know whats going on for fear of admitting they dont and potentially look bad.
That chair and table bit is actually suprisingly great. Actual visual comedy without uttering a word. And on top of that it conveys a message about the main character. Amazing how comedies can devolve over time to be reduced to shitty stand up set.
This is one of the funniest, if not THE funniest, scenes of the movie. Back in the day when I saw it as a kid, instead of "with honors" I thought he said "with almonds". LOL XD
The scene was about a psychological evaluation. How the characters can handle a stressful and strange situation they were not familiar with or comfortable with. So the paper was thin, the pencils were made of weak wood, there was nothing solid to put the test on to write on it with.
I think every detail of this was a test that J aced. First he's skeptical because he doesn't know what's going on and refuses to accept a vague answer like "we're looking for the best of the best of the best." Then his test has the stubborn binding, he tries to use a tool to break it. (I like to think K put an unusually hard binding on J's test specifically to test him, the other guys have no problem with their tests.) When the tool breaks, he tries to fix it but then decides to make due with what he has. An effective solution. And THEN he gets the table, which shows that he's willing to take initiative and go about his duty in the most effective way, even at the cost of looking like a fool and even without "permission."
I think you're reading too much into it.... J is actually an idiot that broke his pencil trying to open the booklet.... no more no less... Just listen to yourself.... "when the tool breaks, he tries to fix it" LMAO yea.... by holding the two halves of the pencil together bwahahaha. Anyway please get your head out of his ass before you lose the ability to breathe...
@@IamN0V0 it shows persistence. I bet if he'd just given up and not finished the test or asked for a new one he would have failed. Also what's it to you if I want to read too far into this? Directors put incredible amounts of effort into tiny details in their films, it shouldn't hurt your feelings so much if I want to talk about what the director might have been doing.
Heh heh my feelings aren't hurt it just made me chuckle a bit... It just shows how linear your opinions of others are and how if you have a good opinion of someone then regardless of what idiot thing they do "like holding two halves of a pencil together and trying to write with it" you will in your own mind try to justify said "idiot action" by ascribing a positive trait to it like "perseverance". You can like a person but when they fart don't try to tell me it smells like roses...
@@macwoods8011 btw i just wanna tell you this new movie suck, i can't bealive the script is so trash but if you are a person for CGI then good luck (Godzilla is better)
I love this scene soooo much. Dude was tap dancing and being wild extra with 0 clue as to what was really going on. And was still offered to share the table
Guitar Gangster Armi i want to be like everybody else so i can hide in plain sight to avoid bad impression my place is really bad i could be mistaken for something else
@@swanningabout, ..and you have a keen grasp of the obvious. I was young, and I distinctly remember how incredibly loud this instance of the movie in question was. I then ,in couse, iterated this. You then, of your own fucked up accord, proceeded to give me shit about this simple, innocent, and prescient observation. yer point?
In the beginning, J also makes a good impression by simply showing that he is aware that no one even knows what this is all about. He is likely the only one bringing this up. You can see Zed appreciate his thinking here, as he quickly glances at the people in the observation room in what seems like an approving look.
The other part of the test was teamwork even towards potential rivals. . the chairs were egg shaped and spaced close enough with the other seat that if they all agreed to angle the chair so the person to the left can use the back of the chair as a table. While the last guy uses the table as his desk.. In this way everyone wins. And it also shows trust and discipline due to them being reputable adults whom has no need to cheat off each other.
I first watched this when I was seven and I always thought Will Smith was the cluess one at first but as I got older he was the only one that pretty much hit the nail on the head.
Later on in the shooting test, his perceptive ability to not just shoot everything that looks like a monster but instead the thing that was most out of place (little girl with quantum physics books) once again shows his lateral thinking abilities. The rest immediately opened fire instead of assessing the situation. Zed's final statement that the other military men were everything they thought years of training would make them become was not a compliment but critique on how they were too robotic
1 of the best films ever made, amazing. Superb. Enjoyed it yesterday using boxxy software and said to myself GOD bless that guys who created boxxy because I use it for free X:DD
Everything in the test was about what they would do on a daily basis. 1.Not going in fully aware of whats going on. 2.Being put in a unconformable ordeal and dealing with It. 3.Dealing with a real problem and not being baited into shooting every none-human they see. It is not a matter of leadership. It is being fit for the job. You need someone who is not trigger happy, who can make the call when something is not as they seem not "Aim gun and shoot."
There actually a lot of ways to look at this scene lol. For one, the guy that is shown to be a problem solver through critical thinking always gets the job or on the other hand, no matter your qualifications, the guy with an inside connection always gest the job. Then again they may all have had inside connections
Anyone realize the pen and paper test was a test of problem solving and adaptability? He pulled the table towards him to be able to write properly. That says loads about Will's psych makeup.
They looked down on him and then he got picked because he chased down an fast alien on foot, improvised with the table and shot a little girl because she might be an alien in disguise with those quantum physics books
@@ugurkaraarslan25 a fast alien | an extremely fast alien The masculine and feminine part of the language rears its ugly head once in a while within the English language. Farther time and mother nature. (E.g. An ugly alien | an extremely ugly alien A slow alien | an extremely slow alien A pretty alien | an extremely pretty alien)
"We're here because you're looking for the best of the best of the BEST, SIR!" And none of them thinks of using the table to fill their forms out on, except Will Smith. Yeah...
