This film, although it is full of movie clichés ufology, is only dealing with the theme "MIBs" with the seriousness it is due. Skeptics to be excused, but those who study ufology know there many reports in the world about the presence of these mysterious beings in lives of those who had contact with aliens. The film makes a useful counterpoint MIB series of movies (Men in Black I, II and III success box office in theaters) where they are treated as the "good guys" of history. Coincidence or not the film that treats them as villains had little or no visibility, even having been released in the same year first MIB Will Smith.

The Shadow Men is an absurd and nonsensical take on the men in black (MIB) phenomenon. The move itself is of moderate/low budget.. standard for a straight to video B movie. The plot seems to be standard enough yet, like diamonds in the rough, there are these priceless sequences that make no sense and can cause great episodes of hilarity.The family:1) Father, Bob Wilson (Erik Roberts).. Rugged good-looks and a well-manicured beard… really knows how to drive a minivan. 2) Mother, Dez Wilson (Sherilyn Fenn) sweet concerned mother, fearful of MIB. 3) Son, Andy Wilson (Brendan Ryan Barrett) Ugly little kid.The family is making their way home after a trip when their minivan falls under the glare of a bright light.. The family wakes up some time after, not remembering what had transpired, but later suffers from nightmares, alluding to alien abduction. Later they check their video camera, which the abducting aliens failed to notice.. and it had recorded the details of their abduction. The family contacts the Air Force and reports the sighting. Soon after some mysterious men in black pay them a visit and questions them. The MIB wear bad black suits with thin ties and black wayfarer type sunglasses and black conspicuous hats. The mother asks the MIB if they would like a drink, they reply "We will have a Coca-Cola." The MIB start to tail the family and even go so far so to harass Andy in the schoolyard. The MIB leans down and authoritatively asks the lad questions, and though they are surrounded by dozens and dozens of people, no one seems to notice a man in a black suit and black sunglasses and a black fedora harassing a child in the schoolyard. Not too long later the MIB intensify their effort to harass the family. Rugged good-looks and a beard managed to outrun the perusing MIB with his minivan. Apparently all MIB drive 1985 Chevy celebrity sedans.. Still surprising that MIB could be ditched with a minivan. After this incident the family is contacted by the author and retired Air Force personnel Stan Mills (Dean Stockwell) and the family is beckoned to take refuges in Mill's secluded ranch-complex. Though the family feels at ease here it's not long until the MIB track them down and let loose a Chevy celebrity onslaught. The MIB break through the complex's defenses and eventually get inside the house. The MIB can not be downed by a direct pointblank blast of a 12-guage shotgun but can be killed by a blow from a 2 x 4 if swung by rugged good-looks and a beard. After one MIB is downed he falls over and his black wayfarers fall off revealing huge alien type eyes, which would have been clearly visible regardless of what type of sunglasses he was wearing. As it turns out all MIB are alien/human hybrids. Eventually the MIB are driven back and the family escapes, though they are doomed to walk the earth in terror knowing that any Chevy celebrity might be the end of them all. The movie is terrible, but luckily this kind of cinematic folly lends beautiful, unintentional golden humor to this film. Every positive and amusing thing about the film is entirely accidental, as its formulaic and predictable flow is really pathetic. If the film was even a bit more craftily written or the actors tried a little harder it would have been devoid of redeeming qualities. Luckily Justin Stanley and Eric Miller the writers are seriously inept, yet their blunder has inadvertently created a wonder. If you are amused by really bad cinema, or enjoy lifetime made for TV movies, I would highly recommend this film.

It would be interesting to compare this one to Men in Black. (the will smith film.) This was more like what I've heard real life stories of encounters with MIB agents is like. Decent cast, too, with Eric Roberts, Dean Stockwell, and Andrew Prine. Slow and dark at times, but worth the rental if just to satisfy your curiosity. Give it a try.** 1/2 out of ****

There are some things I watch not expecting them to be good, but because I like to think about the ideas and consider alternate storylines and better alternatives for the characters. Most episodes of "Star Trek: Voyager" are only worth watching because of the discussions and reviews on Usenet.If you like rewriting stories, this is a good movie to see with a friend. What should the Wilsons have done differently, given that they were abducted? What would have made a better story? (The answer to both is "Lots of things" 8-), which is why the movie is an interesting starting point.)My major question is why, whenever someone sees a UFO in the movies, that's what they say. They know they sound stupid, and nobody will listen. Why not say "I don't know what it was, but there was a bright light that came up on us from behind, and then disappeared over a hill, and then there was a flash. I thought it was a plane crash, and I know there's an Air Force base nearby, so I reported it. I figured the pilot was just buzzing motorists at night for kicks and lost control."It's completely believable, and if the good guys investigate and find more, then the bad guys will follow them. If the bad guys investigate and come to your house, they'll think you didn't see anything worth mentioning and leave you alone.Aral Vorkosigan, in _Mirror Dance_, said "People give themselves to you, in their talking, and in other ways, if you are quiet and patient and let them, and not in such a damn rush to give yourself to *them* you go bat-blind and deaf." Lots of people in movies, such as Mr Wilson in this one, give themselves away to the enemy. People aren't really that dumb, are they? (_Mirror Dance_ is by Lois McMaster Bujold.)This movie is a bit like "The Phantom Menace" and "Waterworld", in that I left the cinema thinking "What a wasted opportunity." But still, my wife and I were able to have some interesting discussions about the stories, even if defective.