In an effort to make airline safety as cool as it possibly can be, which in reality is not very cool at all, Air New Zealand have collaborated with rugby union team the All Blacks to create a Men In Black inspired instructional video to keep their customers unharmed in case of in-flight emergencies.
The airline was already well-known for their “Most Epic Safety Video Ever Made” in 2014, which capitalised on New Zealand’s connection with Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit, setting the instructional piece in Middle Earth. The “Men in Black Safety Defenders” video has been created in conjunction with Sony Pictures, as evidenced by the appearance of both Rip Torn’s character, the chief of MiB Agent Z, and Frank the Pug. This in itself raises questions as to whether this piece is canon or not, and how it will tie into the rumoured 21 Jump Street/MiB cross-over film.
In the video, All Blacks star Israel Dagg teams up with Kiwi singer Stan Walker, to spit some verses about flight protocols, which in the grand scheme of things has birthed some of the most inspired rhymes on the topic we’ve ever seen. Dagg’s coach, Steve Hansen, and teammates Richie McCaw and Dan Carter all feature prominently, among others. Rugby legends David Campese, Martin Johnson and Agustin Pichot also make cameos, some interestingly portrayed as demon-like creatures, which is somewhat baffling considering Men In Black is almost exclusively about aliens.
While there’s an inherent lameness to any safety video, it’s pleasing to see that Air New Zealand are at least attempting to make something mandatory as entertaining as it possibly can be. Quite notable in the whole thing, is an instruction to place your hands upon your head, which probably sparked most MiB fans to immediately think of this. To check out the video for yourself, either book a flight on Air New Zealand, or simply take a look at the gallery above.
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