Men in Black: International — Review
This review was originally published on Cinemusings June 12, 2019.
“The universe has a way of leading you to where you’re supposed to be, at the moment you’re supposed to be there.”
As the title clearly implies, F. Gary Gray’s Men in Black: International takes the MIB overseas. Neither Tommy Lee Jones nor Will Smith reprise their roles for the fourth installation in the series. Their absence makes the film feel more like a spin-off than a sequel. But in terms of story structure, Men in Black: International plays out more like a reboot. It hits all the familiar beats of the original, most notably the teaming up of a young recruit with a more experienced agent. Unfortunately, it lacks the spark of Barry Sonnenfeld’s 1997 film.
This time around, Tessa Thompson stars as Molly, or Agent M. As a child, she encountered an alien in her home and witnessed the MIB erase the incident from her parents’ memories. Ever since, she’s devoted her time to tracking down the MIB so she can join them. Agent O (Emma Thompson) makes her a probationary agent and sends her on a mission to London. There, she meets High T (Liam Neeson) and partners up with Agent H (Chris Hemsworth).
Agent M and Agent H embark on a quest to stop an alien threat to the planet. However, Agent M learns that there might be an even bigger threat: a mole working within the ranks of MIB. The way the plot unfolds is painfully predictable. Men in Black: International plays it way too safe and adds nothing new to the table. The one thing it does differently is put a female agent front and center.
Tessa Thompson is the best thing about Men in Black: International. She delivers a committed performance, but it isn’t enough to save such a mediocre movie. She and Hemsworth had better chemistry in Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Endgame despite the fact that they shared significantly less screen time in both of those films. Their partnership doesn’t add any excitement or fun to this movie.
Men in Black: International is awfully bland for a sci-fi action movie. The action sequences are dull and there’s no real thrill, suspense, or mystery. One would expect a little more energy from a movie with F. Gary Gray in the director’s chair. There are also very few laughs. Ultimately, it’s a science fiction action comedy with a trite alien plot, boring action, and sparse humor.
Although the fourth installment broadens the MIB universe by taking the adventure beyond the streets of New York and spanning it across the globe, Men in Black: International isn’t bigger or better than any of the previous MIB films. Tessa Thompson gives it her all, but the film is bogged down by uninspired storytelling and humdrum action. It’s not an outright terrible film, there just isn’t enough to justify its existence. In the end, one can’t help but feel like Men in Black: International is just another lifeless cash-grab.
Men in Black: International hits theaters on June 14, 2019.
