Review: Men in Black: International
In and of itself, Men in Black: International is an intermittently entertaining sci-fi action comedy, featuring two charismatic leads in Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, amusing CGI critters, and solid set pieces directed by F. Gary Gray. Yet, there's no escaping the fact that as a reboot of the franchise that helped launch Will Smith into superstardom, it's a pale imitation of the buoyant and energetic trilogy. Interestingly, Men in Black: International works best in its second half, when it somewhat becomes its own thing rather than being beholden to simulating the original's formula.
Instead of Smith's probationary recruit, we have Thompson's Molly who, as a young girl in Brooklyn found a cute alien in her bedroom one night and witnessed her parents being neuralised by a pair of MIB agents. As an adult, her mission to track down the MIB is finally accomplished when she talks her way into MIB headquarters, where she convinces Agent O (Emma Thompson, reprising her role from the last film) to recruit her into the programme. After all, she's motivated, looks good in black, has absolutely no life whatsoever, and she wants to find the truth of the universe. So far, so familiar.
Molly is soon paired up with Agent H (Hemsworth), a cocky, reckless and aggressively charming alpha male who, twenty years ago helped save the world with then partner High T (Liam Neeson, curiously listless), who is now the head of MIB's UK branch. Thompson and Hemsworth prove they've lost none of the zingy dynamic they shared in Thor: Ragnarok and, to the screenwriters' credit, Agents H and M's rapport is more that of siblings than of a potential romantic couple. The narrative that surrounds them, however, is ho-hum at best though the blandness and predictability are at least offset by the international locations, which range from Paris to London to Marrakesh. The latter features the film's most coherent action sequence as well as introduces Pawny (voiced by Kumail Nanjiani), an anthropomorphic chess piece whom the central duo befriend. Another set piece on an island compound delights with the appearance of Riza (deliciously played by Rebecca Ferguson), an alien intergalactic arms dealer whose romance with H did not end on very good terms.
The film does feel too protracted at times and there are frequent instances when one's attention does wander. Men in Black: International doesn't quite collapse on itself, but it simply doesn't have the knack of blending live-action, visual effects and zippy comedy needed to sustain itself.
Men in Black: International
Directed by: F. Gary Gray
Written by: Art Marcum, Matt Holloway; based on the comic book The Men in Black by Lowell Cunningham
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Rafe Spall, Rebecca Ferguson, Kumail Nanjiani, Laurent Bourgeois, Larry Bourgeois
