MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL – Review

The Summer of sequels marches on at the multiplex again this week (hey last Friday I reviewed two of ’em). Oh, this is a sci-fi spectacular which also has a slight Marvel connection. MEN IN BLACK was a comic book series created by Lowell Cunningham for an up and coming company called Malibu back in the “indie comics craze’ of the 1990s. They were so “on the rise”, that they caught the attention of Marvel who promptly bought them right up…swallowing up their line of titles and characters. Smart move, because Steven Spielberg’s Amblin grabbed the screen rights to that aforementioned series. That first flick in 1997 was a surprise smash prompting a wave of toys and a cartoon TV show, but not generating a “so-so” sequel until 2002 (this is a sporadic franchise). After ten years another sequel “completed” the “trilogy”. Well, not quite complete. There have been rumblings and rumors about the “property” since the 2012 flick (the most interesting was one idea that would be a “cross-over’ with the TV show-inspired comedy franchise 21 JUMP STREET). And now comes a reboot-sequel with new agents replacing Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith’s J and K (though Emma Thompson is back as the US boss, Agent O from the last installment). So let’s straighten our ties, adjust our ‘shades’, and meet the secret heroes of MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL.

The new title proves essential to the opening flashback as Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) and Agent High T (Liam Neeson) travel from England (hence Neeson’s code name) to thwart an alien attack at the Eiffel Tower several years ago. Many more years previous, across the pond in NYC, a young girl catches another pair of men in black “doing their thing” (she’s looking from her third-floor bedroom window, so she’s not affected by the “memory eraser device”). That little girl becomes obsessed with joining those black-clad alien hunters, all the way into adulthood. “Growed-up” Molly (Tessa Thompson) applies to the FBI and CIA but is unable to persuade them to send her to this most secretive unit. Even at her tech support phone job, she tracks space activities. This proves fruitful as she stumbles and bluffs her way into the New York branch of Men in Black. Molly’s quickly discovered, but instead of zapping her brain, Agent O decides to recruit her. After her training, Molly (now Agent M) is whisked via rocket-powered subway car to the London branch where she is greeted by their director, that same Agent High T. Padding her resume, she’s assigned as a partner to Agent H, who is to escort an old alien ambassador pal named Vungus. Unfortunately, two other aliens (part of the planetary collective called “The Tribe”) are also interested in him. When they attack Vungus, he gives Agent M a tiny (fits in the palm of your hand), but powerful weapon. Thus begins a most dangerous mission for the duo as they track down the killers, try to hold on to that weapon, and deal with the possibility of a mole in the agency.

The “dynamic duo” from the Marvel “movie-verse” (THOR: RAGNAROCK and AVENGERS: ENDGAME) prove to be a most potent team in this franchise. Once again, Hemsworth is a very appealing action star with a surprising knack for comedy (the last GHOSTBUSTERS made this clear). He’s another likable goofball “himbo” as the often slow, but very confident Agent H. Plus his chemistry with co-star Thompson pulls us through the most outrageous plot turns. Her Agent M is part straight…lady, part wise-cracking “brainiac’, and always a seeker of truth and wonder. Their respective bosses have the right balance of snark and gravitas in Emma Thompson and Neeson (a nice tweak on his recent action roles). Hemsworth has a terrific conniving rival in Rafe Spall as the usually seething with jealousy Agent C. Rebecca Ferguson has a nice sexy fling as galactic gun moll (and past paramour of H) Riza. But some of the film’s biggest laughs come from its smallest of characters. Kumail Nanjiani delivers his impressive comic timing as the diminutive alien soldier Pawny, who (much to her chagrin) is slavishly devoted to M.

Director F. Gary Gray (STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON) tries to bring a fresh approach to this 22 year-old franchise, and dazzles us with some of the new alien “beasties’ and the shiny high-tech gizmos, while giving nods to previous installments (the talking bulldog, the roaches, even a portrait of the first flick’s final battle). Unfortunately, the main plot involving another ultimate planet-destroying thing-a-mabob feels more than a tad trite. There’s an element of creepy danger in the twin assassins on their trail (literally “killing it” on the dance floor), but their finale showdown, much like the film’s last act, is a bit underwhelming. To justify the film’s subtitle, the action bounces from London to Merikeshh to Naples, but the different venues add little to the story’s flow. The new cast is fresh, but the mission feels fairly stale as the CGI effects drown out this delightful duo. MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL is just not worth the trip. Now, please look directly at this….

3 Out of 5