It’s been seven years since the last Men In Black (“MIB”) film and with the film industry being saturated with superhero films of late, it’s refreshing to have another good, old fashioned, sci-fi comedy to sit back and watch after a long day.
Men In Black: International (“MIB: International”) takes the MIB mythos globally, showcasing that MIB agents operate beyond just the United States and rightfully so, since world domination and/or destruction often do literally affect the entire world.
Being set outside of the States, the film reunites Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson (Thor: Ragnarok) as they work together under the command of Liam Neeson, at the London branch of the MIB.
As with previous MIB films, a dangerous alien species threatens the world, though this time, the MIB suspects a mole within their ranks. It’s up to H (Chris Hemsworth) and M (Tessa Thompson) to uncover the identity of the mole and, predictably, save the world.
The film’s narrative is simple and rather predictable, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing when you’re looking for something easy-going to watch. The lack of complexity makes for a relaxed viewing experience, though some film-goers may find the predictable narrative and cheesy humour to be off-putting, especially when compared to the previous three MIB films.
The calibre of actors in the film certainly didn’t quite fit the role they were playing, with character development not being a central focus. As a result, it felt completely unnecessary to have A-list stars such as Hemsworth, Neeson and Thompson in the film, other than to lend their star power to help promote the film.
The technology and weaponry used in the film were certainly ‘cool’ and slightly more updated than those used in the previous films, however, overall, it didn’t quite stand out as much. Sure, a sleek, black Lexus that flies is quite appealing but apart from that, there wasn’t much that had me excited.
Even the action and chase scenes weren’t as I’d expect and it was certainly a disappointment that Agents K and J from the original films didn’t make a cameo appearance. Though the talking alien pug from the first film did make a very brief appearance.
Overall, MIB: International is a film that one would watch simply for entertainment, with limited creativity and lack of an engaging story for viewers to truly connect with. Though visually interesting with some humorous moments, the film simply lacked the depth and heart that the previous MIB films possessed. Despite a lack of substance that would truly capture audiences, MIB: International is still a fun, laid-back and almost mindless film to relax to.