Men in Black: International is a sequel/spinoff of the original Men in Black movie which was a hit in 1997, featuring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as unlikely partners in a secretive government agency tasked to handle inter-galactic affairs. Fast forward to about 20 years later, and the franchise is revived with another unlikely duo, although this time we’ve already seen them together in Thor: Ragnarok – the hilarious Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson.
The movie itself is chock full of high-speed chases, explosions, bizarre (yet cute) talking aliens, and the plot is decent. But even with all the action and star power – the movie also stars Liam Neeson and Emma Thompson – it feels… forgettable. It’s not a bad movie, though.
The plot follows a new recruit, Agent M (Thompson), who’s lifelong goal was to join the MIB. She’s sent to London, where she meets the hotshot Agent H (Hemsworth) and soon, they’re both tasked to escort a party-loving alien at a nightclub. Things go south really fast, and they find out that – surprise! – earth is in danger, and it’s up to them to figure out how to save the world while flushing out the mole from within MIB.
The chemistry of H & M is a familiar one – H is a cocky loner and M is trying to prove herself at her first job – and while they’re trying to replicate the same relationship dynamic they had in Thor: Ragnarok, there wasn’t much time allocated to developing what could be a humorous partnership given the many distractions. Thrown into the mix is a tiny alien named Pawny (voiced by comedian Kumail Nanjiani) who attaches himself to M; it is this little creature who gets all the funny lines.
The pacing is fast, which means there’s hardly any time dedicated to the usual relationship-building scenes that so many action movie fans complain about. There is plenty of action involving vehicle chases, big guns, flying cars, and shape-shifting aliens that take place in New York, London, Paris, and Morocco – it feels like a spy movie involving aliens.
Some of the action doesn’t make sense, but it’s a great excuse to watch things blow up. The story also feels a bit too convenient, with its many coincidences – a childhood alien acquaintance turns into an ally, an arms dealer who happens to be an ex, etc – but it does help move the story along that much faster. The plot twist at the end is not hard to figure out, given the very short setup. Even the ‘big battle’ at the end didn’t feel like one because it feels a bit convenient.
While the movie is a fun ride, it ends up feeling rushed. But, if you like plenty of action with a simple story and mild comedy, then this movie may be up your alley.
