Anthony's Film Review - Men in Black: International (2019)

The familiar humor and fun of Men in Black returns with a new generation of characters...

It's another summer movie season in the 2010s. That means another movie to extend a franchise, acting simultaneously as a sequel to follow up on the last film of a series and a reboot to provide the series with a fresh new start, without necessarily breaking all ties with the predecessors. After three Men in Black movies released in 1997, 2002, and 2012, we have Men in Black: International in 2019. For the first time, Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith are not in an MIB movie as Agents K and J, respectively. Instead, this one features two new members of the MIB: Chris Hemsworth as Agent H and Tessa Thompson as Agent M.

The premise in this movie is very much like what you have seen in the previous Men in Black movies: there is an alien threat that must be stopped. And like before, the members of MIB dress up in nice black suits, wield high-tech weaponry, and use handheld Neuralyzer devices that erase people's memories of alien and MIB sightings in order to keep their work top secret. MIB headquarters also acts as a sanctuary for alien lifeforms seeking refuge from hostile extraterrestrials. Really, the only change from the previous movies is noted by the film's title: the Men in Black organization has now expanded its work globally and is no longer just a U.S. organization.

Let's review the two protagonists for a minute. Tessa Thompson's Agent M is definitely a motivated intellectual. Ever since her first alien sighting in her childhood, she has held a long fascination with the universe. She is so determined to join the MIB that she even applies for work in the FBI and CIA, hoping it would provide a backdoor into the MIB. Eventually, she finds a way in. Meanwhile, Chris Hemsworth's Agent H has operated in London for a while, and is known for a major assignment in Paris with Agent High T, played by Liam Neeson. You would think that H and M would illustrate a mentor-protege relationship, but interestingly, both are equally dedicated to their work, even though H's personality is also noticeably looser than M's.

Come to think of it, there is one more thing about this Men in Black movie that is new. While there is an alien threat to contend with (actually, two threats, because the protagonists are up against alien twins), there's also the possibility of a mole within the MIB. Who could it be? I can tell you this. The revelation about this won't be a big surprise. You may likely guess the correct double-crossing character. Even if you don't, your second likely guess might be the one. This isn't to say the film is weak as a result. It's still fun for other reasons, namely the action and humor.

MIB: International is one of those movies to see if you have no options for something bigger and epic. It's amusing in a standard way, but not so much that it's really boring and you want to forget about it like you're getting Neuralyzed. Hopefully, if another Men in Black movie gets made, it is done in a way that feels new enough without being a 100% rehash, just like how this one is made to be fresh enough while still being fun. On my 1-to-10 scale, I rate this movie a 7.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Men in Black: International, visit the Internet Movie Database.

In addition, check out my review of Men in Black, Men in Black II, and Men in Black 3.