Men In Black: International

Part reboot, part continuation – think of this as ‘Men In Black – The Next Generation’.  And while arguably none of the MIB films have ever quite matched the entertainment value of the first one, this fourth instalment arguably comes closest to recapturing the odd-couple pairing, with great performances from Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson.

Premise:  After a close encounter with the MIB as a child, Molly (Tessa Thompson) has dedicated her life to finding a way to join the secret agency. When Agent O (Emma Thompson) decides to give her a chance, the newly christened ‘Agent M’ is sent to the London branch to train under its head, Agent ‘High’ T (Liam Neeson), and his protégé, Agent H (Chris Hemsworth).

Review:

It would be easy to be cynical about this film, but approaching it with an open mind, it’s an entertaining – and surprisingly funny – popcorn blockbuster.  In the original film, the pairing of Agent J (Will Smith) and Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) was an inspired piece of casting, with their respective styles (fluid, loud and enthusiastic versus rigid, morose and cynical) clashing perfectly.  In this third sequel (the return of Agent O, and a picture of J and K confirm that this isn’t a reboot), Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson also share great chemistry (as shown in Thor: Ragnarok), albeit with a different dynamic.

In this film, Agent M (Tessa Thompson) is certainly the more wide-eyed and excited of the two, but it’s combined with a razor-sharp focus and no-nonsense attitude.  We see in the opening sequences that Molly has turned down positions at the FBI and CIA in her search for the MIB, so there’s no question about her talents or her determination.

“…Chris Hemsworth & Tessa Thompson have an instant rapport that’s hugely fun to watch…”

On the other hand, Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) is not exactly jaded in the same way that K was in the first film, but the sense of wonder and excitement has certainly left him.  We see in the opening sequence that three years ago Agents H and ‘High’ T (Liam Neeson) saved the word when the alien Hive tried to break through a portal in the Eiffel Tower, and we get the sense that since then Agent H’s life has lost its sense of purpose.  These days he spends his nights infiltrating illegal alien gambling dens or partying with alien dignitaries, leaving Agent C (Rafe Spall) to deal with all the ‘boring’ jobs.

Once Agents M and H are partnered up, the movie really kicks up a notch, and they have an instant rapport that’s hugely fun to watch.  Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson carry this film, and their charm and charisma is more than enough to make the two hours run time fly by.  Emma Thompson is also very entertaining as the Head of MIB, albeit she’s more of a cameo than a main character.  If there was one negative, it’s that the storyline includes a potential mole at MIB London, which (a) is fairly predictable (although perhaps not for younger viewers) and (b) means that Liam Neeson’s and Rafe Spall’s characters in particular are intentionally underwritten to increase the sense of mystery.

“…the movie’s secret weapon is Kumail Nanjiani…”

However, the movie’s secret weapon – without a shadow of a doubt – is the new CGI character Pawny, voiced by Kumail Nanjiani.  His deadpan delivery manages to be innocence and sweet without ever spilling over into saccharine, and wryly comedic without being acerbic.  Nearly all of the film’s laugh-out-loud moments (and there are a few) come from Pawny, and Kumail Nanjiani deserves a lot of credit for elevating what could otherwise have been a strangely flat film.

Oh, and it’s also worth mentioning that two important but minor roles are played by the ever-reliable Rebecca Ferguson and Kayvan Novak, much in the same way that Tony Shalhoub did in the first film.  Neither get a great deal to work with, but they seem to be enjoying themselves with what they do have, and they make a suitably weird impression as various members of the alien community.

“…a fun & funny popcorn flick, carried by the central performances…”

Men In Black: International also makes a genuine attempt to live up to its name, with the action happening across London, Paris, Marrakesh and Italy, as well as New York.  And the globe-trotting adventure certainly feels organic (and appropriate) for the plot, even if part of the ‘joke’ in the original MIB was that the Agents all working in New York because that’s where all the aliens stayed.

All in all, you could say that this doesn’t bring much new to the franchise – but in fairness, you could say the same about the second and third films as well.  All three sequels don’t match the wit or originality of the first film … but that’s okay.  Men In Black: International is a fun and funny popcorn flick full of exotic aliens and wacky technology, carried by the performances of Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson and Kumail Nanjiani, and that’s enough for an entertaining (if not life changing) couple of hours escapism.