Review | Men in Black: International film review – Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson in forgettable sci-fi action comedy
- The fourth MIB film in 22 years, International takes the action to London and has a new cast of stars
- Unfortunately the sequel fails to excite and, like its best gadget, is entirely forgettable
2/5 stars
The fourth film in a franchise that now stretches back 22 years, Men in Black: International is so forgettable, by the time you’ve left your seat you’ll feel like you’ve been zapped by the ‘Neuralizer’ – the cigar-shaped aluminium gizmo used by the film’s alien hunting agents to wipe witnesses’ memories.
It’s no surprise to see that device is used several times in this film’s establishing scenes, both in 2016 Paris and in the States, 20 years earlier; it was always the best idea this series ever came up with, and director F. Gary Gray doesn’t let us forget it.
What a pity the rest of the film lacks the same invention: how many times can you retell this comic tale of covert agents hunting down aliens? But then again, a lack of originality never stopped a studio greenlighting a sequel, of course – especially when the preceding three movies took US$1.6 billion.
Here, to freshen things up, we have a new cast. Gone are original frontmen Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. In come Chris Hemsworth (looking in peak condition after that belly he sported in Avengers: Endgame ) and his Thor: Ragnarok co-star Tessa Thompson.
In the interest of Hollywood sanctioned equality, we also have Emma Thompson’s Agent O – the only holdover from Men in Black 3 (2012) – and Rebecca Ferguson, in disguise as an alien called Riza. Thankfully, the increased female quota adds a little spice; as Molly – a wannabe agent who gets her chance to join up – Thompson at least looks likes she wants to be there, making a nonsense script sound credible.