Men in Black: International - A Fun Spin-Off of the Iconic Franchise
Agent M (Tessa Thompson) is no ordinary recruit. As a child, an encounter with an alien led to her memory not being erased by the Men in Black. Driven by this forgotten experience, she dedicates her life to finding the elusive organization. After acing every exam and subtly persuading CIA and FBI agents (who mostly laughed her off), she finally cracks the code and lands in the American MiB office. A quick test later, she’s eagerly accepted and dispatched to London, where she teams up with the charming Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) to uncover a mole within the organization.
The “Men in Black” franchise, a well-known yet sporadically released series, was ripe for a reboot in today’s cinematic landscape. Will Smith is now 51, and Tommy Lee Jones was already showing his age in the third installment (cleverly “de-aged” with Josh Brolin’s face). The very concept of alien migration also demands a fresh perspective in an era of open borders and Trump’s wall. At one point, a wild and potentially genius idea emerged: merging “Men in Black” with “21 Jump Street,” creating a postmodern spectacle. Alas, it didn’t materialize. What remains is a safe spin-off, a soft-reboot, known as “Men in Black: International.”
A New Dynamic Duo
The task of reviving the franchise falls to the already well-established and delightful duo of Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, the sarcastic action heroes from the vibrant depths of a destroyed Asgard. Tessa takes on the role of the new protagonist, guiding the audience through the alien surrealism of “Men in Black,” its bizarre rules, and absurd semantics. Her character, a driven geek who joins the organization through sheer curiosity, is a hero for our time, much like the nonchalant Agent K was in the late '90s. They share an interesting parallel: M gets the job because she’s fascinated, while K got it because he wasn’t interested in anything.
Humor and Chemistry
Chris Hemsworth, playing a charismatic version of himself, embodies the nihilism. As Agent H, he’s a goofy macho and carefree hedonist, reminiscent of a local Agent Archer (their relationships with their superiors are even similar). His dynamic with Thompson is less about contrast and more about complementarity. Their connection is perhaps too comfortable for people who supposedly just met. But it doesn’t matter as long as it’s funny, and “International” delivers on that front. The film is funnier than its predecessors, mostly with sharp wit. The only misstep is the strange alien sidekick, an annoying jester who tries to replace both the worms from the second film and Griffin from the third.
A Fun, if Flawed, Adventure
“International” is an engaging cabinet of curiosities, an exhibition of wondrous, strange, and funny achievements. It’s a thrilling ride through global beauty and cosmic wonders, where the story takes a backseat. There’s no memorable villain like in previous films, and the main plot twist is predictable from the start. It lacks the unique cosmic macabre that Barry Sonnenfeld always brought to the table. F. Gary Gray tries to emulate it, but the bland gloss of a typical craftsman shines through. Nevertheless, the new “Men in Black” is more entertaining than most modern blockbusters. At least it wasn’t filmed in constant semi-darkness with epileptic close-ups.
Even more than the other installments, “International” embraces the relentless spirit of discovery and the cosmic magic that Thompson’s character (or characters, Tessa and Emma) never ceases to marvel at. It forgets everything else: the universal intrigue could have used a bit more plot intrigue, and only one amusing detail related to neurolinguistics for toddlers stands out. The film seems to rely too much on its safe spin-off status, a story that’s inherently peripheral, trivial, and optional. Its effect is similar to that of the neuralyzer from the MiB arsenal: a bright flash, after which it’s impossible to recall anything specific. But you’re not necessarily against it.