Men in Black: International * (2019, Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson) – Movie Review

Director F Gary Gray’s Men in Black: International (2019) is a weak and witless reboot, dumping the original cast, in which an American woman (Tessa Thompson) somehow pushes her way into the Men in Black London HQ and inexplicably persuades Agent O (Emma Thompson) to take her on as a probationary, as Agent M. She meets and likes the look of Agent H (Chris Hemsworth), who inexplicably takes her as on his partner, even though he normally works alone.

They soon find trouble from their boss Agent High T (Liam Neeson) and Agent C (Rafe Spall), who may or may not be a mole in the Men in Black organisation. Along the way they meet the tiny alien Pawny (voice of Kumail Nanjiani) and Agent H’s ex, Riza (Rebecca Ferguson).

The problem is the script by Matt Holloway and Art Marcum, which lacks coherence, charm and a sense of fun. It has no story to speak of and has hardly any funny lines, which for a bantering sci-fi action adventure comedy is a terrible handicap, unfairly stranding Hemsworth especially. He is game for anything, but this is not a good move for him. Many years from now he may regret spending his prime on disposable movies like this. He needs some meat on a script to chew over.

Tessa Thompson is okay, doing whatever she possibly can, Neeson keeps his dignity, Emma Thompson picks up an easy pay check, while Spall and Ferguson are more or less defeated by roles they aren’t particularly suited to. There is a lot of mugging by the cast to try to cover the lack of witty banter. It is all good natured enough but the movie gets the tone wrong, going for silly rather than sophisticated fun, and ends up harmless but pointless.

In retrospect, the original Men in Black seemed cool and fun. With Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Rip Torn gone, the gilt has gone off the gingerbread. All that’s left is an expensive looking production ($110,000,000), with smart-looking sets, cinematography, locations and CGI. Pawny is an immense irritation, a failed teen crowd-pleaser. The score by Danny Elfman and Chris Bacon helps.

Men in Black: International is based on the characters in the Malibu comic by Lowell Cunningham.

Emma Thompson was Agent O in Men in Black 3 (2012).

© Derek Winnert 2019 Movie Review

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