“Men in Black: International” angles to be the quintessential summer actioner, and, in that regard, wholly succeeds. It has adequate action sequences, takes the men (and woman) in black out of New York City and immerses them in interesting milieus. Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thomspson, the film’s two stars, have excellent chemistry with one another, and it shows; honestly, this fact alone carries the movie. “International,” however, is riddled with problems, namely a by-the-numbers script, a humdrum progression, and dialogue that really misses the mark. But, it is the first MIB film to pay attention to gender parity, and that in itself may be enough to save it from abject banality.
First, the positives. What “MIB: International” does well is to give its two heroes unique identities, rather than empty suits. Agent H (Hemsworth) is a once renowned hero who has fallen on hard times, followed by new Agent M (Thompson), a keen new arrival desperate to make a name for herself. They play off of each other well, and the movie pokes fun at its keystone weapon, the Neurolyser, which actors like Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones merely scoffed at.
We’re also privy to more of the inner workings of the MIB agency, seeing men (and women) wearing the suit with pride. We see such fan favorites as Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson, as well as a kind of wormy agent named Agent C (Rafe Spall), who we are led to believe may be a mole; though “International” wants this to be more than meets the eye. But now the bad: these three actors, dynamic in other movies such as “Love, Actually” and “A Good Year” are here utterly wasted. Spall is at least given some depth; but Thompson and Neeson are pure noise, given no depth whatsoever, and could have been replaced by day players with the same effect.
Additionally, as much chemistry as Hemsworth and Thompson have together, their relationship only really gets from point A to B with no C in mind. “International” is a buddy comedy/actioner like its predecessors, but tires to make it more so. The sad fact is that it could have almost succeeded if a little more attention was focused on H and M’s relationship and less on filling the screen with cute aliens and past love interests. Yes, a small creature named ‘Pawny’ is adorable, and Hemsworth’s old flame (Rebecca Ferguson) is enticing; but overall these characters add little to the mix. “International” wants to be a MIB film, but it also wants to desperately be a James Bond picture and doesn’t know quite how to balance the act between them.
The biggest quip I have with the film is not the slipshod ancillary characters, the paperthin script, or even the dialogue, which is abysmal at times. It’s Hemsworth. No, not Hemsworth as an actor, but H as a character who is given no depth whatsoever, and who is turned, for lack of a better word, into a pariah. Hemsworth, who recently started to slip toward this jokester persona in “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Avengers: Endgame” here goes full throttle with it. He’s cast as a joke, a comic relief, and given nothing that answers for personality. His wants, desires, motives, and drive are missing from this picture, as is any scope. Honestly, he’s not even used as a sex-object. And I know that given the female-centered buildup of Tessa Thompson is good thing, that this is a weird thing to complain about. But Hemsworth has made a nice name for himself in a legion of Marvel films, and it was shameful the treatment the script of “International” gives him here.
Oh, I sound like a curmudgeon. “MIB: International” is an entertaining film, has fun action sequences, passable acting, exciting cinematography, and a host of alien creatures that are fun and enjoyable. It leaves behind the paperthin alien/vs MIB motif where the MIB “just know better” that other films relied on, and features young characters that have something to offer. It would have been nice to see a little more out of some of the more seasoned actors, a script problem if ever there was one, but, at the end of the day, “International” is just a fun time at the theatre. Go to watch the film for enjoyment and action; eat your popcorn and laugh. But if you’re looking for a smarter film that reinvents the franchise and capitalizes on the changes it offered to bring…you may be a tad disappointed.
