“Men In Black International”

LOUISA: 

LOUISA SAYS:

It’s as bad as you’ve feared.

“Men In Black International” surprisingly starts off strong, but completely falls apart within the first twenty minutes. When the movie is at its best, it feels like a project that would be better suited as a direct to video release. When it’s at its worst, it’s no better than a second rate mockbuster knockoff that you’d find in your local Redbox kiosk.

I place the blame squarely on the shoulders of all involved in this debacle. You can point fingers at the writer, the director, the studio, the editor, and even the actors. It’s the overwhelming lack of effort from the entire group that makes this movie absolutely insufferable. When it is so crystal clear that nobody attached to the film cared much at all, then why should audiences? It’s lazy, it’s dumb, and it’s boring.

The Men (and now, Women) in Black are back to protect the Earth from the scum of the universe. When it’s discovered there may be a mole in the MIB organization, superstar Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) and new recruit Agent M (Tessa Thompson) are hot on the case. With the help of extraterrestrial Pawny (voice of Kumail Nanjiani), they travel the planet to uncover the evildoers and restore the integrity of the top-secret society.

The first part of the movie isn’t totally unwatchable, as there are a few fun (and funny) naughty female-driven jokes that acknowledge the film’s major selling point: the eye candy it provides in the form of Hemsworth. Add another round of applause for the addition of a strong female character that doesn’t seem like a forced effort to be politically correct.

What doesn’t work is the dumb story and the long-winded filler that’s just so draggy. The movie is very dull and slow, so much so that even the action scenes are boring. (The barely adequate CGI effects don’t help).

Once the film lost me, it failed to win me back. It’s too bad because Thompson and Hemsworth make such a great team. Their banter and chemistry both skyrocket off the charts, and the duo work ridiculously well together. They’re funny and charming, and I’m angry how both actors are wasted in a junk film like this. It’s the perfect pairing that’s squandered with the laziness in the filmmaking, an astounding lack of effort that may seal their fate as future stars of the dying franchise. Nobody behind the camera truly seems invested in this movie, and neither will audiences.