Men in Black: International

The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe.  In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest, most global threat to date: a mole inside the Men in Black organisation.

It might take one a while to get used to the way Columbia Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, and Tencent Pictures handle the portrayal of the Men In Black but, after a while, it’s very apparent that this film is more of a spin-off than a continuation of the iconic Men in Black trilogy. The film takes a step in the right direction, by being inclusive of women, starring several strong female roles within the agency. The plot line is very standard, and the Men In Black facade of men dressed in black falls apart towards the end. This highlights a disconnect between the comic books, the previous trilogy, and this film, and it feels as if this edition took a very hard fork in the representation of Men in Black.

Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson make a great team in the film as Men in Black partners, and the dynamic between them and their loyal alien team sidekick, voiced by Kumail Nanjiani, is one of the best aspects of the film.

Men in Black comic book fans, don’t get your hopes up by the look of the poster. Some cameos were promised in the poster of the film, but aren’t delivered for long enough (or at all) in the film. In particular, Frank the Pug barely has a walk-on role or, rather, a brief sit-down role. 

Bottom line: The film is family friendly and will make its money with younger audiences, but it’s not necessarily for hardcore Men in Black fans. The cool aliens going about ultra-normal daily activities remains a highlight. – Bryan Turner