Men In Black: International proves MiB formula was run and done 20 years ago

Men in Black: International is in no way a reinvigoration of a series that dates all the way back to 1997. It is more a reminder of why the whole MiB thing had fallen out of favour in the first place.

Here’s your team sheet for Men in Black: International the first match played by a reactivated Men in Black franchise.

Out: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones.

In: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson.

All other elements remain unchanged.

The lead characters will often be wearing black suits and sunglasses (but never a hat: that would make ‘em Blues Brothers).

Sometimes these characters will encounter alien beings, and will then proceed to either befriend them or blow them up.

Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth have great onscreen chemistry but never look like they’re having any fun.

The end result for Men in Black: International is in no way a reinvigoration of a series that dates all the way back to 1997.

It is more a reminder of why the whole MiB thing had fallen out of favour in the first place. The formula was run and done over 20 years ago.

The story here comes out of MiB’s London bureau, where rookie Agent M (Thompson) is paired with hard-living hotshot Agent H (Hemsworth) to decode and then defuse a mysteriously explosive alien threat.

M’s backstory is that as a kid, she witnessed the MiB in action at close range, and somehow missed having her memory banks wiped by a neuralyzer.

All she has ever wanted since then is to join in on all the fun of the MiB’s black-suited ops, and kick some intergalactic butt.

Men in Black: International is in no way a reinvigoration of the 1997 hit.

Agent H’s backstory is even more of a fizzer. Let’s not even go there.

In arguably the lamest decision in a movie fairly packed with them, H doesn’t ever really seem to fit the mould of an MiB operative.

Instead, the screenplay positions H as some vague kind of lightweight James Bond, there to primarily look good against whatever globetrotting backdrop the producers stick him in front of.

It does not help that Hemsworth’s way with a comic quip rarely lands in the realm of amusing.

Thompson and Hemsworth do have screen chemistry (as we know from Thor: Ragnarok) but they do not look like they’re having much fun in Men in Black: International.

Chances are, neither will you.

If you must go, might be wise to bring your own neuralyzer.

MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL (M)

Director: F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Compton)

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Kumail Nunjiani.

Rating: **

A return to inactive duty