MOVIE
REVIEW:
MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL
06/14/2019
SYNOPSIS:
Gloria (Gina Rodriguez) finds a power she never knew she had
when she is drawn into a dangerous world of cross-border crime.
Surviving will require all of her cunning, inventiveness, and
strength..
REVIEW:
Agent O:
You really think a black suit is going to solve all
your problems?
Agent
M: No. But, looks damn good on you.
Black does look good on just about anybody, right? Yes
ladies and gentlemen, the monochromatically dressed
incognito protectors of Earth are back and the MIB world
is expanding, but you don’t know that. Well there is this
one little girl who kind of slipped through the cracks and
spent a long time trying to “find” that “thing” that
“doesn’t exist”. Surprise, surprise, she’s looks damn good
in black. With this expansion of the MIB franchise, we are
treated to a whole new set of agents, aliens, and
problems. We do still keep in touch with the original
series by way of Emma Thompson reprising her role, our
favorite alien pug, and those creepy little bug like
aliens that have been around since the very beginning.
I’ve gotta say, you just gotta love Emma Thompson no
matter what she’s doing on the big screen. She is as sharp
as always with this picture. So this might answer the
question, what exactly does this movie represent, sequel,
reboot, new concept? It is not a complete reboot or new
concept, it is more like a sequel that incorporates a new
concept being the International aspect.
Agent H:
There should be a big red button 'round here somewhere.
Agent M:
Found it.
From the very beginning of the film, we
get a nod to the MIB franchise via the Columbia Pictures
clip which is kind of cute, don’t miss it. This
installment does stay true to MIB form with equal parts
humor and action, sci-fi and mystery, amazing special
effects and sound effects too. There are some really funny
moments but there are some corny moments too. Some of the
sequences, be it action or humor, seemed a little forced.
I would have to say that the biggest problem faced by this
film is the fact that the Will Smith/Tommy Lee Jones
pairing is a very tough act to follow. Their get
along/don’t get along relationship plus the banter between
them is just so hard to match and I believe is what
greatly contributed to the success of those films. That is
where this movie falls short, thus some moments felt
forced to try to match that chemistry. Luckily, the film
does have plenty of redeeming features, like the audio and
visual effects, a good storyline, and the overall new and
improved look and feel of all things MIB. Oh yeah, of
course, we do get eye candy in the form of Chris Hemsworth
and Tessa Thompson depending on your tastes/preferences.
For me, Tessa looked great, beautiful and talented. Don’t
get me wrong, of course it’s not about looks alone, these
two headliners performed well, but again, it is hard to
fill in those shoes of Smith/Jones. I’m sad to say that
there’s not much to say about Liam Neeson’s performance.
His presence alone is meaningful though. And then there’s
Pawny, voiced by Kumail Nanjiani, a very entertaining
“sidekick”. It was a good thing to have established
Director F. Gary Gray at the helm of this project. Not his
best work, but definitely good enough to keep the
franchise going. I will close with a random, out of left
field comment . . . I love the MIB font during the opening
credits. If you are a fan of MIB, you will not be
overwhelmed but at a minimum kept afloat to hopefully keep
the franchise alive.
Review By Cine Marcos
cinemarcos@smartcine.com
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