Nerds That Geek Movie Review – ‘Men in Black: International’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

If there’s one grand question that hangs over any film franchise that’s straight up gone off of the rails, it’s whether or not said franchise can win back all the fans that it has lost throughout the years. Because any way you slice it, a franchise needs a core base to come out in droves to support it, and often times the easiest way to win people back when things have gone south is to begin a grand reboot of the saga in question. Because the reset button somehow serves as an apology to the fans and starting over allows for wrongs to be righted and it also allows for the best parts of the franchise to be put back on display.

But some franchises, believe that a reboot is unnecessary, and instead of starting over, trying something new and bold that works to maintain what the franchise stands for is the way to go and well, sometimes the end result when it comes to this is mixed at best. Because when the damage to a particular saga is severe, the road to winning back the support of fans everywhere is long and winding and treacherous. Because any further mistakes just drives them further away, meaning that the studio in question will likely play it safe in its visual apology to keep everyone happy and it just so happens that Men in Black: International qualifies as that all-important attempt to win back the fans. But sadly, this is indeed a film, that plays it safe.

Which is unfortunate to say the least. Because on one hand there’s a lot to like about this brand-new chapter in this delightful series. The casting is phenomenal, since Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth do a fine job on screen and Liam Neeson is a delightful addition to this universe as well, and the fun factor is definitely back, since this movie does provide the audience with a grand and sweeping adventure, filled with hilarious moments and quirky aliens at every turn. In fact, Pawny is hands down the most memorable sidekick to ever grace the screen in this saga, because his scene stealing ability surpasses that of even Frank the Pug, and that’s thanks in large part to Kumail Nanjiani’s phenomenal voiceover work.

But, while there are plenty of laugh out loud moments to be found in this story, and a grand sense of adventure to boot, what makes this movie inconsistent at best, is the sheer fact that it falls into some of the familiar trappings and failures of its predecessors. Because despite having a grand mystery for Agents M and H to solve, everything boils down to another grandiose scheme involving the theft of a powerful artifact for more nefarious purposes, something we’ve seen in every single MIB movie. And to make matters worse, this movie does little to provide the audience with a sense of awe and wonder because the special effects here are nothing new, and this universe feels so familiar now, that I honestly wonder if it’s even remotely possible to ever recapture the jaw dropping majesty we all enjoyed in the first entry of this magnificent saga.

However, all flaws aside, make no mistake about it, this really is an honest attempt to apologize to the fans for the disaster that was Men in Black 3 and while it falls short in some respects, the fun aspect really isn’t something to be ignored. Because everyone in the theater had a smile on their faces after this movie came to a close, and much of the discussion I had with my family after we stepped out into the lobby revolved around how good a time we had while watching it. So, that in its own right, definitely makes this a movie I can recommend, since it is in essence, a popcorn flick, one that serves as an easy way to kill a couple of hours and you’ll enjoy a few laughs along the way. But alas, considering the fact that the magic does not return in this film, and that the current box office results are mediocre at best, I fear that the apology offered up here, may have fallen upon deaf ears, leaving the fate of a franchise with endless potential, up in the air.    

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