Men in Black International: neither shameful nor essential (criticism)

Not much to say about the new Men in Black, which honestly fulfills the specifications of the franchise.

France 2 rebroadcast this evening Men in Black International, the 4th part of the saga directed by F. Gary Gray. Released in 2019, it didn’t really wow the press and signed the worst score for the franchise at the box office. At Première, we had a lukewarm reception for this film starring Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson. Here is our review from the time:

Reboot? Spin off ? To tell the truth, even after seeing it, we don’t know in which category to put it. Men in Black International, which nevertheless makes a clean slate of the past with an entirely renewed cast – with the exception of Emma Thompson who takes over the role of Agent O who appeared in 3. Let us recall the concept of the franchise: men in black watch over the harmonious cohabitation on Earth between aliens and humans without the latter’s knowledge – whose memory is erased in the event of indiscretion. The great novelty, which is in keeping with the times, is the presence in one of the two main roles of a woman. The excellent Tessa Thompson (the Valkyrie of the Avengers) plays Agent M, a rookie who pushed hard to join the MIB agency which she uncovered thanks to her intuition and her extraordinary intelligence, while avoiding being “neuralyzed”. She will be associated with Agent H, the handsome guy from MIB, a living legend who, two years previously, destroyed “the Hive” (an aggressive entity nestled in the… Eiffel Tower) in the company of his mentor, High T, the boss of MIB. M and H will in turn try to save the world, under the threat of a duo of aliens capable of manipulating matter like Magneto.

Without surprises
The MIB universe, as imagined by Barry Sonnenfeld 22 years ago, is as we remember it: colorful, zany, spectacular, with a bestiary worthy of episode 2 and convincing SFX. M’s initiation, if it is reminiscent of that of J (Will Smith) in the first episode with its share of blunders and tests, is the good point of the film. The authors skillfully play on clichés about her feminine condition in a world of guys, who end up accepting her. Thompson does not, however, become virilized while bringing an endearing sensitivity and cold humor to the character. As for Chris Hemsworth, he is in his usual BG role, charismatic and muscular, distributing the breads as well as the punchlines.

The scenario, for its part, slips more seriously. The stakes are relatively low (the outcome can be guessed from miles away) and some expected fights (between H and his ex, Riza, a sexy mutant played by Rebecca Ferguson; the final fight), resolved in a slightly too lax manner. In conclusion, an episode not shameful but not essential either.

Men in Black International, this Sunday October 29 at 9:05 p.m. on France 2