Not long ago, sequels were typically found in the realm of horror or science fiction, but somewhere in the past couple of decades or so, it not only became more profitable across all genres; it also became expected. When “Men in Black” (MIB) opened in 1997, we were all intrigued and excited to go see the film and more than anything else, it was the inclusion of Will Smith that made the sell so easy for us. Often times, the material is not as important as who is working with it. The effects of charisma have won people over since the beginning of time.

It took a full five years for “MIB 2” to hit the big screen and even though it was not as memorable as the first movie, it was still a financial success and mostly did its job in not disappointing its respective audiences. Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith even came back to reprise their roles from the original film. However, it would be another 10 years before a new installment came along and by then, some of us had moved on from the franchise. Still, the box office numbers reflected more success and the reviews from critics even improved. So, with so much success, why would it be seven more years before we receive a follow-up? Perhaps, the answer is unimportant.

Although I have always had fond memories in connection to the previous entries of the “MIB” franchise, I still had my doubts about the realistic relevance of an all-new spin-off, complete with a whole different cast. At best, I hoped for something entertaining and fun. I would be lying if I said that my recent experience with summer sequels had not played a role in my overall mindset, prior to viewing “MIB: International,” as well.

“MIB: International” was directed by none other than F. Gary Gray, whose previous work was involved with another sequel, in conjunction to “The Fast and the Furious” franchise. So, it does not surprise as to why he was hired for this particular movie. Much like with his previous film, Gray was not involved as a screenwriter or as a producer. Consequently, the writing side of things went to Art Marcum and Matt Holloway. Alas, their previous work is not widely considered to be of impressive quality. Maybe you gave “Transformers: The Last Knight” a serious shot. If so, I hope it was at least worth it.

Even though Chris Hemsworth, (“The Avengers: Endgame”), playing as Agent H, is the more noteworthy name in big letters for the fanfare of the movie, he spends much of the early portions of the story in silence and awaits contact from Tessa Thompson (“Avengers: Endgame”), who played as Agent M. Are you seeing any interesting trends within the casting decisions? She has some awkward line deliveries in certain spots, but hardly any of them seem out-of-place for this character. I should probably note that the mouthwash brand, Listerine, existed as a minor detail, throughout the film. I, even, obtained a couple of packs of their new tablets. What more can I say about the little perks that come with being a movie critic.
Rounding out the rest of the cast, we have: Kumail Nanjiani (“Stuber”) as the voice of Pawny, Liam Neeson (“The Commuter”) as High T, Rafe Spall (“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”) as Agent C and Emma Thompson (“Johnny English Strikes Again”). The performances go beyond just looking good on paper, I am happy to say.

Yes, there is more, but Laurent and Larry Bourgeois (appearing in their first movie roles) really stood out, in my view. Pay attention to the special effects that encompass a great deal of their performances together. Keep in mind that “MIB: International” was made for 10s of millions of dollars cheaper than the recent “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” yet it made far better use of its budget in almost every way.

So far, the reviews have not been heavily positive and this puzzles me a bit. The film treats its prospective audience with respect and delivers on the goods more often than not.I was actually ready to declare this as the best entry to the franchise since the original movie. I know of at least one other critic who agrees with me, but I digress…

Before things rolled for the actual movie, a simple costume contest ensued. I participated, represented my “brand” well, but placed in second and received no prize. I concluded, based on this outcome, that the only way to truly achieve something in life is to aim for the top and nothing else. With that in mind, “MIB International” succeeded as a movie where I could not as a posing MIB agent. Although, I can only rate this film so high, considering what it is, I pleasantly enjoyed myself and I can have hope for this year’s summer blockbusters and the future of sequels, in some respect. If you have any doubts about “MIB: International,” I would advise you to put those feelings and thoughts aside and let yourself have some fun. I do not think you will regret it, on this occasion.

Director: F. Gary Gray
Screenwriters: Art Marcum and Matt Holloway
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Rebecca Ferguson as Riza Stavros, Kumail Nanjiani, Rafe Spall, Laurent and Larry Bourgeois as The Twins, Emma Thompson as Agent O
Music: Danny Elfman (“Dumbo”) and Chris Bacon (Sherlock Gnomes”)
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Release: June 14th, 2019