Dynamic duo can’t save sloppy sequel
Men in Black: International Seven years have passed since the disappointing Men in Black 3, so the time was arguably right for a reboot.
Throw in Chris Hemsworth (Agent H) and Tessa Thompson (Agent M) renewing their terrific Thor: Ragnorak double act and Fast & Furious 8’s F. Gary Gray sliding into the director’s chair and the ingredients seemed set for a tasty movie meal.
Then the trailers hit and doubts rose; other than the presence of Hemsworth and Thompson everything looked – to be kind – ropy.
And that’s pretty much how the finished flick plays out; despite its fresh cast and a more globe-trotting plot, Men in Black: International is no better than the series’ third outing.
The story is a jumbled mess which is frustrating given scribes Art Marcum and Matt Holloway penned the first Iron Man; though maybe no great surprise as they went on to write Punisher: War Zone and Transformers: The Last Knight.
While falling short of their Thor brilliance, Thompson and Hemsworth have effortless chemistry and the duo – whose comic timing is superb – deserve better material.
Starry-but-inconsequential support comes from Rafe Spall (Agent C), Emma Thompson (Agent O) and Liam Neeson (Agent High T).
Kumail Nanjiani’s Pawny is a grating, childish presence and even for a franchise shy of classic villainy Rebecca Ferguson’s Riza is short-changed and underwhelms.
It’s true to say Gary Gray knows how to shoot an action sequence – with a London shoot-out and Eiffel Tower chase catching the eye.
It all feels like a forlorn effort, though, as the Men in Black series again fails to deliver a sequel worthy of comparison with the seminal 1997 original.
If only they’d gone down the hugely exciting 22 Jump Street crossover route that was originally planned.