Neuralyzer is a handy term.
When it comes to the proverbial blockbuster, sometimes you just need to turn off; Get neuralyzed so to speak.
The world is already a burning hell-scape of soulless husks running around on fire, so it’s nice to escape into the world of film (oh damn, am I projecting…).
Ever since the original Men In Black, people have asked the series to reach the same heights set by its accidental success. It didn’t help when MIIB simply replicated the formula and plateaued the franchise, leaving MiB 3 to have to do more work than it should have to get everyone back on-side.
Thankfully it pulled that off with ease, leaving the universe at a point where it could return again.
While the audience might have liked the originals to return, we instead get a brilliantly cast spin on the universe of MiB, that potentially jumpstarts a new series about those people who straight don’t exist.
Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson star as Agent H and Agent M, who employ high-tech weaponry to battle mischievous aliens on Earth. However, the pair also discover a major threat within their own ranks.
The MiB do MiB-y stuff the whole time.
Nonchalantly dealing with the existence of aliens, MiB: International sends us into Europe, then back to New York, and then back again to the modern day.
I know, wild time-lining there huh.
Stuff happens that injects Thompson’s M into the story, where she collides with Hemsworth’s H and they have to do MiB’ing.
The plot isn’t smart, and I think it’s self-aware enough to know that. It elicits the same beats as it’s originators, but it also does enough to be its own thing. It’s almost like…a filler episode for MiB: The Animated Series.
Hats off to whoever made the choice to put Thompson and Hemsworth back together as they have my favourite on-screen chemistry. Why’s that? Because they’re just mates! That’s it. Not every male/female relationship has to be romantic and these two epitomize that (don’t worry, the film tries to flop this though, so GG if you’re here for the neg!).
Liam Neeson ‘neeson’s’, and Emma Thompson should just stay in this franchise as she’s the class act that really sells you on the legitimacy of the agency.
Director F. Gary Gray has a fine eye for action and some timing for comedy, so these find themselves paired off nicely with MiB in mind. While fun and on-the-nose much like a lot of the comedy throughout the franchise, the majority of this humour finds itself tucked in the tiniest package with Kumail Nanjiani‘s Pawny.
Yes, a tiny creature, along with other tiny creatures will be your favourite things from MiB: International.
From the outside in, this film is intermediary in much the same way as MIIB, except it’s better than that film. But because it doesn’t try to reach the likes of 3 nor come close to 1, it’s just what it is.
Of course I had fun. I neuralyzed myself and enjoyed the time I had with it. It’s not revolutionary, but has the bombast to fill the gaps of the summertime Box Office. The action is probably the best we’ve seen from the universe so far, the weapons actually differed, and the aliens are truly wonderful (probably more indicative of where FX are at currently).
“The universe has a way of leading you to where you’re supposed to be” is what the movie says.
And where I needed to be was shut off from the world watching 2 gorgeous people have fun in a film that just wants to be.
Summary
HERE COME THE MEN IN BLACK! THEY'VE GONE INTERNATIONAL! HERE COME THE MEN IN BLACK! THAT'S REALLY JUST ABOUT IT!
