Movie · 2019 · Comedy, Science Fiction, Action, Adventure · 1h 55m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 0.3/10 (164.5K ratings)
The world's not going to save itself.
Overview
The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest, most global threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization.
Ratings
Curator score: 0.3/10
IMDb: 5.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 23%
Metacritic: 38
TMDB: 5.9/10
Director
F. Gary Gray
Production
Amblin Entertainment, Parkes+MacDonald Image Nation, Columbia Pictures, Tencent Pictures
Cast
Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Kumail Nanjiani, Rebecca Ferguson, Rafe Spall, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson, Laurent Bourgeois, Larry Bourgeois, Kayvan Novak, Spencer Wilding, Marcy Harriell, Inny Clemons, Aaron Serotsky, Mandeiya Flory, Matthew Bates, Sartaj Garewal, Stephen Wight, Brian Silliman, John Sousa
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy but hollow franchise entry that swaps the original series’ wit and weirdness for generic action-comedy mechanics. The cast has easy charisma, but the movie rarely gives them anything sharp to do, and the alien designs and jokes feel undercooked.
Best for
Viewers who mainly want light, undemanding sci-fi action
Fans of the lead pairing and easy star chemistry
Families looking for a very mild, effects-driven popcorn movie
Skip if
You want the clever, playful identity of the original Men in Black films
You’re sensitive to bland studio franchise filmmaking
You need memorable creatures, jokes, or a strong mystery hook
Overview
Men in Black: International is the kind of sequel that remembers the surface-level ingredients of a hit and forgets the flavor. It has suits, gadgets, aliens, and a globe-trotting premise, but very little of the snap, invention, or comic rhythm that made the series feel special in the first place.
Worth noting
Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson are naturally watchable, and the movie occasionally coasts on their charm. But the script keeps them in a thin, overfamiliar chase plot, while the humor lands softly and the worldbuilding feels more corporate than curious.
Bottom line
If you’re in the mood for a disposable summer diversion, it can pass the time. As a continuation of the Men in Black idea, though, it feels like a diluted imitation rather than a fresh extension of the franchise.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Alex IHE (0.5★) · 2677 likes
What the fuck were they thinking. No identity. No character. No arcs. No chemistry. No humour. No narrative hook. No fun creature designs. Didn’t like a single scene. Avoid.
andrea🌹 (3★) · 1487 likes
turned to my mom excitedly when i realized the small pawn alien was voiced by kumail nanjiani but she was asleep
Griffin Newman · 948 likes
“You know what the difference is between you and me?”
[puts on sunglasses]
“I almost make MEN IN BLACK II look good.”
rach (4★) · 600 likes
are this years summer blockbusters bad or is everyone on this site just incapable of having fun?
Branson Reese · 510 likes
I hated the Kumail Nanjiani alien so badly that I started to like him in a sick way. I wanted to see how far they would push the laziness of his perspectiveless punch-up jokes and became convinced he was going to say “..so THAT just happened” or possibly “I’ve always wanted to say that” before the film’s end. When he instead opted for the dark-horse “I’m okay!” after falling down I became inconsolable and had to leave the theater to cry in anger.
Liked it otherwise, though. Fun popcorn movie for the whole family.