I have enjoyed all three of the earlier Men in Black comic cosmic adventures and this one is no different. While I miss Will Smith and especially Tommy Lee Jones, it is clear that the new team, Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth, was formulated with the same characteristics in mind. These films aren’t particularly deep or meaningful, but they are fun and certainly have their moments of profundity.

F. Gary Gray’s movie moves the action from America to Britain (and other exotic locales), involving yet another extraterrestrial threat to Earth. Yet this time, the focus is not on strange, sublime alien forms who have emigrated to our planet, but a threat within the MIB organization itself. This change of focus diminishes its impact, in my opinion, and, frankly, it is relatively easy to spot the mole causing all the trouble. Even so, the film sustains a nice balance of wonder, intrigue, humor and pathos.

Twenty-two years after the first film, MIB: International functions as a basic remake of that first film, introducing a new generation of viewers to its own off-kilter universe, utilizing the same “outsider finds a way in and joins the team” premise to explain how aliens exist on Earth, hidden in plain sight, and how the secret authorities (try to) keep everything in order. The major difference is that the key figure is now a woman (Thompson), who proves herself just as capable as any of the Men (and Women) in Black.

While I didn’t find the film very substantial or original (or surprising), I did enjoy it. There’s something about this premise, with its sly cultural connotations and winking humor at how easily aliens could coexist with us, that has always appealed to me. The new crew is attractive and fun, though I could do with less of Chris Hemsworth’s forced charming arrogance. But even that is plot-related, and the action moves along briskly and compellingly. Though the film was not very successful financially I think the series should continue and expand. ☆ ☆ 1/2. 31 July 2019.