Quick thoughts on Men in Black: International

 
It was good. Not great, not very good, just good. Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth, reteaming after Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Endgame, are terrific together, even if the script and direction kind of waste their chemistry (not many two shots just letting them act together and off of each other, the script is very generic and not something worthy of these two together). Hemsworth is breezy, charming, and fun. Thompson believable and winning as the more straight (wo)man kind of role, while not being a stick in the mud or just plugging her into a Tommy Lee Jones kind of role. Good supporting cast, especially Kumail Nanjiani is fun (always been a big fan), Rafe Spall, Liam Neeson, Rebecca Ferguson, and I always want more Emma Thompson. There's not enough Emma Thompson in the world.

It misses previous series director Barry Sonnenfeld much more than it misses previous stars Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, surprisingly. I think some directorial flair would've livened the thing up a lot. Thompson, Hemsworth, and Nanjiani are all doing as much as can be done. The humor? There’s some decent humor, and good fun chemistry between the leads that the movie doesn’t take advantage of. I don’t really remember anything that falls flat, humor wise, but nothing that really makes you belly laugh either.

So, great actors doing good work, but generic script and direction. It also just doesn't have the goofy fun of the other movies, especially the first one. It has action and aliens and whatnot, but not given that little tweak that has made the series fun in the past. It also doesn't have the heart that the third movie had. But still, overall I enjoyed myself enough. It's a big Hollywood blockbuster action movie with everything you expect from that. I hope they make another one, because Hemsworth and Thompson deserve a movie worthy of them in this franchise.

It’s more like a pleasant time at the movies. If you just go in expecting to be entertained you’ll be okay, but if you expect something great you’ll be let down.