The Aliens that Should Have Been

Men In Black: International

Directed By: F. Gary Gray

So I was sitting watching Men in Black International the other day thinking to myself… Why isn’t this working?

Two talented likable leads.

Aliens.

It should be good right?

And I have to say much like Dark Phoenix it’s not the worst movie of the year by far. It’s just kind of there with no real reason. It’s pointless. It feels it.

And it really shouldn’t.

So here’s what I think would have helped:

More Emma Thompson because she is awesome and for the five or so minutes she was in it the movie felt more alive- at least I wasn’t fighting sleep at those points.

Redo Riza’s whole look…

Which does seem really shallow of me but I found her whole thing jarring to the point of like me sitting there thinking, “What have they done to Rebecca Ferguson?” There’s a difference between alien look and alien fashion tragedy. I also actually enjoyed Ferguson in the role when I could get past the get up.

Funny would help…

The little Pawn guy was the funniest part as seems to be the case with the recent films. But otherwise Men in Black: International just had a bunch of parts where I was thinking, “I should be laughing here. The movie very much thinks it’s funny…”

But it could have used some help.

I actually enjoyed the idea of Molly looking for MIB and hunting them. It says a lot about the smarts and tenacity of her character but it was over in the blink of an eye and onto the usual. Maybe have O specifically bring her in as someone they don’t know to get to the possible mole with the idea that when she does O will still neuralize her so she forgets?

And if they really had to come from New York to London maybe O could have gone with her?

Okay, the next bit is spoilery though I try to keep it vague…

BE WARNED

At the end of the film my roommate was like why didn’t they just take control of both of them? Which made us assume that the one had made a deal and given himself up to protect the other but that’s just an assumption because we didn’t see enough of that relationship we were just told.

Same with H’s office rivalry and everyone repeatedly telling us he had changed.

Basically I  think they withheld information for a “shocking twist” that might have actually made for a more emotional movie-going experience if they had given it to the audience.

So also like Dark Phoenix they moved to fast whereas that movie at least had a famous popular comic book story to fall back on as well as carry over from at least Fassbender, McAvoy and Hoult in the roles MIB: International was just like here’s a pretty, cool cast and some aliens to try to carry it.

Recommend: Wait for it to stream.. Much like Dark Phoenix I wouldn’t bother in the theaters. It’s a wait for a winter night or a Sunday when you’re doing the laundry and want some Hemsworth.