Men in Black: International

07/04/2019

After seven years, the Men in Black series has come back with its fourth installment, Men in Black: International, starring Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth.

The sci-fi comedy series follows agents of a top-secret organization that monitors alien activity on Earth. This spin-off film is about the said organization, now global, but with its own internal issues to solve. The main character Molly, played by Thompson, encountered an alien at a young age but the MIB agents failed to erase her memories. As a result, she spends many years searching for the agency and gets with her determination in being a part of them.

Although the series has done well in the past, continuing its legacy may not have been the best idea. It's not that the movie was terrible, it's just that it did not really live up to its hype. Unfortunately, I'm not alone; the film received an extremely low rating from Rotten Tomatoes and there were some disappointing reviews, as well.

And for those who are expecting some romance to spark between Hemsworth's and Thomspon's characters... there isn't any. The relationship between the two seemed more like a good friendship built through adversity.

Compared to the old films starring Will Smith, the old films had more thrill to it - the plots were more shocking and attention-grabbing than the newest film (which felt like it was dragging the plot on). The 1997 film may have been released a while ago but the script, scenes, and storyline were better in my opinion.

There may have been some low ratings and bad reviews on the film, but we can't ignore the good aspects of the movie. Despite the anti-climatic ending, its comedic scenes, good actors, and great cinematography makes up for it. There was also a Thor reference in the film, where Hemsworth's character throws a hammer. And for the Chris Hemsworth fans out there, I guess the movie is WORTH watching! Overall, the movie isn't so bad to watch if you are looking for sci-fi, comedy, aliens, and adventure, but I, as well as some others, prefer the old films with Will Smith more than this film.

In terms of whether or not the film is appropriate, I would say that it is okay to watch for ages 13 and over. The film contains some swearing and mature jokes, but overall it was not too explicit. If you would like to look more into this film, Common Sense Media is a good website to look at.

- Sabrina M.