Review: Men in Black: International is a solid addition to the popular franchise

Enlarge / Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson join forces as Agent H and Agent M to ward off an alien attack in Men in Black: International. (credit: YouTube/Sony Pictures)

A pair of shapeshifting aliens with electrifying powers and mad breakdancing skills threaten the safety of Earth’s inhabitants in Men in Black: International. The fourth installment in the popular franchise hits theaters this weekend, and this iteration is the first not to star Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Fortunately, former Thor: Ragnorak co-stars Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson prove themselves worthy successors to that dynamic duo, bringing their own brand of wisecracking buddy-cop chemistry to this standalone sequel.

(Some mild spoilers below.)

The first Men in Black film (1997) was an instant classic and pretty much cemented Will Smith’s status as a mega-star. Smith’s chemistry with co-star Tommy Lee Jones was a sheer delight, and the original was rounded out by an equally terrific cast. Miraculously, the sequel, Men in Black II (2002), was almost as good, and a Hollywood franchise was born, reuniting Smith and Jones one last time with Men in Black III (admittedly the weakest film of the trilogy) in 2012.