Men In Black: International
DVD Wholesale Quick Overview:
“Men in Black: International” Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, 115 Minutes, Rated PG-13, Released June 14, 2019:
There are a few things to like in the new “Men in Black: International,” the fourth chapter in the saga which began in 1997. The movie contains comedy and nifty special effects, and works well as a travelogue, zipping from Paris to New York to London, Marrakesh, and Naples. But if you’re expecting something like a “Men in Black” picture, or anything other than a glossy colorful, and very expensive farce, forget about it.
In “Men in Black: International,” rookie MIB agent M (Tessa Thompson) is assigned to a probationary partnership with veteran agent H of the agency’s British branch (Chris Hemsworth). When MIB is infiltrated by a hostile alien force, the new agent is quickly tasked with working undercover within the organization to identify the invader. The primary suspect–her new partner.
The first “Men in Black” picture in 1997 was fun mostly because of the dynamic between Tommy Lee Jones’ unflappable straight-arrow, by-the-books veteran agent and Will Smith’s fast-and-loose recruit. Their interaction contained the same elbow-in-the-ribs hilarity as a precocious child trying to coax a human reaction from one of the Queen’s Grenadiers, mixed with a gleefully mordant plot spoofing science fiction pictures in general.
“Men in Black: International” has none of that. Instead, the new picture offers a silly story, tired puns, double-takes, mugging, and sight gags that would hardly pass muster in a vaudeville sketch. Even the sacred dress code is violated–during the Neopolitan sequences, Hemsworth is stylishly clad in an open-necked white shirt, snug pink slacks, and loafers without socks. Coupled with the actor’s sunny demeanor and Mediterranean tan, he looks more like Neopolitan ice cream than a viable Man in Black.
Directed by former music video filmmaker F. Gary Gray from a script from Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, the writing team behind 2008’s original “Iron Man” picture, “Men in Black: International” pays occasional lip service to the earlier pictures: The neuralizer is still occasionally used by the agents, as are the requisite dark glasses.
But as a whole, more than any of its predecessors “Men in Black: International” is reminiscent of Roger Moore’s James Bond pictures from the 1970s and 1980s–an bloated and blowzy farce featuring expensive performers going through their prescribed motions with minimum effort. This is one time when bigger is decidedly not better.
Also featuring brief supporting appearances by Emma Thompson, a heavily-disguised Rebecca Ferguson, and an outrageously overacting Liam Neeson, “Men in Black: International” is rated PG-13 for science fiction action and some suggestive material.
– Carl Schultz
I once again almost skipped this movie because I heard it was terrible from both critics and reviewers. I decided to just go and see it and what do you know? I ended up enjoying it very much. I haven’t liked an MIB movie this much since the original one. I really thought that that the sequels to the original with Will Smith and tommy lee jones were weak and uninspired whereas this actually does breathe life back into the franchise and has a great plot, great acting, great action, and great chemistry between the characters. Chris Hemsworth and the woman agent who played Valkyrie in Thor:Ragnorok are great together and Emma Thompson and Liam neeson are exceptional in their respective roles. The alien sidekick is hilarious and awesome and adds to the movie instead of coming off as hokey. The story is really well thought out and was very entertaining; it had elements of humor and serious elements that balanced out very well. I enjoyed this much more than the sequels to the first one and I hope they make more of these with this cast because this reboot proved that Will Smith and tommy lee jones were not what made the franchise, it was the writing; I’m glad they stopped following formula and actually wrote a cool story this time around. Don’t listen to all the cynical critics and reviewers, go and see this with and open mind. Everyone else in the theater was saying how good it was when I went so I know I’m not the only one who disagrees with these critics. MIB international is the kick in the butt this franchise needed!!!
-Shelley D. Bowen
DVD Wholesale Main Features :
Actors: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Kumail Nanjiani, Rebecca Ferguson, Rafe Spall
Directors: F. Gary Gray
Producers: Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald
Format: NTSC, Subtitled
Language: English
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Dubbed: French, Spanish
Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English
Audio Description: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only.)
Aspect Ratio: Unknown
Number of discs: 1
Rated: PG-13-Parents Strongly Cautioned
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: September 3, 2019
Run Time: 115 minutes
ASIN: B07SH9TTP1
