Movie Talk - The Men in Black Movie Franchise

I’m surprised that I haven’t talked about these movies here. While me and Liz were visiting some family, they were watching the latest Men in Black movie, Men in Black International. I hadn’t made my way around to seeing it yet especially since I knew it wasn’t received well. It turns out that Liz hadn’t seen any of the MIB movies, so we had a bit of a project back in March. All three of the original were on Netflix, so we were able to revisit a bit of childhood nostalgia… well nostalgia for me. I’d seen all three movies though I didn’t remember much of MIB3.

For those who don’t know, Men in Black was based on some comics of the same name, so you can also throw Men in Black in the comic book genre. They were done by Aircel Comics (which got bought out by Malibu Comics) in the 90’s. The series revolves around a secret group of government agents who interact different paranormal and extraterrestrial beings on Earth. They’re either protecting them or making sure they stay in line and don’t go on murder sprees. The movies just revolved around the alien stuff. The first movie was a big success and even spawned a pretty cool animated series that I fondly remember. It gets pretty spotty after that, but that’s how these franchises go. So, what did I think of all four movies?

 

Men in Black

Men in Black was released in 1997. In it, we get introduced to the organization as James Edwards (Will Smith) becomes a new recruit. He and his hardened, grizzled partner Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) uncover a plot that involves a stolen galaxy that puts the fate of Earth in balance.  Yeah, I ain’t spoiling anything here because this was awesome. I don’t have much to say about it because it just an awesome movie. The story itself is pretty good. We get a lot thrown at us and it’s done in a way that makes it digestible. They didn’t try to overcomplicate the plot which could’ve easily happened.

Ain't nothing funnier than someone trying to flirt in a morgue. Also, it's a shame that "Agent L" never returned. I liked her.

The movie’s also pretty hilarious. It also helped that Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones had a good rapport with one another. Those two made the movie… and I can kinda see why MIB2 is the way it is. More on that later. A lot of the characters and aliens here were pretty memorable. We get to see a variety of aliens here with a mix of practical and CG effects. Most of it still holds up a couple of decades later especially the practical stuff. Other than that, there’s not a lot wrong with the film. Maybe things could’ve been laid out a little better, but this is a good as it can get. It’s still a must-see.

 

Men in Black 2

MIB2 was released in 2002. At this point, Jay’s the big man in charge and Kay’s retired. Things change when Serleena (Lara Flynn Boyle), an alien who has history with the MIB and Kay, returns to Earth searching for an artifact. Since she has ties to Kay, Jay gets him out of retirement. MIB headquarters is overrun by Serleena and her goons, so Jay and Kay have to work together to once again save the Earth. We get some favorite aliens returning and Rosario Dawson in a fine role sporting a cute hair-do… what? It’s true.

I think this is the best way to describe this movie: a little pain with some Rosario Dawson to help ease the pain.

So… this wasn’t good. In fact, it’s pretty far from good. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but there has to be a reason I’ve barely seen it since it’s been released. Even though it has its problems, it has some good things. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are good in it, but I do wonder if Kay would’ve been needed given the ending of the first movie. Some of the returning aliens like Frank the Pug and the Worms were funny as ever. I also thought Rosario’s Dawson’s character was cute and her romance with Jay was nice. Also while I wasn’t the biggest fan of our main baddie, Lara Flynn Boyle did a good job at least.

I think I know what it’s missing now: a heart. It just feels so by-the-numbers for a sequel. The first movie had a pretty definitive ending, and this movie kinda craps on it to get Jay and Kay back together. The story kinda rehashes the first one a little bit and not a good way. While some interesting character beats are introduced, none of it really pays off. The humor also felt off at some points. Moments that could’ve been funny didn’t come off that way at times. The effects aren’t bad, but this era of the CGI revolution doesn’t hold up now. I wonder if the CG looked good for me back then. Anyway, in the end, this wasn’t a good sequel or movie, but it has some good stuff.

 

Men in Black 3

Next is MIB3 from 2012… they really waited for another sequel didn’t they? In this installment, an alien from Kay’s past breaks out of prison and tries to take his revenge. When he can’t get Kay in the present, he’s able to kill Kay in the past and ends up changing the present. Jay is the only one who recognizes that time has changed and is tasked by the new head of MIB to go back in time to set things right. Jay ends up interacting with a younger Kay (played by Josh Brolin) and ends up learning a lot more than he realized.

This was definitely a step up from MIB2. I don’t know if it was planned to do another one, but this feels like they knew this would be the final one for Jay and Kay. Smith and Jones are as bickery as ever here, and it even gets pretty heartfelt. Josh Brolin as the younger Kay was another cool addition. He does his best to get Jones’s mannerisms down, and he succeeds for the most part. Boris was a fine villain. Not only do we get some weird body horror with him, but he’s also got a good moments to shine. I also thought Agent Oh (played by Emma Thompson) was a nice replacement for Zed.

I'm betting dude in the middle so wants to make an "Entanglement" joke... hey, I had to say something!

The story is fine for the most part with the characters doing their best to really make it work. The small, heartfelt moments are really where the movie shines. The special effects were pretty good here and definitely a step up from early 2000’s CGI. Getting to see what this world with hidden aliens looked like in the 60’s was cool. While I do like the story, things do get a little convoluted with the time travel mechanics. I also wasn’t the biggest fan of one character, Griffin, but he has his moments. While some of the humor worked, a couple moments don’t hit like they should. Other than those things, this was good but not as good as the original.

 

Men in Black International

Finally, we have the return to the MIB franchise with this sequel. Released in 2019, it starred Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thomspon, and Liam Nesson. While Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones don’t return, we do get a couple of holdovers from the original movies like Emma Thompson’s Agent Oh and Frank the Pug (in a cameo). In the movie, Tessa Thompson plays Agent M, a new recruit to the organization. In the London branch of MIB, she ends up crossing paths with Hemworth’s Agent H, a decorated agent who’s pretty disgraced at the moment. M and H are forced to work together when an alien bigwig is killed by twin assassins. After they come across a planet-destroying weapon, they then go on the run because it’s rumored that there’s a mole in MIB who’s working for the assassins’ leaders.

M: And what is that?
H: That, my friend, is a better script. Too bad we don't have one!

Well, if you wanted “The Further Adventures of Thor and Valkyrie,” you’ll be pretty disappointed. This was a trainwreck of a movie. Our main leads are underdeveloped and not really likable. Yeah, Hemsworth and Thompson try their butts off, but it’s not working. I guess someone saw Thor Ragnarök (aka “Thor: Plays with Rock”) and though that would work for the MIB… Nope! The story we get isn’t all that good either. It feels empty, soulless, and undercooked. It also doesn’t help that the humor isn’t all that good either. I may have laughed at maybe a small percent.

Even though the story and characters miss the mark completely, everything else is fine. The special effects look good as ever. We get a lot of CG, but it is well done. I also though the Twin Assassins were cool-looking even though they barely had any lines. Even though M and H weren’t good characters, Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson try their best to make it work. I did like that we at least got Agent Oh (Emma Thompson) back if only for a little bit. I even kinda like that little alien warrior (voiced by Kamil Nanjiani) even though he had his annoying moments. Overall, it’s pretty bad and the worst of the franchise.

…………………………………………..

In the end, two out of four good movies ain’t bad. It sucks that the MIB movies went the way of most franchises. The sequels couldn’t live up to the first one though MIB3 comes close. I don’t know if they’ll try again with the movies, but I think a TV series could work. Heck, I remember the Men in Black animated series from Kids’ WB being pretty cool. Anyway, that’s all I got for today. Until then, Peace, God Bless, and be careful out there.

That walk always cracked me up. Awesome theme song.