After the events of Endgame, Thor decides to quit the Avengers. He can’t quite give up on saving the world, so he joins the Men in Black working for Qui Gon Jinn. He is joined by Valkyrie as they team up to save the world from the Hive. With the help of a miniature Travelocity gnome, Thor and Valkyrie travel the world to protect the most powerful weapon in the universe as they are chased by the Step Up twins.

So, that may not be the exact premise of the film, but it’s pretty close.

Since an encounter as a child, Molly (Tessa Thompson) has been obsessed with finding aliens and the government agency dealing with them, who wear black suits. Once she finally finds them, she talks her way into being recruited. As a probationary task, she is sent to London to work under Agent High T (Liam Neeson), who runs the London branch.

Now known as Agent M, Molly is anxious to prove herself and get her first real case. She convinces Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) to let her help with a case. An alien VIP is stopping by Earth on his journey and Agent H is tasked with protecting him. During the mission, Agents M and H find themselves in possession of a super powerful weapon. A pair of very powerful alien twins are also after the weapon, chasing the agents to retrieve it. To complicate things, there is a suspected mole within the Men in Black. Agents H and M must stop the twins, find the mole, and save the world.

More than 20 years after the original, Men in Black: International introduces us to a new generation of agents ready to keep the planet safe.

Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson have shown they can work well together, starring in Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Endgame. They use that chemistry to their advantage as their pair up again as the new heroes of Men in Black. Hemsworth plays the typical over-cocky agent, much like Will Smith’s Jay. Hemsworth’s agent is more experienced when we meet him but is no less brash. Thompson plays the new recruit who is much more level-headed and down to business. It’s a bit of a reversal from the personalities Smith and Tommy Lee Jones played, which makes it feel fresh. Aside from Hemsworth’s typical Hemsworthiness, Kumail Nanjiani provides most of the comic relief as a small alien who has sworn his life to protect Agent M. The film adds a couple big stars, namely Liam Neeson and Emma Thompson, who perform their parts well, even if they aren’t given as much to do.

The story is a familiar one – pretty much the same formula as the other MIB films. That’s not to say it’s a tired one, just that, much like the entire Fast & Furious franchise, there is a standard storyline you just find new ways to tell. It has a similar feel to the original, just updated for 2019. The cinematography and effects are definitely a step above the 1997 movie, obviously. There is enough humor to keep it light and entertaining and show that the film doesn’t take itself too seriously. It does get a little predictable at times, but nothing that can’t be overlooked.

Men in Black: International is a fun film that can be enjoyed by the whole family. New stars and a pretty good script breathe new life into the 20+ year old franchise. Treat the kids to a family movie night and catch it in theaters.