ver since she was a little girl, Molly Wright has been obsessed with knowing the truth about the universe – including, and perhaps especially, the “little green men” that a certain organization works tirelessly to conceal from the public. As an adult, Molly (Tessa Thompson) finally manages to infiltrate that elusive agency, the “Men in Black,” and is accepted for a probationary period (donning the moniker “Agent M”) at their London unit under the leadership of the esteemed High T (Liam Neeson). Once there, the ambitious rookie determines that the fastest way towards advancement is to partner with the branch’s most renowned member, Agent H (Chris Hemsworth), a legend among the ranks. But H’s arrogance and cavalier attitude towards duty soon find the mismatched duo racing around the world, gathering clues and companions, including an acerbic alien chessman (Kumail Nanjiani), to solve an intergalactic crisis that could spell doom for the entire galaxy.

The hit memory-erasing gimmick (technically, a neuralyzer) returns on overdrive, getting reused with an utterly absent sparsity, to the point that audiences might think its the franchise’s most successful joke. It’s a memorable routine, but it grows stale here quite quickly. Breathing new life into the series, however, is Hemsworth and Thompson, who bring a youthfulness and flirty repartee into the fold. She’s curious, whimsical, wide-eyed, and optimistic (and “suitably tragic,” as Agent O puts it, noting Molly’s isolation from typical relationships) – a perfect fit for the MIB universe. And he’s a cocky, cheeky, insubordinate, reckless hotshot. Pairing the rookie with the seasoned senior agent certainly isn’t original, but for the first time there’s a welcome romantic attraction between the leading operatives that comically complicates their missions.

Agent M’s training montage is swift, as the filmmakers clearly don’t wish to repeat themselves in that particular concept. Unfortunately, they provide repetition in plenty of other forms – from the “red button” trend to miniature aliens hiding in plain sight to ever larger sci-fi weaponry. As with the last two entries, the stories can’t seem to locate the creativity of the 1997 blockbuster; there are countless aliens wandering around in the background or briefly interacting with the heroes, but they’re forgettable and insignificant, and the subplots leading to the final showdown are formulaic and oddly conventional. The visual combination of cute and grotesque is still thankfully present (the creature designs have remained a highlight of the series), along with silly names and consistent humor. “I’m not fornicating with a Jabaybian!”

But despite the frequent jests, few are sizable; practically all of the laughs are little ones. And, as if an intentional pattern (for the third picture in a row), the primary villains are terribly uninteresting, augmented by an overload of CG and a shocking deprivation of comic relief. They’re silent stalkers with nothing to say; they’re unemotional monsters serving as obstacles for the sake of prolonging the predicaments. At least Hemsworth and Thompson have a discernible chemistry, elaborating upon their familiar partnership from “Thor: Ragnarok,” even if they switch back and forth between being the straight person and the funny one. The other Thompson, Emma, is also sensational, even though she’s only given a couple of lines (her outrageous expressions tend to convey a lot more than her dialogue), and Danny Elfman’s playful music nicely supplements the extraterrestrial action. Overall, “Men in Black: International” is an amusing reboot, lacking as it is in an abundance of areas, but it boasts one major accomplishment: Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, as vital as they were to the original, aren’t really missed here. The waggish misadventures play out just fine without them.

– The Massie Twins