Development
Danny Elfman,who scored the previous Men in Black films,returned for International. His protégé and fellow composer Chris Bacon,who worked with Elfman on co-producing and arranging his scores,served as the co-composer. He felt it as a pleasure to return to the franchise,as it allowed him "to visit this unique musical world where I’m combining retro and contemporary music in a playful way". [1] Like his previous films,Elfman reused the themes and melodies from the predecessor while also wrote new themes for this film,adding that it was a "sonic element that feels fresh but really delivers an element that the audience would love to hear". [1]
The eventual combination was a result of a brass,percussion and string music that is featured in his composition "Viper Room". Elfman wanted to provide a theme for Molly/Agent M (Tessa Thompson) as her journey is part of an emotional connection with the audience,and also as she was a newcomer in the team. However,he did not do the same for Henry/Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) fearing that it would clutter the score,in the same way as the protagonists of their original franchise,Agent J (Will Smith) and Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) as Henry was part of the Men in Black team. [1]
Elfman retrieved the "old-school spy" sensibility of the film by tapping on the 1960s ultralounge music that provided a conscious throwback to that era. Despite the characters travelling across the globe and the film has subtitled International in the film,Elfman refrained from leaning geographically,despite the team's attempts. He recalled that,"even though there are a few moments in Morocco where they asked me to bring in some Moroccan flavor [...] I tried as much as I could without going too on-the-nose with that." [1]
Reception
Filmtracks.com wrote "The work is a sufficiently competent and enjoyable supplement with about fifteen minutes of truly worthwhile material." [4] William Bibbiani of TheWrap wrote "composer Chris Bacon gives Danny Elfman's original,eclectic Men in Black score an action movie punch-up." [5] Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail deciphered it as a "bouncy score". [6] Karen Han of Polygon complimented the use of the theme music from the predecessors,provide a "considerable amount of goodwill". [7]
Diamond Fudge of KCCI criticized it as "a bland imitation of Danny Elfman's original score". [8] Oliver Jones of The Observer wrote "the score—written by original series composer Danny Elfman aided by Chris Bacon bubbles with a pulsing irony and self-awareness that the script only wishes it possessed. But there is too much of it. Smothering every last scene,the music ends up feeling like the gravy in Navy boat cream chipped beef,meant chiefly to distract you from what lies beneath." [9]
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