The Marvels review – one small step in the right direction
Ironically, the big takeaway from The Marvels is probably going to be that game-changing post credit scene.
To some extent that’s a shame as The Marvels has a lot to enjoy even if it’s still showing too many of legacy issues that have plagued Marvel Studios’ Multiverse Saga.
Brie Larson returns as Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel, one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most powerful characters. In the quasi-sequel to her 2019 standalone film, she’s reunited with her “niece,” the now adult Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris, WandaVision) who has powers of her own.
Despite Captain Marvel flashbacks showing a different 90s-era young Monica, Kennedy McCallam-Martin is cast to more accurately reflect a child version of Parris’ Monica. This wasn’t the reunion Monica envisioned as she has some unresolved issues from her time stolen via The Blip and its impact on her mother and Carol’s best friend, Marie (Lashana Lynch).
Thanks to a wacky coincidence, the two keep trading places with each other and Ms. Marvel aka Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani). The trio are dragged into a conflict with Kree Accuser Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton), who’s got a device that somehow puts her on seemingly a Thanos level for her ability to go toe to toe with Captain Marvel & friends without any backup.
Dar-Benn wants payback on Captain Marvel and will stop at nothing to get her revenge. You know, standard MCU villain fare.
Let’s get the problems out of the way first. For MCU casuals who didn’t watch WandaVision or Ms. Marvel, these two new heroes, their supporting cast and backstory are going to be confusing.
On the plus side, The Marvels thankfully renders the horrifically unwatchable Secret Invasion Disney+ series moot. Hopefully never to be referred to again. Especially if you’re a fan of Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury actually playing a competent Nick Fury.
Bad guys really don’t need some tragedy to explain their “turn” to the dark side. It’s ok for the villain to just be a villain. With The Marvels, Ashton is just left shouting some empty platitudes without ever feeling like a threat or scene-chewing villain. This is disappointing considering Ashton’s husband, Tom Hiddleston aka Loki, is one of the more acclaimed and nuanced MCU villains.
At some point that makes the fights seem somewhat senseless. As Dar-Benn is just slinging her hammer and there’s not enough “evil deeds” equity to truly root against her. Dar-Benn is just the obligatory force for Carol, Monica and Kamala to smash.
There’s a musical scene that while amusing, feels weirdly out of place at its point in the film.
And there’s a heavy emphasis on cats including one particularly weird scene accompanied by Marvel Studios’ now trademark oddly fitting musical tracks. If you’re not a cat person, The Marvels might not be for you.
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At one hour and 45 minutes, The Marvels is the shortest MCU film. While this allows for a breakneck pace where Director/co-screenwriter Nia DaCosta (Candyman) can cut loose with the inspired action sequences, that comes at the expense of some needed plot development.
There’s a random moment that seems to throw a bone to shippers of a certain MCU pairing. It’s the kind of thing that won’t satisfy the shipper crowd and is not a good precedent to try and cater to a micro segment of the fanbase.
Yes, The Marvels has a hefty bag of issues, but there’s also plenty to appreciate.
The chemistry with the three leads is excellent. Larson, Parris and Vellani make a strong case for more adventures with their hero trio. From Kamala fangirling over being in the same room as her hero, trying to come up with a code name for Monica to the uneasiness of the Carol/Monica reunion, there’s a strong interplay between the leads.
Credit DaCosta and co-screenwriters Megan McDonnell and Elissa Karasik for crafting a script that celebrates its leads without wasting time trashing dudes.
One of most important revelations of The Multiverse Saga is Vellani’s emergence as a breakout star. Vellani’s Kamala is such a refreshing addition to the MCU providing some desperately needed enthusiasm and exuberance.
Ms. Marvel is one of the few Disney+ MCU success stories. While Kamala’s future seems bright for the big screen, her friendly neighborhood hero shtick is well served for a TV series as well. For Ms. Marvel fans it wasn’t a surprise that Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur and Saagar Shaikh had some of the film’s low-key best humorous moments as Kamala’s parents and brother.
Whenever the Avengers do make their long-awaited return, The Marvels shows that Parris is an excellent ensemble player who could stand side by side with major players like Thor, Captain America, Dr. Strange, etc.
Captain Marvel still remains a challenge as her character is so overpowered it’s hard to create compelling or suspenseful drama when a character shrugs off every blow. And then it becomes a question of when random characters tie her up longer than you’d expect.
Larson gets more opportunities to flesh out Carol’s personality, which opens up avenues to show some emotional vulnerabilities and doubt. Still as the film plays out, Carol is certainly the least interesting of the big three.
DaCosta has no trouble handling the demands of a blockbuster action spectacle. The flow of the action scenes is impressive particularly with the constant body swapping at play. Marvel Studios has taken some hits lately with some shaky and half-finished appearing CGI, but The Marvels’ visuals seem to be back on track.
The Marvels has some rough edges, but there’s enough enjoyable elements to make for a decent amount of fun thanks to the dynamic chemistry of the three leads.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Photo Credit: Marvel Studios