The Marvels Brings A Much Needed Comic Book Zaniness To The Marvel Cinematic Universe
It’s no secret there’s been a huge amount of superhero fatigue as well as skepticism about the new direction of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After lackluster entries like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, I can honestly say I wasn’t expecting much going into their latest film The Marvels. While I had enjoyed the Disney+ shows WandaVision and Ms Marvel, they felt more like set ups that were missing their landing than actual standalone stories. Now it all seemingly comes together in The Marvels as Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) is thrust into an unusual predicament when she finds her powers entangled with that of Ms Marvel (Iman Vellani) and Captain Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). But is the film good?
Surprisingly, The Marvels is the most fun I’ve had watching a superhero movie in a while! It is genuinely hilarious and zany, introducing us to new worlds and storylines that reminded me of the wacky comic book plots I’ve always loved. There’s so much action and girl power, especially as the trio learn to work together. Carol Danvers is more human than we’ve ever seen her before, Monica Rambeau embodies the heart, and Kamala Khan brings a new exciting energy to the team. Vellani, in particular, was a huge stand out, delivering even more of the relatability and charm that we saw from her in Ms Marvel.
While the highlights of the film are the trio and the comedy, things take a bit of a dip when it comes to the actual storyline and villain. We focus on the wartime mistakes that Carol has made which brings in villain Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton), a survivor of the Kree war who will do anything to save her dying home planet of Hala. While you understand why she’s doing what she is doing to save her people, she remains underdeveloped and forgettable. I would also recommend watching Captain Marvel, WandaVision, and Ms Marvel first just so you really understand what’s going on. While it will still be enjoyable without having seen them, I think it will be confusing for people who aren’t caught up.
The film ends with a jaw-dropping final act and mid credits scene that is about to introduce us to things fans have only been dreaming about. It literally changes EVERYTHING. I, for one, am very excited to see how they continue to move forward with these new revelations.
Catch the cosmic adventure of The Marvels in theaters this Friday.
