'The Marvels' Review: Three Powerful Heroes & A Weak Villain
Marvel might be a mess, but they still create some fun times at the theaters.
Marvel continues to oversaturate itself in the market of film and television. With the abundance of shows and movies in the MCU world, catching up with the timeline feels more like a chore than anything else. Yet, there is still that underlying urge to watch these superhero flicks because of the brand and spectacle. While you might not be eager to check it out, the many surprises will keep the intrigued nature intact. That is how I felt with Nia DaCosta’s The Marvels, the Captain Marvel sequel that brings together three characters from all different corners of the MCU for one big space adventure.
A constant aspect of movie-watching I think about is the fun factor. If a movie is enjoyable and has a handful of fantastic moments, does that cover the faults in other areas? Here, I would give The Marvels a fun pass because it is a charming expedition full of splendid character moments and many lighthearted jokes that perfectly encapsulate the vibe of the end goal. From the fangirling from Kamala Khan to the planet where singing is their only language, The Marvels will throw you on a leisurely and fast-paced ride.
The story follows Captain Marvel, who is struggling with an unspoken event she was a part of. When Kree leader Dar-Benn scours for a way to get their planet back to its original state, she runs across Captain Marvel, her foe with a deep history. Dar-Benn plans to stop her, but the problem is that whenever Carol Danvers uses her powers, there is a switch of placement between her, Monica Rambeau, and Kamala Khan, causing a flurry of chaos in this journey to save the world.
The big problem The Marvels has is that the script is all over the place, once again using the cheap villain route where, instead of making this a profound villain with an emotional and vulnerable backstory, you get an evil that is so forgettable. Poor Zawe Ashton because she is trying her absolute best to make this character riveting, but Dar-Benn is ripped straight from the basics of being a villain. The three leads, fortunately, have better development and depth, bringing out some complex themes of trust and responsibility under the superhero lens. They also have some great acting chops as well. Well, most of them do. Brie Larson is not the best here, having absolutely no emotion whatsoever. Sure, it works with her character’s story, but some enthusiasm would have helped. She hinders the chemistry between the trio, including Teyonah Parris and Iman Vellani, who are the ones that naturally flow into the film from their previous appearances.
The Marvels is not top-tier Marvel, but it is a fun time from start to finish. Plus, with stunning costume design and some pleasing story elements, there is slight greatness balancing out the bad, which is the messy script attempting to construct a somewhat cohesive story. Don’t worry too much about watching the other shows for this film too. I never had the chance to watch Ms. Marvel, and it was easy to infer her backstory and who she was. Just go to the theater and have a fun time watching three powerful women kick some ass.