Let’s get this out of the way. I’ve been reading Marvel comics since the early ‘80s. I’ve seen every MCU film and all of the Disney+ shows. I love the MCU while acknowledging that the post-Avengers: Endgame era has been hit and miss. The elimination of beloved characters, the death of Chadwick Boseman, Covid, and Jonathan Majors’ legal issues along with an overarching plot about parallel universes that’s maybe been too nebulous has led the massive franchise out into the weeds a bit. Where does that leave Nia DaCosta’s The Marvels (out this Friday), then? If my ramble up top doesn’t put you off what somebody like me thinks about these films, by all means, read on.
I won’t be summarizing the plot in any traditional sense. The story is mostly concerned with following up on threads from Captain Marvel, Wandavision, Ms. Marvel, and Secret Invasion. We find out what Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) was up to between the ‘90s and the Blip, we catch up with Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) as she figures out how to use the superpowers gained from her encounter with the Scarlet Witch, and we laugh with Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) as she finally has her dreams fulfilled. The catalyst for our leads coming together is the villainous Kree conqueror Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton). Oh, and there’s plenty of Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) and the voracious catlike Goose the Flerken. Significant supporting roles also belong to Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, and Saagar Shaikh as Kamala’s proud but exasperated family.
For fans invested in the MCU, DaCosta, Megan McDonnell, and Elissa Karasik’s script does its best to weave together the lore from the aforementioned properties. The beginning of the movie somewhat recaps who all our main players are for those audience members who may not be one of Stan Lee’s True Believers, but it doesn’t feel like handholding. It injects some welcome Guardians of the Galaxy-style quirkiness into the proceedings, though it never really breaks out from the Marvel formula. The aspects of the script that work the best are the interplay between our leads and all of the stuff with the Khan family unit. Ashton does what she can with her antagonistic role, but her character is underwritten. The basic plot also lifts from SPACEBALLS, of all things. At times, you can feel the writers struggling to pull together the checklist they were likely given, with the third act laboring to complete the main story while dropping in nuggets for future films to follow up on.
This has been the MCU’s main stumbling block, recently. Their interconnectivity is a double-edged sword. People like me love seeing the weaving together of storylines from various earlier franchise entries, as it makes their universe feel boundless and lived-in. On the other hand, I understand that some folks aren’t going to want to watch a bazillion other movies and TV shows just to know what the hell is going on in what amounts to a popcorn muncher. That uncertainty about how to move forward is at play here. It’s a difficult balancing act that this time comes down more on the side of the dedicated longtime fan. Being a member of that group, I can’t complain.
I’m glad to report that dubious digital effects are not an issue with The Marvels. Alien planets, spaceships, lasers, and super-powered battles all look pretty dang good. Our heroes’ powers are linked but are clearly delineated with specific visual cues. I saw the IMAX version of the film and DP Sean Bobbitt’s imagery really popped in that format. I also enjoyed the handful of split-screen sequences, which gave the film a little stylistic flourish while playing into themes about the titular trio.
Performances are solid. Larson leads the way and carries the film just fine, although her character’s arc isn’t that well-defined for what is ostensibly the lead role. Parris has a tough row to hoe in that she’s neither the experienced and capable hero that is Danvers, nor the comedic relief that is embodied by Ms Marvel. She does get to have some angst concerning the demise of her mother, but that element doesn’t get a lot of screen time. Vellani is pitch-perfect. She holds her own against veteran performers and manages to shine even brighter than them on occasion. Marvel honchos would be wise to utilize her as much as possible, going forward.
Not everything works in Nia DaCosta’s The Marvels, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a smile on my face for most of the 105-minute runtime. For those missing the consistent gradual building up of the Thanos megaplot in the MCU’s first three phrases, I feel like this phase five entry successfully calls back to those days with the film’s closing moments as well as with a bombshell mid-credits scene. Surprisingly, there’s no end-credits scene, just a jokey sound effect. The bottom line is that if you’ve stuck with the MCU thus far with not much complaint, you’ll probably enjoy this film just fine. If, however, you’re tired of superheroes or haven’t cared for the direction of the franchise of late, you won’t find anything here to change your mind. Recommended with caveats for fans of fangirling, alien dance rituals, and President Skroob’s Spaceball One.
Michael Cavender