It has its fair share of issues, but what The Marvels lacks in quality, it makes up for with a good old-fashioned sense of fun.
Overall Score: 8/10
Image: Marvel Studios / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
All right, let me just put it out there. The Marvels is a good movie. Yes, I agree that it isn’t perfect. And it certainly isn’t one of Marvel’s best films. But it’s nonetheless fun and genuinely funny. It put a big smile on my face, and I’m not ashamed to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it.
A sequel to Captain Marvel (and somewhat to WandaVision and Ms. Marvel), The Marvels follows heroes Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau, and Kamala Khan as they traverse the universe in search of a way to stop Dar-Benn, a Kree revolutionary, and the threat she poses.
Now, I liked the first Captain Marvel, which is, objectively, the better movie. Yet, I strongly feel that The Marvels is far more memorable and rewatchable — despite its flaws. A big reason why I think so is because of the fun dynamic and excellent chemistry between our three leads, Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, and Iman Vellani — all of whom give great performances, especially Vellani. There’s a lot of funny banter between them, a fair amount of shared emotional moments, and several cool and awesome shared fight scenes. They all work so well together on-screen, and my only complaint is that I wish we’d gotten just a little bit more time to spend with just the three of them and to soak in all that fun camaraderie.
The film’s supporting characters are good as well. Kamala’s family, the Khans, for example, are super funny. Some of the film’s best lines and jokes come directly from them, and they bring a welcome sense of family-driven fun to the table. Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury is also pretty phenomenal in this movie, and I like that he’s back to being the lighthearted version of himself that we last saw in Captain Marvel. Hopefully (and I know that this is just wishful thinking), this is a sign that this year’s abysmal Secret Invasion is no longer fully canon.
Furthermore, The Marvels is unexpectedly one of the funniest MCU movies in recent memory. Sure, it admittedly isn’t on the same level as the Guardians of the Galaxy films or Thor: Love and Thunder, but it leans into and gives off very similar vibes. And more importantly, most, if not all, of its jokes and gags land. I particularly enjoyed a hilarious sequence involving Goose (Marvel’s resident Flerken) and the evacuation of S.A.B.E.R personnel from a space station. And while I won’t reveal the specifics of what happens, know that Barbra Streisand’s version of “Memory" from the musical Cats is used ingeniously and very effectively.
Another positive thing about The Marvels is how joyous and uplifting it is. Nowadays, most superhero movies take themselves too seriously or are too cynical. And although there’s nothing inherently wrong with that, it’s nice to occasionally enjoy one that’s simple, light, silly, and fun. Plus, considering how stressful my life’s been lately, that’s the exact kind of movie I needed The Marvels to be.
Lastly, the many action sequences featured throughout the film are all awesome. They’re fun, thrilling, well-choreographed, surprisingly well-shot, and genuinely some of the best we’ve gotten from the MCU in recent years. Director Nia DaCosta has outdone herself here, and I hope she’ll be back to produce more content for Marvel again soon.
Now, of course, by no means is The Marvels a perfect movie. It’s got some tonal issues, a couple of odd editing choices, and an underdeveloped villain. But despite all that, it’s still undeniably highly entertaining and something I would be happy to watch again. Definitely check it out if you need a break from reality or the seriousness of other superhero-related media. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
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