MCU isn’t currently in the best position it has been, an issue and debate of quality and quantity is occurring also whether people care post-Avengers Endgame. Whilst unfortunately, The Marvels won’t be the movie that brings people back to the MCU fold completely, it is one of the best and most entertaining post-Endgame adventures so far.
The Marvels, directed by Nia DaCosta, has Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), and Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) switching places when they use their powers. The Marvels whose powers are all connected find themselves tangled together as they attempt to stop Zawe Ashton’’s Dar-Benn from destroying worlds before it is too late.
As far as stories and villains go I can safely say it isn’t Marvel’s strongest villain, one goal in mind and you get a brief explainer as to why she is causing chaos. It is both The Marvels’ best and worst problem. If you’re heading into The Marvels thinking that it will be a Loki-esque mystery or a long emotional journey then you will be disappointed. What The Marvels does best is simply have fun with its loveable characters, from the heroes to Kamala Khan’s family.
If you ignore the always fun Guardians films then The Marvels is the most entertaining, exciting, and fun film since Shang Chi. The three different main characters each bringing their own comedy, background, character stories, and worlds work brilliantly. Each hero is working off of the other in a script that works great for each hero individually and the three together as a team. Nia DaCosta does a brilliant job of juggling each hero and what they bring to the table. Joined together the fight choreography is exciting and energetic, whilst you even get excited when more of the secondary characters, mainly Khan’s family, and back on the screen.
Ms Marvel, in my opinion, is one of the strongest Disney+ MCU projects because of its comedy, emotion, and storytelling. Those same qualities shine in The Marvels as Iman Vellani kills it as Ms Marvel as the first kid outside of Spider-Man to be properly introduced cinematically into the MCU. Ms Marvel’s energetic comedy and fun help to bring out the same from Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel. In 2019’s Captain Marvel, the hero felt a bit too one-dimensional and it felt like Larson didn’t have much freedom to have fun with the character. In The Marvels from the very start, there is a clear and well-received difference which is topped off by Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau who completes the triple threat of heroes that work together so well.
The short runtime means that the film doesn’t overstay its welcome and the villain doesn’t keep repeating herself or get tiresome for the viewer. The Marvels is a mixture of MCU adventure, JJ Abrams’ Star Trek, and the fun of a movie like Freaky Friday (body switching and what the hell is going on vibes). You can’t fault the VFX which is a relief, one less thing for people to complain about, and there are enough surprises and gags to keep you entertained at every moment.
The Marvels is the first step in the right direction for the MCU. I’m excited for future stars like Vellani’s Ms Marvel to go from TV to the big screen. Marvel has built a foundation and they aren’t backing out of it which is a brave and respectable move. Whilst this film won’t be everyone’s cup of tea it is the MCU at its most entertaining, it’s a short brilliant adventure that looks and sounds great in a cinema and won’t leave you trying to research what is going on but rather just think about how much fun you had watching it.
I won’t go into spoilers but the last moment of the film has me excited about the MCU’s future adventures and the post-credit scene was great to watch having no prior information or clues about it. Overall The Marvels will hopefully get its deserved reaction and response and enough for these heroes to continue their fun adventures. The future of the MCU looks marvelous and it is shining brightly but perhaps in a different way, with different characters than everyone might expect. The Marvels is certainly higher, further, and faster.
Score: 4/5 Marvels