The Marvels
Girls just wanna have fun
Iman Vellani, Brie Larson, and Teyonah Parris try to fix their powers and the universe in Nia DaCosta's The Marvels.
Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) is supposed to be doing her science homework when she’s thrown into a spacesuit careening past stars. She’s switched places with Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), who was studying a seemingly malfunctioning Jump Point just beyond the Earth’s orbit. Monica, now on a planet several solar systems away, is pretty confused when she finds herself across the galaxy and in the middle of a fight. But no one is as discombobulated as Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), who lands in the midst of Kamala’s Jersey City bedroom and is confronted with the largest collection of Captain Marvel fan art and memorabilia she’s ever seen.
Just as all three women begin to sort out what’s happening to them, they switch again. And again. And again.
Now, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) must figure out why all the superheroes with light-based powers are glitching before it becomes an intergalactic incident. And the Khan family must figure out what to do with Goose, who is a very nice Flerken, but has eaten their sofa and most of their kitchen in a burst of what can only be described as “orange cat energy”.
Why are the trio of heroes swapping whenever they use their powers? Can they work together to use this to their advantage? And why is Goose putting on so much weight?
There was a time before Christopher Nolan when we all just accepted that superhero movies were goofy fun. But recently, Marvel Fatigue (and…DC bewilderment?) has further colored what we expect from superhero movies. While James Gunn desperately tries to pull DC out of its downward spiral and the MCU collapses under the weight of its own financial expectations and ever-expanding universe, moviegoers and critics have soured toward the genre. DC seems to have stumbled with The Flash and Blue Beetle. And Marvel requires homework in the form of watching endless TV shows and tie-ins if you want to keep up with their multiverse of madness.
But as we all slog through an admittedly over-saturated market, The Marvels is a nice respite and a reminder that sometimes we can just have fun with characters we like on a silly adventure.
That’s not to say The Marvels isn’t subject to the same pitfalls that most MCU movies stumble into. Is the multiverse interesting yet? Not really, unless you’re an animated Miles Morales. Do Jump Points or other timey wimey plots make sense? Meh. But that’s not the point. The point of The Marvels is to have three interesting, superpowered ladies work together to solve a problem and have a good time doing it. The result is delightful nonsense if you’re willing to let go of your Marvel Fatigue and embrace it.
Director Nia DaCosta doesn’t reinvent the wheel with The Marvels, but she does inject some much-needed energy and humor into the universe. She also made the film mercifully short, because the 2.5-hour norm for these films was becoming unbearable. The fight sequences, with the three leads switching places frequently due to their glitching powers, could be confusing and strange. But DaCosta keeps the action clear, even as she plays with how the women swap in and out of fights. The first sequence, with poor Kamala discovering what a Flerken is moments before having to fight for her life, is an especially inspired bit of chaotic fight choreography.
Beyond some inventive action, the film also has something that’s been missing from the MCU: Whimsey. Everything has gotten so bleak with our Marvel heroes. Rocket Raccoon is dealing with childhood trauma. Peter Parker is alone in the world. The Eternals…happened. It’s stark out there for the cinematic universe that once offered us Peter Parker realizing his prom date’s dad was a supervillain. DaCosta keeps things breezy with an absolutely indulgent storyline for Goose (involving one of the funniest music cues of the year), a new world that is goofy, yet charming, and a simple story for our heroes that still pushes their characters into new directions.
Captain Marvel is dealing with her place in the universe — and how the super persona has isolated her from those she loved and brought out uncomfortable truths about what she’s done in the name of “good”. Monica is still reeling from the death of her mother and the abandonment she felt when her aunt Carol took off to become one of the most powerful superheroes in the world. Kamala is mostly updating her Captain Marvel fanfic with each new Carol Danvers factoid she learns.
Still, each woman gets a satisfying arc. Larson’s Captain Marvel gets to see that being one of the most powerful people in the universe comes at a high price. But she also learns that she doesn’t have to be alone to bear the cost. Larson imbues Carol with an almost weaponized sense of self-sufficiency. Captain Marvel has long operated under the guise of not needing a team and doesn’t know what to do with the starry-eyed admiration of Kamala and the simmering resentment of Monica.
As a newly minted superhero, Monica is still figuring things out (like her codename, which Kamala is determined to come up with). She isn’t sure what to do now that her aunt is back in front of her and instead assumes an all-business façade. But she too has a need for connection, and it’s lovely to see her finally embrace her part in the team.
And while The Marvels is technically a showcase for all three ladies, it’s Vellani’s Kamala who truly steals the film. A sweet teen bursting with exuberant desires to become an Avenger and meet her idols, she’s basically every Marvel fangirl who’s ever pretended to be Black Widow while throwing wild punches in the privacy of their room. But the realities of what being a hero means, and what it could mean for her family hit Kamala hard in this film. She must grow up as she reckons with the great responsibility that comes with her nifty powers. Vellani is excellent at keeping Kamala’s core of kindness, even when she’s faced with horrors.
Is The Marvels the film that will fix everything currently wrong with the MCU? No. It’s got a weak villain and a flimsy plot. But it is a step in the right direction. A trip to the movies should be fun, and if you go into this ready for some whacky hijinks and girl-power, you’ll have a blast with the Marvel crew. Just watch out for that Flerken — it looks hungry.
Sidenote: There are two stingers, one that will have millennials cheering, and one that’s an inconsequential audio gag when the credits finish.
Verdict: Nia DaCosta’s light romp reminds us all that superhero movies can be fun.
The Marvels is rated PG-13 and available in theaters November 10.
