It wasn’t so long ago that the Marvel machine was something of an unstoppable force to be reckoned with. Each film seemed to pull record-breaking numbers upon its opening weekend and, more often than not, were winners across the board with critics; at least enough to be deemed “Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes, which has become an increasingly important figure as to how the industry and the general audience deem a movie successful or not.
The last few years, however, have been less-than-kind to Marvel. Deem it an oversaturation of their material, or that said material has dwindled in quality, but the MCU are starting to see the effects of “franchise fatigue” and it all really couldn’t be coming at a worse time for something like The Marvels. A sequel to 2019’s dude-bro defying billion dollar grossing Captain Marvel (it’s currently one of the Top 10 highest grossing Marvel films), it seems baffling that success isn’t guaranteed, but with lead star Brie Larson inexplicably irking a certain subsect of the internet, and the unfortunate timing of the SAG-AFTRA strike affecting the cast’s ability to promote (at the time of this review being written, the strike has come to an end) – on top of the critical and commercial reaction to recent Marvel productions being less-than desirable (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 excluded) – and The Marvels is arriving with a lot less might than the titular characters are capable of wielding.
But if things were playing in the favour of The Marvels, it wouldn’t necessarily change certain reactions as, whilst it’s undeniably fun, it does have tonal inconsistencies and a strong feminine energy that, by no means a negative, can be a tough sell within a brand that’s heavily aimed at males. But director/co-writer Nia DaCosta (2021’s Candyman remake) is wonderfully unapologetic in her approach to a film that’s heavy on female friendship and admiration.
And so much of that explored friendship and admiration is brought about through the infectious inclusion of Iman Vellani‘s Kamala Khan, aka Miss Marvel, a self-proclaimed fangirl of one Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers (Larson), whose awe-struck brightness has enough wattage to steal the film away from the surrounding ensemble; if you haven’t caught her own Disney+ series Miss Marvel, do yourself all the favours and binge immediately. It’s one of the bright spots in the recent roster. If Vellani is the film’s energy, then Teyonah Parris is the heart as Monica Rambeau, the grown-up daughter of Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch), Carol’s best friend, who has since passed away from cancer. Monica and Carol have an estranged relationship, and them being thrust together on the narrative’s latest convenient mission of saving the world (what else?) isn’t exactly going to help them mend organically.
Of course, they don’t particularly have a choice, especially because the trio’s individual powers all become entangled when Carol and Monica interact with an intergalactic rip in time (just go with it), and, combined with Kamala’s magical bracelet, it causes them to body-swap with each other whenever they use said powers. This is less than ideal for Carol and Monica, but Kamala – believing it may be an Avengers-type test spearheaded by Nick Fury (a returning Samuel L. Jackson, relegated to little more than comic relief) – embraces such lunacy with open eyes.
The body-swap inclusion allows for a certain lightheartedness that Marvel haven’t always afforded their players, and an early fight scene set between the trio confusingly altering their locations between Kamala’s New Jersey family home and Fury’s space station plays into DaCosta’s sweeping, dance-like movements behind the camera. It’s really quite an exciting, inventive scene, and one can’t help but wish The Marvels adhered to more of that free-spirited energy across its incredibly breezy 105 minutes.
In fact, the film is so breezy that the whole affair feels very low-stakes and, despite DaCosta’s unenviable task of having to make a watchable, standalone film that’s tethered to a multitude of MCU films and series, none of what takes place – save for the obligatory mid-credit tease which sets up an interesting future dynamic between two characters (and provides a welcome cameo from a returning favourite) – holds considerable weight. If anything, it’s Kamala who spearheads furthered interest within the younger players of the MCU, and, depending where studio head Kevin Feige decides to go, she could very well be a more staple presence; and given Vellani’s easy charisma, it wouldn’t be the worst decision.
With another underwhelming villain (Zawe Ashton does her best though with the material she’s given), a personality that’s unsure which temperament it hopes to commit to, and some truly bizarre narrative decisions (there’s a musical interlude that’s amusing in a campy way, but feels truly out of place in the overall arc), The Marvels doesn’t hold the throughline confidence so many other characters within the MCU have managed. And it’s a shame given the collective talent on board, with DaCosta’s imaginative eye seemingly stifled and Larson feeling like a support player in a film that should highlight her entirely.
It’s goofy and harmless, and it’s always good to see the female demographic favoured, but, sadly, The Marvels won’t do much to overtly repair the faith many audiences have lost within the MCU over these last few years of quantity over quality.
TWO AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
The Marvels is now screening in Australian theatres.
