The increasing gaps between film releases in the MCU is becoming apparent.
This can be due to many factors, including the now (thankfully) ended SAG-Aftra strike. Yet the quality in the films (not to mention most of the TV shows) in the MCU have been dipping in the last year or two. True, the last movie we had, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, had its moments, but that was back in May. Since then, the only true good thing we have gotten was a second season of Loki, which arrived the same time as the newest film, The Marvels. It should be no wonder why the only MCU film to be released next year will be the long awaited Deadpool 3.
But back to The Marvels, the newest film by Nia DeCosta (who recently did the remake of The Candyman in 2021). The film picks up right after the evens of the Ms. Marvel TV show, as Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) still dreams of fighting crime alongside her idol, Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) instead of doing her homework. Eventually (as shown in the trailers), when both Khan, Danvers, and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) use their powers, they switch places. They must team up against Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton), who has one of the two Quantum Bands which she wishes to use for her people (Kamala has the other). Along for the ride are Kamala’s family as well as Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).
Simply put, the movie is one of the true lesser entries in the MCU. There are some positives, but not many. The three leads do have chemistry (and I am a general fan of the casting of the young Vellani, who has never acted before this role.) There is also a scene involving Goose the cat and other cats that was charming, even incorporating the song “Memory” from the musical CATS. Still, if the best scene from your movie involves that musical (albiet not the movie version), you have a problem.
Even with the confusion of the plot (I would not have known Aston’s character name if it were not for Wiki), there is one scene in this film that is among the most strange and uneven things I have seen in any superhero film. Without spoiling, it involves the three leads going to a planet where the way of communication is something I would not expect out of an MCU movie. Whether it is canon or not, it simply fails on screen.
Parents, I can’t remember if it was already revealed or if I just read about it, but this film does bring up that Danvers is a lesbian. Make of that what you will, as her romantic interest (another MCU character) gets a kiss on the cheek. Nothing more. Other than that, nothing outside of some swearing and action.
The Marvels is nothing short of a disappointment, even bigger in my mind than Eternals. That film was obviously not great, but at least I could see what they were all trying to do (nothing against Dacosta, but she is also not as good a filmmaker as Chloe Zhao.) Aside from setting up more for Kamala’s character, there is not much going for The Marvels.
It is, dare I say, Marvel-less.
Overall:
Nothing else to say 