After years of anticipation from fans, the MCU sequel The Marvels is finally arriving in theaters. This time around, Carol Danvers is teaming up with Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan for a 105-minute-long cosmic adventure. Is the recent offering from the MCU worth the hype?
Table of Contents
- The Marvels Will Not Save the MCU But It is Still a Great Film
- The MCU Sequel Shines Thanks to Its Three Leads
- The Film Has Exciting Action Sequences and Great Visuals
- The Marvels Has a Weak Structure and Forgettable Villain
- Nick Fury, Kamala's Family, and the Flerkittens Were Also Standouts
- MCU Fans Will Be Excited About the Cameos (No Spoilers)
- Is The Marvels Worth Watching?
Also Read: The Marvels Producer Promises MCU Sequel is Accessible for Everyone
The Marvels Will Not Save the MCU But It is Still a Great Film
The MCU is currently in a fractured state. Some of their recent releases in both films and TV shows have disappointing reception. There is a perception amongst the public that the franchise is hitting a downward trend. There are arguments being made that there is superhero fatigue with the MCU's oversaturation of content being blamed for it.
Is The Marvels going to change the narrative? No, and nor it should be. This film should not carry the burden of the entire franchise. If it disappoints at the box office (which is likely based on projections), doomsayers should not make declarations that the "MCU is over." It takes multiple consecutive failures to make that declaration. Don't forget, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 did very well at the box office while the reception for Loki season 2 has been enthusiastic.
While the latest offering from the MCU may not change the current public perception of the franchise, The Marvels is still a great entertaining film in itself and it has enough elements that the general moviegoers will like, even those who are not die-hard fans.
After all, whether it is connected to the Multiverse Saga arc or not, the most important part is that it delivered a great amount of entertainment value and a fun viewing experience at a movie theater. In my book, it did exactly that.
The MCU Sequel Shines Thanks to Its Three Leads
The film shined the most when it focused on the impeccable chemistry of its three leads: Brie Larson (Carol Danvers), Teyonah Parris (Maria Rambeau), and Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani).
This is the first time that we're seeing the three characters work together and, the moment they share a scene for the first time, you can instantly feel a great working vibe from them and they have a wonderful camaraderie to the point that you can watch the three together all day whether they're on a mission or a casual hangout in an ice cream parlor talking about being superpowered beings and sharing their problems in life.
Vellani easily stood out the most as her character became the heart and soul of the film. She was also the source of humor for many funny moments and her presence reminded Danvers of her humanity which was endearing to see and it put down all the complaints of her being a stoic character.
There's also some character development for Danvers as we learn her sense of guilt from her actions in the first film and we see how she embraced being part of a team, not just being alone which she has become accustomed to in her heroic life so far.
Monica also had a great arc of her own as they explored her grief from losing her mother Maria while she was snapped and they finally gave a resolution to the tumultuous relationship between her and Danvers since the events of the first film.
The Film Has Exciting Action Sequences and Great Visuals
Some MCU releases have been criticized for their bland visuals and action sequences. Fortunately, that was not the case for The Marvels as it has one of the most inventive action sequences that we've seen in an MCU film.
As the trailer suggested, part of the film involves the characters switching their places throughout the galaxy and it became the centerpiece of their first major action sequence that was well-executed thanks to the wonderful direction from Nia DaCosta.
It felt unique and energetic. There was no sense of confusion and you can tell that DaCosta and her team carefully planned the sequence to make it effective and have the physics work out despite its fantastical tendencies.
The production design also stood out, especially in the scenes that are set on planet Aladna where it felt lavish and not filmed in front of a green screen, which has become a common complaint as well for most superhero films. The S.A.B.E.R. space station set was also impressive and its design is reminiscent of many science-fiction films.
The Marvels Has a Weak Structure and Forgettable Villain
The film's biggest issue is its plot which wasn't cohesive and it had a weird structure that resulted in quick resolutions to some of the problems that were set up in the adventure that the three heroes underwent.
The shorter runtime, which is fresh to see in the MCU and resulted in a quick pacing that most audiences might appreciate, hindered some of the story elements as they were either cut short or not explored enough to make them compelling. You can tell that a couple of scenes were left on the cutting room floor.
As for the villain Dar-Benn, she was very forgettable. While Zawe Ashton did her best in playing the role and the film provided some backstory to make us understand her motivations, the character still wasn't compelling and she didn't have a maniacal presence even though her actions involved destroying the livelihood of planets.
It also felt like the film was aware that Dar-Benn was not compelling as they resolved her arc earlier than expected and you won't miss her presence at all in moments where she was not present. If there is a ranking of MCU villains, she is definitely in the bottom tier.
Nick Fury, Kamala's Family, and the Flerkittens Were Also Standouts
Most of the supporting characters in the film also shined, especially Nick Fury, Kamala's family, and the adorable Flerkittens, whose merch might get sold out in the coming days as more people see the film.
Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury, who we last saw in the polarizing Secret Invasion, was also part of the action throughout the course of the story. While most of his scenes are in the S.A.B.E.R. space station, he still had a lot of memorable moments and he also had hilarious scenes that made you glad that they let Jackson be funny this time around.
Speaking of Secret Invasion, it also felt like the series did not exist at all as there was no acknowledgment of its events. The Nick Fury that we saw in the film is very different from the series where he was more gruff and serious. If you want to do your homework by watching other MCU content before the film, you can definitely skip Secret Invasion as it has no relevance at all.
Kamala's family also had a bigger role in the film than you might have expected. The trailers have suggested that they don't have a large presence in the film. Fear not, that is not the case. They were also part of the action and they have endearing moments with Kamala as well just like in Ms. Marvel.
However, the characters that most audience will talk about are the Flerkittens, the adorable cat-looking alien creatures that have tentacles from their mouth. If you love Goose in the first film, you will be happier in the sequel as there were hundreds of them.
There is one particular sequence involving the Flerkittens and a perfect needle drop of an iconic song that accompanied it that instantly became one of my all-time favorites in the MCU as it was too hilarious although your mileage may also vary on that part.
As for Park Seo-joon's Prince Yan, he didn't have a lot of screen time but he still had a memorable scene that fans of the actor will talk about and he had a charming presence just like in his beloved K-dramas.
MCU Fans Will Be Excited About the Cameos (No Spoilers)
The final trailer has already revealed that Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie makes a cameo appearance. She only showed up for one scene, but she still had a good presence and it was definitely great to see her have a moment with Danvers even if it was quick.
There are also two top-secret cameos that the trailers and TV spots have not revealed and it will make a lot of MCU fans excited. One of them showed up somewhere at the end of the film. The other one is in the post-credits scene, which will be the highlight for many fans since it suggests an exciting future, especially in a particular upcoming film that it may connect to.
While some people might see those cameos as fan service moments, their appearances make sense in the context of the scenes that they were serving and fans will definitely be happy to see them show up regardless.
Is The Marvels Worth Watching?
The simple answer is yes, it is worth watching. Despite the flaws in its plot and a forgettable villain, it was still a wildly entertaining and fun film. It won't win the cynics who are rooting for the downfall of superhero films, but it will win the hearts of the general audience and fans, which is what matters the most in the end.
There are also some concerns regarding whether you need to watch the past MCU films and TV shows that it is connected to in order to understand it. I can definitely say that you don't need to since the film found a creative way to recap them without being a heavy exposition dump.
The Marvels is a wonderful treat for both MCU fans and newcomers in the franchise and it will definitely give you a great time at the movie theater with a big smile on your face in the end.
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