SiftPop

by Alice-Ginevra Micheli, Contributing Writer 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn’t quite have the stronghold over the general moviegoing public that it typically has over the last few years. Since being bombarded with what could be considered an onslaught of superhero-centered content, a definite fatigue has started to set in, both for comic book fans and general movie audiences alike. 

Some could say it’s the dip in general quality, others could say that there’s just so much out there and that it’s simply too overwhelming to even get started. I have a feeling that it’s a combination of the two. However, I also believe there’s a contrarian element to it. After all, the MCU has dominated the mainstream for over 10 years now, and a tale as old as time has been to hate that which is popular. 

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that Disney, and by extension, Marvel isn’t also at fault for giving these sort of groups fuel in their contrarianism. But we cannot deny that what is popular is often also hated for no other reason than for its own sake. This is true especially for the characters at the center of our new MCU movie, The Marvels,where both Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) and Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) have been disliked simply for existing. So it was always going to be a risk to actually bring to life this new movie, which combine all of these elements into one. 

Nia DaCosta’s first Marvel outing focuses once again on Carol Danvers — Captain Marvel herself — as she becomes entangled with Kamala Khan’s Ms. Marvel and Teyonah Parris’ still nameless superhero, Monica Rambeau, due to their similarly light-fuelled powers. Uncovering a devastating plot at the hand of the Kree army, The Marvels must work together to save the world, and by extension, the universe.

Now we have three key performances in play here, all from leading ladies in their own right. Almost considered to be a mini-Avengers in the way that we’re seeing separate worlds come together, one of the major positives coming out of this movie is their chemistry. The best parts of the movie by far are the bonding moments between the characters, and the relationship we see begin to form amongst them. This is something I would have loved to have spent more time on, allowing a real genuine connection to be made between film and audience. What we receive is still delightful, but there could have definitely been more. 

While Larson and Parris are great in their roles, the real standout is by far Kamala, whose infectious joy and whimsy permeate throughout the entire runtime, and lift the overall quality of the film. She brings that “it” factor to every scene she is in, and it is impossible not to smile whenever she is present. 

We also can’t forget about her family: Mohan Kapur as her father, Zenobia Shroff as her mother, and Saagar Shaikh as her brother only elevate the overall tone. One of Marvel’s best decisions in a long time was this casting combination, and it made me so excited for a Ms. Marvel Season Two. 

However, not everyone is on their A-Game. Our main villain, Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton), is as generic as they come. You can see Ashton try to bring some emotion and depth to the role. However, she could only work with what she was given, which was immensely little. I wouldn’t even consider her to be a side character at this point — she is more of a D-plot that the movie kept remembering we have to revisit in order for there to be a movie. 

This is all even the more evident from the overall tone and pacing. There was a very deliberate decision here to go for levity instead plot more times than I could count. Coming in at a cool 105 minutes, this movie doesn’t spend time on anything, choosing to jump from scene to scene, from scenario to scenario, much more than it ever ought to have done. In a word, this movie could be described as ridiculous.

However, let me take a moment to be very clear with what I mean by this. Though The Marvels is quite ridiculous, that does not mean that it is unenjoyable. The opposite in fact. It seems DaCosta decided to make a movie that served a desire to just have the fun moments and barely focus on the perceived requirement for explanation in film. After all, we’re watching a bunch of light-wielding people in space fight an alien race. It’s all a bit ridiculous, right? So why not lean into it? 

Unlike one of its many predecessors, Thor: Love and Thunder, which became almost a mess in its uneven tone, The Marvels still works a whole, and is more focused. However, whimsy is definitely present. I found myself simply not caring that they don’t take the time to explain the timey-wimey science; I just took on faith that this was the correct thing for the superheroes to do. Instead, I decided to click my brain into fun mode and click it off nitpick mode, which is a requirement this time around. 

Now, if this is not something that you can handle, or even want to, then this is not the film for you, and that’s okay. But if you’re the type who just wants to watch some cat memes, musical interludes, and jaunty adventures in space, then I reckon you should give The Marvels a chance. 

Siftpop Rating: Liked it

The Marvels is currently playing in theaters

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You can read more from Alice-Ginevra Micheli, and follow her on Instagram and Letterboxd