The Marvels, a direct(ish) sequel to 2019's Captain Marvel and the 33rd Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, arrives in theaters this weekend, and despite pretty much falling apart in the final act, Nia DaCosta's breezy cosmic adventure is an entertaining (if somewhat throwaway) time.
The story picks up with Nick Fury (in surprisingly chipper form after what he went through in Secret Invasion) back on the S.A.B.E.R. Space Station with his team, which includes a now super-powered Monica Rambeau, who set out to investigate a nearby intergalactic anomaly. Carol Danvers, living in another part of the galaxy with Goose, does the same, and (for reasons) these events kick-start the "switching" with Kamala Khan back on Earth.
When Danvers discovers that an old Kree enemy named Dar-Benn has acquired the other bangle (from Ms. Marvel... keep up!) and is seeking revenge by targetting the places that "The Annihilator" holds dear, the three heroes join forces in an attempt to prevent the usual villainous machinations. But first, they'll need to get a handle on their shared abilities and, in Monica and her "Aunty" Carol's case, sort through some emotional baggage.
If any of that sounds confusing, there's a chance you haven't done your homework!
In all seriousness, prior knowledge of the Disney+ shows (WandaVision and Ms. Marvel, in particular) will certainly help, but it's far from required. The movie actually does a pretty good job of bringing us up to speed on previous events (Carol has a very handy Kree memory restoration thing), so while casual fans may not feel as much of a connection to the characters, we can't imagine anyone being left in the dark (at least not until the muddled third act when everyone will be left wondering what the hell is going on).
At this stage, it almost seems pointless to criticise an MCU movie for its over-stuffed or convoluted finale since it's just something we've come to expect (if not accept), but the last half an hour or so of The Marvels borders on the incoherent at times. Bringing one of these movies in at under two hours is all well and good, but is it worth it when the results are so haphazard?
Thankfully, strong performances and compelling character dynamics just about keep things afloat.
Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris and Iman Vellani are all on top form (the latter is a standout, even if her character's fan-girling does begin to grate), and the trio's burgeoning friendship is a major highlight. One moment which sees the team practising their switching powers to the strains of the Beastie Boys' "Intergalactic" is a blast, and there are a few emotional exchanges that are sure to tug on the heartstrings.
DaCosta also includes a couple of pretty wild set pieces (remember those musical number rumors?), which are likely to either win you over with their calculated absurdity or leave you cringing behind your popcorn.
The Marvels is far from the best Marvel Studios has to offer, but it's difficult not to get swept up in its infectious energy... to a point. A disjointed third act lets it down, but a game cast and plenty of fun/funny moments elevate it above more lacklustre MCU fare (we're looking at you, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumnia).
"In Marvel Studios’ The Marvels, Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as The Marvels.”
The film also stars Zawe Ashton and Park Seo-joon. Nia DaCosta directs, and Kevin Feige is the producer. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Mary Livanos and Matthew Jenkins serve as executive producers. The screenplay is by Megan McDonnell, Nia DaCosta, Elissa Karasik and Zeb Wells.
The Marvels will begin its international rollout on November 8, and was recently granted a China release on November 10, day-and-date with North America.
Do you plan on seeing The Marvels in theaters opening weekend? Drop us a comment down below.