'The Marvels' Review: A Sequel That Soars Higher, Further, And Faster
Carol Danvers flies onto the silver screen yet again, but she’s not alone in the marvels, an ambitious and substantially superior sequel that delivers heart and humor in equal measure.
After a mediocre, flat, and simply forgettable first film, Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) has much to prove to audiences in The Marvels. We catch up with the superhero as she is continuing to explore the galaxy and manage any threats that come her way that may put it in jeopardy. However, her life becomes far more complicated when her powers become entangled with Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). Not only does the trio have to figure out how to manage their new predicament, but they must band together to vanquish a new villain that threatens the safety of the universe, on par for Marvel stakes.
It becomes abundantly clear early on that these characters and their respective stories are in assured, steady hands with director Nia DaCosta. It’s difficult enough to handle one character’s journey, let alone juggle three, but DaCosta never feels out of her depth, able to explore these women and their respective emotional journeys with care and affection. Not only that, but her unique visual voice is on full display, especially during the action sequences which look and sound fantastic, aided by some solid choreography and music choices. In short, she makes the original film look like a high-budget student film by comparison.
By far and away, the most sizable asset the film has is its three leads who are not only charming and charismatic in their own ways, but have phenomenal chemistry with one another. Their interplay is exceedingly fun to watch, each actress elevating one another, while never trying to steal the show. The scenes between Carol and Monica in particular, the former not having seen the latter since she was a little girl, are particularly compelling, their reunion a perfect mix of awkward, estranged, and loving. However, Vellani absolutely runs away with the film. Her charm and magnetism that she displayed in Ms. Marvel is dialed up to eleven here, virtually every delivery and line of dialogue a comedic slam dunk. The three are dynamite together and watching them team up to take on threat after threat never gets old, becoming only more entertaining and thrilling to watch.
The film also has an appealing balance of humor and heart, delivering the laughs and tugs on the heartstrings in equal measure. This is one of Marvel’s funniest films to date, the jokes not feeling forced and almost all of them hitting the bullseye. The heart, however, is what prevents the film from feeling like a fun, but hollow experience. Not only are the scenes between Carol and Monica emotionally charged, but the scenes involving Kamala and her family are incredibly warm and heartfelt. This is a family that truly cares for each of their own and the film is smart to maintain focus on that throughout. More importantly, the main trio developing genuine love and support for one another feels earned and nicely plays into the film’s action-packed climax.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a perfect film by any stretch of the imagination. One of its main issues, a problem that has plagued many a Marvel film, is its antagonist Dar-Benn, played by Zawe Ashton. The character barely registers as anything other than a one-dimensional villain with a bare-bones motivation. Ashton’s performance isn’t the issue, the material she was given doing her no favors. Marvel villains tend to feel like afterthoughts and this antagonist is one of the studio’s most forgettable to date.
Also, another common Marvel problem, is that there is a little too much humor sprinkled throughout. There are emotional, high-stakes moments that needed to be taken seriously and given the weight they deserve, but are often undercut by a mediocre joke or two that strip those moments of their impact. Although a lot of the jokes land in the film, the placement of them could’ve used more careful consideration.
Lastly, there is a feeling that is difficult to shake when it comes to reuniting with Carol. Audiences haven’t seen her in quite some time, but it feels like a sizable amount of her journey and experiences have been brushed over in order to tell this particular story with Kamala and Monica. Larson is the most compelling she’s ever been as the character here, a refreshing change of pace after the first film, so it would’ve been great to see her explore Carol more in-depth with a sequel before this one where she would’ve had more of a spotlight.
The Marvels is one of Marvel’s finest outings in Phase Five, delivering thrills, laughs, heart, and firm, exciting groundwork for the future of this cinematic universe. This may not feel as high-stakes as other films in this phase, but not every entry needs to be. It may not be perfect, but this is a colorful, vibrant comic book film with a distinct, inviting personality that doesn’t feel like it was made on an assembly line. It remembers comic book films should be fun and it provides more than enough to show audiences a memorable time in theaters.