The Marvels Review: An Uneven MCU Mess
Recently, a Variety article detailed a “crisis” happening with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the superhero franchise that has dominated pop culture for the past 15 years. A few days later, flies into theaters, a film that faced reshoots after mixed test screening reactions. This superhero movie is a sequel to the 2019 film Captain Marvel, a spin-off of a supporting character from the Disney+ show WandaVision and a continuation of another Disney+ series Ms. Marvel. Sound confusing? Perhaps, especially if you weren’t on board the MCU train throughout every post-Endgame installment.
The unfortunate thing about The Marvels is that it reinforces every negative stereotype the MCU faces. This poorly paced generic superhero movie feels patched together and wholly reworked in postproduction. Although the classic Marvel action and jokes may superficially entertain many fans, some of that charm is beginning to wear off. As fun as it is to see superheroes fight supervillains and familiar faces pop up here and there, it genuinely feels like this film is a harbinger of the fact that the MCU is running on fumes.
Brie Larson reprises her role as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel. Fans may remember the controversy and online hatred surrounding her first movie. While some of that will likely be back for another round, especially since this is a team of three female superheroes teaming up (which is strangely offensive to some people), The Marvels doesn’t focus on the girl power angle as much. It exists, but it’s less on the nose. The film comes from Nia DaCosta, the director of the 2021 Candyman reboot and the criminally underseen Little Woods. She brings a lot more vibrance and goofiness than Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck did with the first film.
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