The Marvels spoiler-free review: ‘A joy to watch’

When Avengers: Endgame finished its cinema run as the biggest box office hit of all time back in 2019, Marvel seemed unstoppable. But it has become increasingly difficult to see a clear future for the MCU, with dark clouds of negative press surrounding the current and future projects. Despite brief shining moments, reshoots, scandals as well as too much uneven content (the Disney+ shows being the biggest perpetrator) have resulted in diminishing box office returns and overall brand apathy towards.

The odds have always been stacked against the sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel, which itself was unfortunately up against a huge smear campaign from sexist trolls who took negatively to leading lady Brie Larson’s comments regarding the lack of diversity among film critics. And the haters have only gotten louder. On top of the SAG-AFTRA strike, it hasn’t been an easy ride for The Marvels. It has been getting bad press from as far back as production, with false claims of Brie Larson being difficult on set to the more recent stress of poor ticket sales, which has resulted in nervousness from the fanbase. But were we right to worry?

In The Marvels, Carol Danvers returns to take on Kree revolutionary Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton). Upon her return, her powers become entangled with that of Captain Marvel super-fan, Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel as well as Carol’s estranged niece turned astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. 

The Marvels is a very brief trip to the cinema, which has its pros and cons. The 105-minute runtime makes for a snappy, old-fashioned popcorn flick, where the audience is never given time to get bored. From the beginning, the chemistry between these three leads is a joy to watch. Their comedic timing and warmth make this trio one you immediately want to see more of. Larson glows as Captain Marvel, adding some depth to the often cold exterior of Carol Danvers. Meanwhile, Teyonah Parris’ Monica is the film’s emotional core. But as many may have expected after watching Ms Marvel, Iman Vellani absolutely out-charms the entire cast in her big-screen debut as Kamala Khan. Well, apart from Goose the cast/Flerkin and kittens. 

The negatives regarding the runtime lie with the themes which are a little thin on the ground, when you compare this to something like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 which had a hefty runtime and room to explore some really interesting and darker themes. But it’s not just time here; Zawe Ashton’s villain, whilst never bad, is sidelined to being an old-fashioned 2D villain. And the plot and motives around her do end up feeling rather jumbled and rushed. 

Being a huge fan of the source material, director Nia DaCosta leans into the wacky. There’s tonnes of unique and exciting camera work, cinematography, and worldbuilding. The incredibly choreographed action feels like part of the script, rather than something tacked on last minute by second-unit specialists. The VFX has its ropey moments, but the power-switching effects are excellently executed and look superb on the big screen.

For those ready to embrace Marvel’s wild side, we hope the negative press surrounding this release doesn’t stop them from a good ol’ fun time at the movies. Decosta unashamedly embraces the female energy and you’ll be sure to leave The Marvels with a huge smile on your face. It’s fast-paced, exciting, and mostly pretty funny…not to mention the surprises and easter eggs. 

The Marvels is in UK cinemas from 10 November.