‘Alien’ told us that in space, no one can hear you scream. And for forty years, that may have been true. But Ridley Scott had never heard Kamala Khan meet her hero for the first time.
The follow-up to 2019’s billion-dollar hit ‘Captain Marvel’ is finally here, and as it blasts off, two new generations of heroes are along for the ride. Brie Larson is back as Captain Marvel, the ace pilot transformed into a weapon of mass destruction by an Infinity Stone. In the 30 years since the events of the first movie, she’s lived a solitary life defending the cosmos. But for her latest mission, a freak cosmic mishap leaves her reluctantly teamed up with two new partners, creating the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s newest, most unwilling team - The Marvels.
Joining the returning Larson and Samuel L. Jackson are Iman Vellani and Teyonah Parris as Kamala Khan and Monica Rambeau. Vellani carries over the exuberant performance from her Disney+ TV series as an endlessly energetic teen hero and Carol’s biggest superfan. Parris, meanwhile, brings a quieter sense of authority to Monica’s position as the level-headed intellect of the group, while nursing a subtle resentment for Carol’s 30-year abandonment. Together, this trio carries the most exciting energy the MCU has debuted in the post-Endgame landscape.
Larson, Vellani and Parris have incredible chemistry together, instantly clicking into synch from their impromptu introduction as they work through the complicated relationship of their powers and their personal ties. Whenever they are on screen together, their energy is electric and infectious. Boosted by better dialogue, Larson’s Carol fully comes into her own here, full of movie star charisma. Vellani seizes control of every scene she steps into with boundless screen presence for such a young star. And Parris, despite having a subtler role, conveys heavy meaning between her lines while injecting into her co-stars’ banter with precise timing.
Director Nia DaCosta sets up an adventure that feels just as fresh as her heroes. While the villainous Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) is mostly forgettable, the journey to their final confrontation is a blast. Taking full advantage of the possibilities allowed by an infinite cosmos, she takes big swings and hits home-runs, delivering two of the most instantly memorable scenes in the MCU - a visit to a planet that communicates only in song and a delightfully unhinged set piece starring a herd of Marvel’s most adorable abominations, the flerkens. Fully embracing the eccentricities of the source material is the fuel for the movie’s endearing personality, a throwback to Dr. Who and classic Star Trek in place of the generic tropes of the first movie.
Like ‘Blue Beetle’ earlier this summer, ‘The Marvels’ is a refreshing blast of genuine sincerity in an overwhelmingly ironic media landscape. Rather than falling back on smug self-awareness, DaCosta fully embraces the high concept sci-fi and all the insanity and goofiness that comes with it. The huge cosmic swings she takes with this story only work because it never feels embarrassed of its own content, leaving the audience unencumbered in embracing the commitment of its stars to their wild adventures.
However, while it captures the spirit of the MCU’s greatest hits, it’s also burdened by the franchise’s most notorious pitfalls - a weak villain, a messy third act, clunky franchise set-up, and the stench of studio interference. The hatchet job done by corporate execs in the editing room is immediately apparent, so much so that DaCosta has all but disavowed the final theatrical cut as Kevin Fiege’s movie, not hers.
While many recent MCU entries have dragged on to unjustified runtimes, this one ultimately feels too brief, with a lot of the heavier themes and character motivations receiving the short end of the stick. It moves at a breakneck pace, an indictment of a studio afraid to allow downtime for “boring” character moments. There is so much depth available in Dar-Benn’s backstory, Carol’s internal struggles, and Monica and Kamala’s different approaches to the woman they both once idolized. But without the quiet moments needed to explore these relationships, we’re left with only a shallow skimming of the thematic potential.
But the vision of DaCosta and her cast is so strong, it shines even through the filter of hollow suit micromanagement. These characters and their adventures stick with you long after the lights come up in the theater and leave you wanting to spend more time with them. That’s the best any big screen hero can hope for. If the MCU wants to survive an increasingly skeptical landscape, the boardrooms need to take a step back and stop strangling the vision of their talent. They’ve assembled teams of brilliant artists who love these characters, if only their voices are allowed to sing freely.
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