I’ve just returned from a cosmic voyage with Baby Know-It-All to our local AMC theater, where we took in the latest superhero saga, The Marvels. No spoilers here.
The Marvels is that rare blend of space odyssey and superhero spectacle. Picture this: you’re on a roller coaster through the stars, you’re not exactly sure of the next turn, but you’re loving the thrill. It’s that kind of fun. A popcorn flick with superpowers.
Now, I’ve got to be straight with you. I’m one of those people who enjoyed the Fantastic Four movies, the first two, because they were fun. I never thought they were going to be hard-hitting, Oscar award-winning movies or whatever.
I’ve also not been overly enthusiastic about this movie, or prepared for it, mainly because I didn’t identify a whole lot with the Captain Marvel movie. Baby Know-It-All and I also didn’t manage to make it past the second episode of Ms. Marvel. I did watch WandaVision, so I was very familiar with where Spectrum’s powers came from. That’s Monica Rambeau. Part of the problem I had going in was, how do people know some of these backstories? Especially when some of it was just kind of dropped in as lines.
Kamala Khan Is the Shining Star
The shining star of this celestial journey, for sure, for me, is Kamala Khan. Iman Vellani embodies Ms. Marvel with such authentic enthusiasm you’d believe she leapt right out of the comics.
And her mom is ridiculous. There’s this one scene, you’ve seen it in the trailers, where they’re fighting and they’re switching bodies and whatnot. Her dad gets knocked down by this Kree guy with a spear, and he goes to stab, and man, doggone it if Ms. Marvel’s mom didn’t just leap out in front of him. And you’re like, what if Captain Marvel didn’t show up? So her mom: hero in my book.
Then of course there’s Spectrum, portrayed by Teyonah Parris. She’s a powerhouse. She’s got potential that’s just waiting to burst out onto the scene. Her backstory is really brief, but it sparks curiosity. Marvel, we’re ready for more.
A Universe That Jumps Around
These characters navigate the vastness of a universe filled with grand ideas that might have you scratching your head if you’re not versed in the lore of the comics. But let’s face it, a bit of mystery in the cosmos is kind of part of the adventure.
My issue isn’t that this story is nothing like the comic book stories. What it does do is jump around a lot. Those of us who are familiar with reading comic books are familiar with the idea. I was able to keep pace. When they’re throwing out concepts and talking about things, I was very much able to keep track of what’s going on.
Captain Marvel Is Still Cold
Brie Larson’s portrayal still feels a little less like the fearless leader we’re used to and more like she’s navigating through an asteroid field of emotions. It’s a different vibe, sure, but it adds kind of a new layer to the character’s journey. At least I think so.
We haven’t seen much from her. In her own movie, Captain Marvel, she felt very flat and one note to me. She’s not that much better in this. They play her cold and dispassionate. The problem is she’s already been cold and dispassionate.
I get it. When you see the context of the story, and I’m not spoiling anything, you’re going to go, oh, that makes sense, I understand. But she didn’t have that context in the first movie, and she was cold, dispassionate and very one note there too. So even though this feels more in line with the plot, such as it is, and the story overall, I still feel like we’re missing something. She’s coming across not great. Not very warm whatsoever.
The film takes us on a narrative spacewalk where the backdrop of each character’s path seems like a constellation of untold stories, teasing us with tales of what could have been. I guess kind of a cosmic what if.
Who’s This Guy With the Eye Patch?
The other issue I had is, who’s this guy with the eye patch? Because it’s not Nick Fury. This isn’t the hardened agent we’ve known. He’s almost different. It’s as though we’ve slipped into an alternate universe where Fury is just a tad softer around the edges. Intriguing, or interdimensional confusion? You be the judge.
The Verdict
The Marvels lands at a 7.5 out of 10 on the Know-It-All Index. Baby Know-It-All and I talked it over in the car and we absolutely agree. We both give it a solid 7 and a half out of 10.
It’s a spectacle, and it’s worth your time for the sheer joy it brings, critics or no critics. And remember, don’t just take my word for it. See it for yourself and let your own cosmic compass guide you.
The spoiler-heavy review comes out on Sunday, and you won’t want to miss it. We’re going to unpack every single detail: the things that worked, the things that didn’t, what I thought had gone on. And I’ll talk about the end credit scene, which technically should be scenes. There’s one right at the very end, which is the final scene of the movie, and which we were originally speculating was going to be one of the end scenes. Then there’s an end credit scene that does offer some surprises. I’ll unpack that and talk a little bit about what it means.
What did you think of the movie? Are you going to check it out in theaters, or are you just going to wait until it hits Disney Plus in due time? The conversation lives in the comments on the video above.
