The world has been asking for a comeback for the beloved character of Captain Marvel and the message was received. While “The Marvels” may entertain and amuse fans of the superhero franchise, the movie’s plot is mediocre.
The sequel to the 2019 film “Captain Marvel,” this recent release hit theaters on Nov. 10 and was directed by Nia DaCosta, who is now the first Black woman to direct a Marvel movie and the youngest ever at 34 years old.
Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), takes back her identity from the dictatorial blue-skinned militaristic race, the Kree. After retaliating against the Supreme Intelligence, she is faced with the consequences of her actions when the universe is thrown into havoc.
On her mission, she encounters a wormhole directly linked with the Kree revolution that intertwines her powers with two other superheroes, super-fan Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) and Captain Marvel’s alienated niece Captain Monica Rambo (Teyonah Parris). They come together to form the Marvels.
The active cheerleaders of “The Marvels” include Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Kamala’s father (Mohan Kapoor), her mother (Zenobia Shroff) and her brother (Saagar Shaikh). The leaders of the Kree revolution are Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) and her partner-in-crime, Ty-Rone (Daniel Ings).
The Marvel franchise has taken a turn for the worse in recent years, failing to deliver quality movies that satisfy its die-hard fans.
As a Marvel fan, I go into each new movie with both hope and low expectations. This time, I was less disappointed than I had been in the past. The storyline itself was not exciting, but the spirit of the movie was alive and kicking, and its humor kept me looking forward to the next joke.
The film also conveys a powerful message of the importance and beauty of teamwork as the Marvels learn how to work together and become a sort-of family.
The soundtrack — which included songs like “Double Bubble Trouble” by M.I.A. and “Memory” by Barbra Streisand — mirrored their efforts to become one during pivotal moments like a fight scene, a training montage and an entertaining cat chase.
The music did not just span the pop genre. To my surprise, there were two original songs featured sure to please any theater kid presenting, spoiler alert, yours truly Captain Marvel herself.
“The Marvels,” though not a stimulating superhero movie, illustrates through comedy how we could go higher, further and faster, together.
Rating: 3.5/5