The Marvels

Director: Nia DaCosta
Starring: Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton, Gary Lewis, Park Seo-joon, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Saagar Shaikh, Samuel L. Jackson
Running Time: 105 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★½ (out of ★★★★)

Despite everything that goes wrong, it's still easy to envision a scenario where The Marvels works, which isn't always the case with misfires like this. Placing the blame entirely at the feet of director Nia DeCosta for the MCU's latest woes is a stretch, especially since they seem indicative of larger franchise issues. And while a film featuring these three characters should really turn out a lot better, fault doesn't lie with the actresses either, as its most successful scenes involve their interplay, at least when the hyperkinetic story slows down enough to showcase it. 

Bogged down by a weak villain and convoluted setup, it ironically suffers a similar fate to the year's other underperforming superhero outing, DC's The Flash. If that's preoccupied with two versions of its protagonist goofing off in a loopy time travel plot, this one fixates on a transporting premise, endlessly obsessing over details to the point it becomes an ongoing quantum physics lecture. That combined with hit-or-miss CGI and dizzying action sequences define the first half, making one of Marvel's more digestible run times feel longer than it should. The performances and noteworthy cameos before and during the end credits help, but it's a safe bet the studio will want us to forget about all this.

After Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) destroyed the Supreme Intelligence that leads the Kree empire, a civil war erupted on planet Hala, which is gradually losing all its air, sunlight and water. When Kree's new leader Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) discovers one of the two powerful Quantum Bands, she opens "jump points" that former S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) tasks Carol and Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) with investigating. 

When Carol and Monica touch their respective points, both are transported to different locations, swapping places with Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), who's at her New Jersey home in possession of the other Quantum Band. Soon, all three discover their light-based powers are linked, allowing them to switch places. Now these differing personalities must team up to stop Dar-Benn, who vows to restore her planet's resources and avenge the injustice that's befallen its population.  

You have to assume co-writer and director DaCosta didn't have final say here, which can happen whenever a machine like Marvel hires up-and-coming filmmakers for their projects. But whether or not it's her contribution, the awkward, tension-filled reunion between Carol and Monica and Kamala's fangirling over Captain Marvel are the two elements that really click, along with some of the comic relief. Unfortunately, it's overshadowed by clunky narrative machinations and a manufactured mishmash of reasons to unite them. Only when the three co-leads are bouncing off each other do we get glimpses of what could have been if the story supporting them wasn't such a mess. 

Brie Larson is again dependably solid as Carol, with the script giving her a decent arc, at least in terms of the character's pent-up frustration and lingering guilt. Teyonah Parris provides context for Monica's resentment toward her, stemming mostly from broken promises and leftover baggage from 2018's Captain Marvel. And even if little in this film comes close to equaling the Disney Plus's underappreciated Ms. Marvel, Iman Vellani radiates that same likable charm and impressive comedic timing as teenage Kamala, who's starstruck at the prospect of fighting alongside her idol.

The last act is a mixed bag, but does best when focusing on how the heroes learn to co-exist and warm to each other, making the closing sacrifice one of the film's more affecting sequences. If nothing else, this beats the regurgitating cat gag, though its accompanying musical cue does induce a chuckle. But while no better or worse than other action finales, good luck finding a villain flimsier than this one, as our minimal interest in Dar-Benn somehow actually lessens the more we learn about her.

It's no secret the MCU desperately needs an overhaul and whether that next phase includes these three characters is anyone's guess. With audience fatigue setting in, it may be a logical idea to shift toward more standalone stories not entirely dependent on whether you've seen a handful of other films or series. Either way, a potentially intriguing next chapter teased at the end of this installment now has a better shot at providing fodder for Marvel's What If? than landing in theaters.