Verdict: 3/5
Despite the film’s groundbreaking aspects, ‘The Marvels’ has recorded the worst ever North American opening weekend box office for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and its reception in Australia hasn’t been much different.
However, I’m here to tell you to give it a chance.
Directed by Nia DaCosta, who is not only Marvel’s youngest director ever, but also the first black woman to helm one of its films, ‘The Marvels’ is the sequel to the 2019 film ‘Captain Marvel’, and a continuation of the television miniseries ‘Ms. Marvel’, released on Disney+ last year.
The film features a female-led cast, made up of Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, Iman Vellani as Marvel fangirl turned superhero Kamala Khan, and Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, who team up to protect the universe against Zawe Ashton’s Dar-Benn.
I don’t think ‘The Marvels’ is the worst film in the MCU like some suggest – I don’t even think it’s the worst MCU film this year, given the recent streak of average releases.
Rather, I think the poor box office results are to do with a lack of proper promotion due to the actors’ strikes, and overall ‘superhero fatigue’, caused by Disney and Marvel’s decision to up the quantity of movies and television series’.
The film itself follows the Marvel movie formula almost to a tee, just with the addition of some extra heart, and ‘Freaky Friday’-esque goofiness.
Vellani’s performance in particular was a standout, building excitement for her future MCU appearances alluded to in the film.
It’s a great one if you’re after a fun watch, with a touch of Marvel magic.
See this movie at Hoyts Penrith.
Cassidy Pearce is a news and entertainment journalist with The Western Weekender. A graduate of the University of Technology Sydney, she has previously worked with Good Morning Macarthur and joined the Weekender in 2022.
