'The Marvels' review: Enjoyable but not the best Marvel movie
What's the story
The latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the women-led flick The Marvels, starring Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, and Teyonah Parris.
Is it worth watching? Yes! But does it leave the same impact as other Marvel movies? No.
The Marvels is certainly a fun watch with its moments of laughter, but it doesn't stay with you like the other MCU films.
We review.
Story
Standard superhero story of saving the universe
After Captain Marvel (Larson) accidentally destabilizes the Kree universe, Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) plans to take revenge and restore their planet, becoming the new enemy.
Meanwhile, Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau (Parris), and Ms. Marvel (Vellani)'s powers get entangled strangely, forming the trio of The Marvels. Will they be able to stop Dar-Benn from destroying other universes? Watch the film to find out.
Performances
Vellani shines as a teenage superhero
It is Vellani's acting that deserves a special mention. As Ms. Marvel, she did have a separate series of her own, but she sure needs a standalone movie too. The 21-year-old actor is impressive as a teenage superhero.
Barring the human actors, it's Goose (the cat) and the other kitties who are the stars of the movie (you'll know when you watch it).
Highlights
Watch out for Park Seo-Joon's Hollywood debut
Expect a fabulous laser show with spectacular visuals when the three women come together to fight evil. Without a doubt, visual effects are a strong factor that worked well here, along with a decent background score.
But what you'll enjoy the most is Park Seo-joon's cameo as Prince Yan. Though the South Korean superstar makes a short appearance it's worth every bit.
What didn't work
Superheroes but without a strong enemy
The beauty of Marvel movies lies not only in its superheroes but also in the villains. It has given us some of the best villains, Thanos being the classic example of it.
Unfortunately, this is one place where The Marvels has lacked. Its superheroes are strong, empathetic, and vulnerable, but Dar-Benn lacks the might to be the enemy here.
Verdict
Action, drama, comedy overall make it an entertaining watch
If you're planning to watch Nia DaCosta's The Marvels, then it's no harm but if you're a hardcore Marvel fan, you'll be left disappointed.
Amid all the action and drama, acts of Mohan Kapur, Zenobia Shroff, and Saagar Shaikh as the Khan family, along with Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury will leave you in splits.
Verdict: 3 stars out of 5.