Brie Larson returns as Carol Danvers, who is Captain Marvel, in Writer and Director Nia DaCosta’s The Marvels. Teyonah Parris and Iman Vellani join Brie as Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel) to help Captain Marvel save the galaxy from the treacherous Dar-Benn, played by Zawe Ashton, who seeks the two bangles (metal bracelets) that wield omnipotent power. Unbeknownst to Dar-Benn, Kamala possess one of those bangles. Powerful Dar-Benn uncovers the single bangle on a desolate planet. She needs both to control the Jump Points (wormholes) in the universe; therefore, having the power to travel anywhere in the past and future. She would control all of Time.
In Nia DaCosta, Megan McDonnell, and Elissa Karasik’s convoluted, often confusing screenplay, when Dar-Ben possesses one of bangles, or as Captain Marvel calls them – quantum bands, Carol, Monica, and Kamala’s existences and powers become entangled. Meaning that if they all use their powers at the same time, they can switch position in space and time. That inventive narrative device soon grows wearisome and less novel. Captain Marvel has light energy throughout her body. Monica can control and see the spectrum of light. Kamala can transform light into solid matter. WTF.
In the climactic narrative arc as the Marvels battle Dar-Benn, Director Nia DaCosta seamlessly leverages the entanglement and light powers in stunning visual display. Like most of The Marvels including the scene stealing Flerken, Carol’s pet alien cat that has vicious tentacles inside that can swallow entire humans and Kree, it’s amazing to look at. Yet, The Marvels is a narrative mess going all over the place, sustaining poignancy only in patches.
Iman Vellani’s Kamala and Ms. Marvel salvages The Marvels from itself. Her wide-eyed Pakistani teen fangirl of Captain Marvel keeps to herself drawing cartoons of Captain Marvel and her saving the world. She wants to be the Hero like her hero Captain Marvel. Iman gives Kamala an innocent sense of wonder and unintentional wicked sense of humor. Her eyes brighten when beautiful charismatic Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel acknowledges her as part of the Team – The Marvels. What she wanted most in life: Be like Captain Marvel. Her Michael Jordan.
Although Brie Larson is strong, vulnerable, and stunningly fit as Carol and Captain Marvel, she is stretched in too many different directions in Nia DaCosta’s narrative. In the incoherent, yet amazing Bollywood musical dance number on the distant water planet, Captain Marvel dances with husband Prince Yan, played by strong, charming Seo-Jun Park, who she married to resolve a world war. Again, WTF?
Teyonah Parris plays smart brave Monica, the daughter of Carol’s best friend Maria Rambeau, played by brave, kind Lashana Lynch, in their past life. Monica can’t forgive Carol for leaving her to grow up on her own after her Mom passed away. Maria asked Carol to look after Monica, knowing that she was dying. That’s on Carol.
Zawe Ashton’s Dar-Benn wants to make Captain Marvel suffer greatly. Captain Marvel was the Annihilator, who destroyed the Supreme Intelligence on her Home World Hala; thus depleting Hala of its atmosphere and water and dooming the planet. Hala’s sun is also dying. Zawe is authentic as the powerful and merciless Dar-Benn. However, she doesn’t shade Dar-Benn’s humanity. Dar-Benn is all anger and fury. Nothing else.
The Marvels has several inspired narrative threads. Yet unlike Nia DaCosta’s universal narrative, the storylines are not entangled, when they should be. The twain never meets. Nia could have entangled more of her most compelling story, Kamala’s loving Pakistan family, especially her Mom Muneeba, played by wonderfully compassionate Zenobia Shroff.
Before Kamala leaves with the Marvels to battle Dar-Benn, Muneeba puts her hands to her heart. She tearfully tells her daughter, “Don’t leave.” Kamala cried. So did I. It’s about heart. Like the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz, The Marvels needed a bigger heart or at least more of one. I’m just saying.
