Skip to main content

The Marvels (2023)

 


The Marvels is a team-up between three women superheroes to save the universe from Dar-Benn.

Written and directed by Nia DaCosta, this isn't the first time Marvel Studios has given a little-known director a chance at a major motion picture. Sure, she directed Candyman (2021), but it was pretty bad and quite progressive and not in a good way. There are some eye-rolling scenes: a jump rope montage, a singing and dancing alien planet, and a bunch of cats. She writes Dar-Benn as a villain who is supposed to be someone you can understand why she does the things she does but it comes off like a teenager who holds a grudge.

Brie Larson reprises her role as Captain Marvel. She seems like she's really just ready for the role to be over with each scene she's in. She lacks emotions and doesn't interact well with her supposed friend who she hasn't seen in decades. Her character is inconsistent, she could single-handedly take down Thanos but now she struggles against a Kree General.  After Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, I never thought I'd hear Brie sing again. It wasn't what I expected.

Teyonah Parris plays Monica Rambeau who probably is the best actor among the three, and also the best looking but that's beside the point. She moves the plot forward while Ms. Marvel tries to add comic relief and I don't know what Captain Marvel's motivation is. Perhaps she intends to inspire leadership but the writing doesn't give her that dialogue.

Iman Vellani plays Ms. Marvel. She tries her best to be relatable and a comic relief but audiences didn't like Captain Marvel from the first film so I imagine audiences will have a hard time relating to someone fangirling over Brie Larson in every scene. She's insufferable and I was surprised I liked her less than Captain Marvel. Also at one point, Ms. Marvel uses her powers without her power source. It seems like the writer didn't watch the Ms. Marvel show.

The worst acting goes to Zawe Ashton who overacts in every scene. She plays the big bad. Her actions, though written as inspiring for the Kree, I found it unconvincing. Her character is nothing like that of the comics and has not only been gender-swapped but also race-swapped. 

The writing is really bad. There is a moment when something new shows up that has never really been seen before and the characters instantly know what to do to fix it. No studying or research is needed. It's bad, not too bad, and it passed the time. Result: C-


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Return to Silent Hill (2026)

Return to Silent Hill is written and directed by Christophe Gans , who also directed the original Silent Hill and, oddly enough, the French Beauty and the Beast . Unfortunately, the film has problems almost immediately, with questionable directorial choices that make it difficult to get fully invested. It is obvious that Gans has a great deal of respect for the source material, and there are moments where that appreciation comes through, but respecting the game and adapting it effectively are two different things. The film often feels too concerned with recreating what was already there rather than figuring out what works best for a movie. Jeremy Irvine , known for War Horse and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again , plays the iconic James Sunderland and unfortunately struggles with the performance. He goes over the top in several scenes, and some of his line deliveries are so unnatural that I found myself wondering why they were not simply redone. James is supposed to be an emotionally com...
Post a Comment
Read more

Practical Magic 2 (2026)

Practical Magic 2 is directed by Susanne Bier , who previously worked with Sandra Bullock on Bird Box . The film brings back the Owens sisters, with Sandra Bullock  and Nicole Kidman returning. Sally is still the more grounded and tightly wound of the two, while Gillian remains a little more aloof and unpredictable. Unfortunately, the movie struggles with pacing, and there are several moments where the suspension of disbelief starts to wear thin. Sandra Bullock returns as Sally and continues to fit naturally into the role. Sally's more serious personality provides a good contrast to Gillian, and Bullock still has the presence to make the character enjoyable to watch. Her chemistry with Nicole Kidman remains one of the more important parts of the movie, especially because the two sisters have such different personalities. Nicole Kidman returns as Gillian, bringing the same more carefree and aloof personality that separates her from Sally. Kidman seems comfortable stepping back...
Post a Comment
Read more

Labyrinth (2026)

Labyrinth is an anime film about a girl's dreams of stardom turning into a mission to save the planet from brainrot. It is directed by Shôji Kawamori , who has been involved with the Macross franchise since the 1980s and also worked in the art department on the original Ghost in the Shell , so he is definitely a veteran of Japanese animation. Writer Taichi Hashimoto is not nearly as well known, but if Kawamori liked the script enough to turn it into a movie, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, the premise feels like it should be more universally entertaining than it actually is. The only voice actor I immediately recognized was Tomokazu Sugita , who has been in an enormous number of anime and games. You might recognize him as Gyomei from Demon Slayer or Yusuke Kitagawa from Persona 5 . He brings the kind of recognizable voice presence you'd expect from someone with such an extensive resume, although there was not really a performance that ...
Post a Comment
Read more