The Marvels: Refreshing & Fun
Our pop culture interests seem to surround and be driven by superheroes, mainly the MCU. It’s been this way for some time now. Changing the industry and making the cinematic universe a necessity for a successful studio. We’ve all been held in the clutches of the MCU and while the cries of fatigue and a drop in quality grow louder, it doesn’t seem as if the MCU has lost its position. Being in this position has created some issues, separate from the aforementioned, also appearing to grow in frequency. As the center of popular culture superheroes at large, and the MCU specifically becomes the carrier of sociopolitical messages. It’s the reflection of our greater societal values and progression. It has to be the face of what we as a people will stand for.
Today, stories about super humans fighting other superhumans, while in costumes, are being analyzed for how it represents culture and any other thing that’s on our mind. We’ve saddled films that are meant to be fun and entertaining with our baggage. Forcing complicated ideas onto stories that aren’t equipped to handle them. This is not to say that you can’t derive a deeper meaning from these films or attach yourself in a meaningful way. You most certainly can, as is true for any form of art. But somewhere along the way, we’ve lost the thread. Losing sight of what these films are meant to be, how they are packaged and delivered to us as popcorn entertainment. By that measure, The Marvels, the MCU’s latest film, is a great success.
Much like every other aspect of cinema, fun is subjective. What makes for a fun and enjoyable time looks different each time. It is however exactly how I would describe The Marvels. That word continued to pop in my head throughout the movie because fun is a rarity in the current offerings from the MCU. Watching anything post Endgame is difficult. There is a constant wrestling of what came before, what will come next and how any particular movie or series ties them together. This isn’t new to the post Endgame MCU but it is more apparent. That’s because a lot of these movies don’t hold up to that level of scrutiny. Whether it be the characters, its place in the story, general fatigue, expectation, or even the quality of the movie itself, the weight of the MCU is too much to carry.
What The Marvels does well, ultimately, is come across as quite refreshing. This is a movie that carries the weight of previous films (and series) but they don’t weigh it down. In that way it feels uniquely self contained. The answers this movie provides (of which there aren’t many) are held to these characters. It’s not dealing with a larger story, or holding together the plot of 30 other movies. It’s allowed to reside within itself, which allows for much more fun. When unburdened by the weight of an entire cinematic universe, things become more efficient and less serious. Two things the MCU desperately needs and gets with The Marvels.
The problem is that while, for some, The Marvels is a light and fun piece of popcorn entertainment, for most (including its standing in pop culture) it can’t be that. We can't remove it from the greater context of the MCU and the long line of storytelling associated with these characters. Even if the movie itself is trying to distance itself, the ecosystem around it won’t let it. The Marvels isn’t really a movie about Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau and Kamala Kahn. It’s about Marvel as a studio and its place in culture, the frustration many have with this recent run of movies and representation. All of which are things too heavy for this film to carry. So even when the movie feels like a departure, it’s not really and in its final moments it ties us all back into the larger multiverse. Ultimately this is why this movie exists, to be a conduit of creating excitement through promises.
The frustration with a movie like The Marvels, doesn’t even lie with the movie itself. It represents a greater frustration, one around how we consume these things and how it can be a detriment to the very thing we claim to love. The Marvels may not be a great film, technically or in its role in the MCU, but what’s wrong with a little fun? If it’s stripped of its baggage, there is a lot to like. Iman Vellani gives a star-making performance. She shines on screen and injects the movie with a lot of its humor and fun. The movie seems to follow her lead, with Brie Larson's Carol Danvers being much more playful and fun, as well as Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury.
There are two very entertaining action set pieces. Both clever in their construction because they play off the hero’s powers, their current struggle and overall tone of the movie. While it’s not executed perfectly, we are also getting a plot of Captain Marvel being held accountable for her actions. This is something that is quite compelling as an idea and the attempt is admirable. All of these things make this a worthy addition to the MCU and watch. While this is far from a simple recommendation, this is what the movie is. One that features a random, and very fun, musical sequence.
Sometimes it’s okay to put the seriousness aside and accept something for what it is and opposed to what we hoped it would be. The Marvels won’t work for everyone, and that is okay. Just as it is okay to walk away having had a deep meaningful experience. Sometimes, however, a movie just needs to be a movie. An escape from reality for a few hours, to laugh and see something cool. Unfortunately for The Marvels, it’s not in the right place for that.
