“Stop running and let the Flerken eat you.” Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson)
The Marvels, as the 33rd and at 1 hour 45 minutes, the shortest, movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, stands out with its respect for and care about the role of women being responsible for our salvation, every bit as important as men. To achieve a distaff presence, this part of the MCU has only one significant male, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), who has been the binding force of many Marvel heroes.
If for nothing else, enjoy the opening and closing graphics, so characteristic of Marvel but even more stunning in this edition. As for its place in the MCU, it is more important for its inclusion of three kick-butt female leads than anything else. Some humor, much fighting, nothing new.
The Marvels stands with other light-hearted MCU adventures like Thor: Ragnarok and Guardians of the Galaxy (the first two). Following up billion-dollar-grossing Captain Marvel is heroic. Inspired is the larger role for Goose the Flerken, a cat, who, if she or one of her kittens eats you, will save you at the same time.
The singular woman among three is Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), who leads with a soft touch every bit as effective as Fury’s bombast. She carefully attends to the young women just starting their careers, never marginalizing them but testing them to become permanent heroes.
The other two heroines are Kamala Khan ( Iman Vellani), a teen who has summoned the spirit and eventually the body of Carol Danvers/Cpt Marvel. Kamala is a charmer with moves like a ninja when necessary.
Kamala’s ethnic family is one of the successful light touches with mom helicoptering until she needs to let go. Dad and brother are concerned about Kamala’s safety as she enters the warfare, but never do they condescend or scold—respect is the key attitude throughout this adventure.
In that way the Marvels families stand as one of the best examples of the recurrent motifs of most super hero adventures—the search for and restoration of family, be it a daughter or an entire clan.
The third heroine, Monica Rambeau (Teyona Parris), provides a more mature sidekick for Carol, and when absent, is seriously missed. The three are put through their paces almost immediately against the Kree enemies to help the pacing be parallel with other robust MCU’s. That they can use their powers to switch their identities helps speed up what could be plodding plot.
The Marvels, while not having the heft of a Batman or Superman, manages to overcome the actors’ strike and the tepid response to recent MCU outings by giving the heroines enough to do to save the universe and the MCU at the same time. Without beating us up about it, the movie establishes heroines almost as appealing and effective as my fav, Black Widow.
The Marvels
Director: Nia DaCosta (Candyman)
Screenplay: DaCosta, Megan McDonnell, Elissa Karasik
Cast: Brie Larson (Room)
Run Time: 1h 45m
Rating: PG-13
John DeSando, a Los Angeles Press Club first-place winner for National Entertainment Journalism, hosts NPR’s It’s Movie Time and hosts Cinema Classics as well as podcasts Back Talk and Double Take out of WCBE 90.5 FM. Contact him at JohnDeSando52@gmail.com
