Listen, I’m not here to talk about superhero fatigue or box office numbers or dudes who bleat about the “M She U.” I had a great time during this movie, complete with a lot of laughter, a few tears, and some badass heroes figuring out how to pull together as a team. Let’s do it!
A cosmic accident causes the powers of Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau, and Kamala Khan to become entangled, making them switch places in space whenever they use them simultaneously. As they navigate this tricky issue, they’re not only searching for a solution to their entanglement—they’re also determined to thwart a Kree extremist who’s causing devastation to planets across the galaxy.
Look, I loved Captain Marvel, I loved Ms. Marvel even before the TV show came out, and I loved Monica on WandaVision. I went in ready to love this movie, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s not perfect—Dar-Benn is kind of a flat antagonist, and the story can get choppy and rushed in places—but it’s damn good and hugely entertaining.
These three heroes are a perfect storm to be thrown into a situation like this. We have Carol, who is actually very personable but who’s been on her own for a long time and tends to think she has to go it alone. We have Monica, who’s angry at Carol for dropping out of her life when Monica was a kid and never coming back, even after the Blip. And we have Kamala, certified Captain Marvel superfan who is so excited to be a part of this that she’s practically having an out-of-body experience. It makes for a great mix of personalities, relationships, and attitudes, and it’s both fun and compelling to watch these three work things out. There’s an awesome training montage, some lovely emotional moments, and copious amounts of Kamala just fangirling everywhere.
While the Marvels themselves are the main attraction, there’s a lot more than those three packed into a relatively short film. The Khan family is featured more than I would’ve expected (although, ugh to Mohan Kapur,) I feel like Fury is used better here than on his own show, and the cameos are equal parts fun and relevant. The planet of Aladna is a delight, and there’s all kinds of good flerken content. This is definitely a film I’m looking forward to watching again.
All three stars do a bang-up job. I love Brie Larson’s take on Carol, and it’s interesting to watch how she responds to being so forcibly prevented from going off and doing the solo hero thing this time. Teyonah Parris is wonderful as Monica, focused and professional but also deeply hurting; she strikes a great balance with her scenes. And Iman Vellani just is Kamala, there’s no two ways about it—100% endearing and an absolute hoot. The returning characters all do well with what they’re given, and I enjoy Seo-joon Park as Prince Yan of Aladna.
Warnings
Comic book violence, language, and thematic elements.
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