It was the fifth highest-grossing film of 2019 and the first female-led superhero film to pass the billion-dollar mark at the global box office. CAPTAIN MARVEL was the 21^st film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and although it received warm reviews, it no doubt benefited from the huge successes of the MCU films that immediately preceded it including THOR: RAGNAROK; BLACK PANTHER; AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR; and ANT-MAN AND THE WASP. Four years ago, it looked like MCU could do no wrong but the times they have a-changed. Audiences are starting to tire of the superhero genre and newer MCU films like BLACK WIDOW; ETERNALS; and ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA have all underperformed at the box office. The stories have also become increasingly intertwined with the various MARVEL series that are being streamed on Disney+, meaning that movie audiences can no longer just watch the MCU films and expect to know all the plot intricacies and in-jokes. That’s where we are with THE MARVELS, MCU’s 33^rd film in the series, which is not only a sequel to the 2019 film, it also builds upon two TV series.

Set 28 years after the events in CAPTAIN MARVEL, following the collapse of the Supreme Intelligence, the Kree on Hala engaged in a civil war that left their planet without air, water and light. Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton, VELVET BUZZSAW), the new leader of the Kree, finds one of two Quantum Bands, the other being worn by Jersey City teenager Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani, TV’s MS. MARVEL), which gives her the power to create wormholes in timespace. One such wormhole anomaly is picked up by S.W.O.R.D. and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson, HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD; SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME) dispatches Carol Danvers (Brie Larson, TV’s LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY; ROOM) and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris, CANDYMAN; IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK; TV’s WANDAVISION) to investigate. When Monica touches the wormhole, she, Carol and Kamala all switch places at once, which makes fighting the people who are after Kamala’s band somewhat difficult for them. Dar-Benn, meanwhile, is hard at work stealing the air from another planet and sending it to Hala through a newly created wormhole. When Carol figures out what Dar-Benn is up to, the three superheroes understand that they must work together as a team if they’re going to thwart Dar-Benn’s nefarious plan.

It’s probably fair to say that THE MARVELS was coming in with very low expectations, mostly for the reasons mentioned above. If you’re like those of us who are exhausted with the superhero genre, you won’t be disappointed with this film. It’s rather average. I will give credit to Iman Vellani for injecting some youthful exuberance into the action but the big problem with the film is the script, which was co-written by director Nia DaCosta (CANDYMAN). It’s pretty much a by-the-numbers affair with a bland villain and some unearned touchy-feely moments thrown in to generate empathy for the three women. What Dar-Benn wants for her people isn’t so outrageous though. Sure, she’s hell-bent on avenging the individuals who did her and her people injustice but whatever happened to diplomacy as a possible tack? The story could have been like STAR TREK VI where S.H.I.E.L.D. or some other organization (don’t ask me; I’m not a MARVEL fanboy) engages in peace talks with the Kree while Dar-Benn works behind the scenes to sabotage those talks. I should have been a screenwriter.

But THE MARVELS isn’t a completely dull 105 minutes though. It has two rather quirky scenes that will leave you scratching your head. The first, which doesn’t work in the slightest bit, involves something that seems torn from the pages of a Disney princess movie. Now I get that the Mouse loves nothing more than milking its own IP but whoever came up with this idea should be banished from the Magic Kingdom forever. What the flerken were they thinking?! And poor Park Seo-joon/박서준 (PARASITE). The South Korean superstar’s talents are completely wasted in his brief appearance as Prince Yan. The film’s second head-scratching scene, on the other hand, works quite well. Remember Goose, the alien creature that looks like a cat? She (yes, Goose is female apparently) is back and she’s brought along some friends this time to help Nick Fury out. Without giving anything away, I’ll just say that this scene is bizarre beyond belief and the music chosen at the key moment is complete genius. This is by far the movie’s best scene and perhaps its only good scene. Is it worth the price of admission though?

THE MARVELS is now playing in Hong Kong and around the world. Outside of the brilliant flerken scene, there is little incentive to watch this one unless, of course, you’re an MCU fanboy or fangirl.

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