Captain Marvel is reeling under the guilt of being the Annihilator, after destroying the Supreme Intelligence, and subsequently triggering a civil war. Hala, the homeworld of the Kree, is dying with no air, water and a diminishing sun. Its new leader, the formidable Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) has managed to find one half of the pair of the Quantum bands. The second half is with an unassuming 16-year-old Captain Marvel fan-girl Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), who soon finds herself in the midst of the most important mission in the world, along with her idol, Captain Marvel. It’s a standard template of superheroes tasked with saving the world, but this time it’s a lazer, lights and ladies extravaganza. After long, Marvel Studios have come up with a story that is far less complicated, more fun and full of heart as well. While being a fan always helps connect the dots between superhero stories, just watching the three superwomen with interchangeable powers pack a punch, is hugely satisfying. And all of this, while having their share of fun as well. For all practical purposes, it's sort of a sequel to the 2019 installment ‘Captain Marvel’ that launched Brie Larson into the big league. But this time, Captain Marvel is more human than ever. She is relatable and it’s easy to rally behind her character. Larson brings her distinct charm and restraint to this hugely significant role in the MCU, owning every aspect of it. Iman Vellani is quite effortless, as the young and excited teenager, who is living her superhero dream. Marching on with confidence and ease, Vellani seems quite set for her future endeavours in the MCU. However, some of the scenes involving her Indian family featuring Mohan Kapur and Zenobia Shroff as her parents, are slapstick and struggle to evoke humour. Teyonah Parris is impressive as the slightly resentful yet wise Monica Rambeau. The chemistry between the three superwomen is effortless and the highlight of writer-director Nia DaCosta’s all women outing. In fact, the film is the strongest when its leading ladies dominate the screen. Zawe Ashton looks a bit gimmicky as Dar-Benn, blunting the seriousness of her villany. Samuel L. Jackson continues to be the ever-dependable Nick Fury despite the fact that his role adds little ammo to this high-octane action extravaganza. The animation besides being convincing is also a whole lot of fun, especially with Goose, Carol Danvers’s lovable cat, who is surely not as harmless as a pet feline. ‘The Marvels’ scores in its runtime as well. None of the scenes drag endlessly and there is definitely more action than talk this time. 'The Marvels' triumphs as a dazzling spectacle that seamlessly combines action, heart, and a stellar cast. This one breaks free from the complexity of previous storylines, delivering a refreshing and heartwarming take on superhero narratives, leaving audiences eager for more, especially after those enticing post-credit scenes.Read more

Remember walking out of a Marvel film feeling an outburst of emotions? From euphoria to shock, to anticipation, the MCU’s strength has always been its ability to make the audience invest emotionally in its characters, their back stories, even their villains, apart from being spectacular visually. ‘The Marvels’, featuring Brie Larson, Iman Vellani in lead roles, only gets a part of it right. Captain Marvel [Brie Larson] is leaving with a heavy heart after, in what can be called an accidental move, she ends up destabilising the Kree universe. Now, DarBenn [Zawe Ashton] resurrects as the new enemy who wants to annihilate and seek revenge from the Captain. In some kind of twisted move, Captain Marvel’s, Monica [Teyonah Parris], and Kamala Khan [Iman Vellani]’s powers get entangled to form ‘The Marvels’, who then come together to take on DarBenn. 'The Marvels’ as a team is honestly likeable. Director Nia DaCosta gives us moments of female bonding and friendship which are almost endearing to watch. What also helps is the performances by the lead cast. They bring a sense of vulnerability and innocence to their roles, which makes the audience root for them. However, what the film lacks is a strong opponent. DarBenn, as the main antagonist of the film, is simply average. What makes a superhero stand out is a strong opponent, like a ‘Thanos’. But, DarBenn is hardly passable. Also, the lack of importance given to ensure that the action is well blended with emotions doesn’t work. Yes, you will laugh and have a good time watching the chaos onscreen, but it isn’t enough for you to want to come back and root for this superhero team. Brie channels all her charisma into making Captain Marvel a figure to resonate with. On the other hand, Iman stands on her own, and brings a lot of agency to Ms. Marvel with her performance. Teyonah brings the emotional length required to the film. It’s all fun, but this entire ‘no strings attached’ approach to the story isn’t really favourable. Park Seo-Jun makes his Hollywood debut with the film. As Prince Yan, he is charming. However, he appears and disappears at the speed of Captain Marvel's flying speed. If ‘The Marvels’ is the ramen, he definitely is the kimchi, but too little of it, doesn’t really do the job! The action sequences and the VFX are sleek and enjoyable. Mohan Kapur, Zenobia Shroff, Saagar Shaikh have some of the funniest scenes in the film, along with Nick Fury [Samuel L. Jackson]. In fact, the cats are actually the real heroes of the film.Read more