‘The Marvels’ Review: Brie Larson Takes Charge of a Trio of Radiant Heroines in a Sequel Replete With MCU History

In ‘The Marvels,’ Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), a witty and enthusiastic Pakistani-American teenage mutant ninja fangirl, sits in her Jersey City bedroom. There, she sketches comic-book panels envisioning herself as part of a team alongside her idol, Carol Danvers.

Image courtesy: ABC4 Utah

Her wish is about to come true. Abruptly, Kamala finds herself transported into a spaceship, seamlessly assuming the role of Monica Rambeau Teyonah Parris, a superhero astronaut engaged in a dynamic yet somewhat unremarkable kick-ass battle.

Image courtesy: Slate Magazine

The trio of characters has undergone teleportation, a common occurrence in comic-book movies. However, in this instance, their identities seem interconnected, with each character essentially “becoming” the other. If you’re looking for an explanation, it’s revealed that the three “came into direct contact with some malfunctioning jump points.”

Image courtesy: Good Morning America

In ‘The Marvels’, numerous explanations abound, evoking a sense of déjà vu akin to eleventh-grade chemistry class excitement. However, as the characters unravel the revelation that “our light powers are entangled, so we change places whenever we use them at the same time,” the constant space-shifting and identity-hopping unintentionally render the three a bit too interchangeable.

-Sushmita Sarkar