The Marvels Review Roundup – GameSpot

The Marvels, a sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel, is the 33rd MCU film and according to director Nia DaCosta (Candyman, Little Woods), will be “wacky,” “silly,” and full of “bright worlds that you haven’t seen before.” It’s also been well-publicized that the film is expected to fall short commercially of the film it’s following up on, but also is expected to take some big swings at changing up the formula to combat the similarly well-publicized “superhero fatigue” that may be setting in among audiences.

In The Marvels, Captain Marvel, also known as Carol Danvers, successfully reclaims her identity from the oppressive Kree regime and seeks revenge against the Supreme Intelligence. However, unforeseen repercussions thrust her into the role of stabilizing a chaotic universe. As her responsibilities lead her through an anomalous wormhole connected to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become intertwined with those of two other superheroes, giving rise to the Marvels.

The Marvels is written by DaCosta, Megan McDonnell, and Elissa Karasik, and directed by DaCosta. The film’s cast includes Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, and Samuel L. Jackson.

As of this writing, The Marvels has an aggregate score of 51 on Metacritic, based on 36 critic reviews. Over on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a slightly higher 52% based on 88 reviews. These scores will shift as other outlets publish their takes, and since it isn’t out just yet–it hits theaters on November 10–there are no audience ratings available. If you’re ravenous about all things The Marvels and don’t care about spoilers, the post-credits sequence has already leaked, and sheds light on the next stage of the MCU.

In GameSpot’s review of The Marvels, reviewer Phil Owen asks “It’s a well-made and fun action flick, but is that enough?”

Below, you’ll see a selection of the many reviews of The Marvels that have already been published.

The Marvels

• Directed By: Nia DaCosta
• Written By: Nia DaCosta, Megan McDonnell, and Elissa Karasik
• Starring: Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton, Gary Lewis, Park Seo-joon, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Saagar Shaikh, and Samuel L. Jackson
• Premiere Date: November 10

GameSpot – 7/10

“While The Marvels works as a lighthearted action movie for a while, its relentless breeziness and strict adherence to the Marvel formula eventually weighs it down.” – Phil Owen – [Full review]

Screen Rant – 90/100

“The Marvels is an uproariously fun and action-packed comic book movie that’s made all the more delightful by the heartwarming dynamic of the leads.” – Molly Freeman – [Full review]

USA Today – 75/100

“Directed by Nia DaCosta (“Candyman”), Marvels throws a ton of plot at viewers that too often falls back to Marvel-y familiarity – world-saving stakes, villain with a light-up doodad – yet enjoyably soars when it centers on its core trio and dares to go gonzo.” – Brian Truitt – [Full review]

Observer – 3.5/4

“At under two-hours, light-hearted in tone, and skipping long expository scenes in favor of fun, The Marvels is a refreshingly different than a lot of recent MCU fare.” – Emily Zemler – [Full review]

RogerEbert.com – 1.5/4

“A narrative and visual jumble, and the clearest evidence yet that maybe we don’t need some sort of Marvel product in theaters or on streaming at all times.” – Christy Lemire – [Full review]

Uproxx – unscored

“Even though there are some fun scenes with The Marvels trio, I’d be hard-pressed to recommend this to anyone who isn’t an MCU superfan. Again, even *I* was a bit lost with the latest in the Kree and Skrull political relationships — I felt lost by it all and I’ve seen every movie. I bet a pretty straightforward plot involving the main three characters would have gone a long way.” – Mike Ryan – [Full review]

Variety – unscored

“There’s a place in the MCU for wackjob silliness. But in The Marvels, the bits of absurd comedy tend to feel strained, because they clash with the movie’s mostly utilitarian tone.” – Owen Gleiberman – [Full review]