Did 'The Marvels' Deserve The Hate It Got?

Marvel

May 24

2023 feels like a distant memory in some ways. It was the year of the Barbenheimer phenomenon, the final season of Succession, and critically acclaimed music from Lana Del Rey and Olivia Rodrigo. Despite only two years passing, it feels like a long time ago, especially regarding superhero movies.

If one were to be very honest, superheroes were not having the best time in 2023. Films such as Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom failed to reach their predecessors' critical and financial heights. Despite being touted as "one of the greatest superhero movies of all time" by titans of the industry, The Flash failed to meet any meaningful expectations.

Despite positive reviews, Blue Beetle did not become a box office success. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem were the only comic book movies in 2023 to achieve critical and financial success simultaneously. Granted, this makes 2023 sound better than 2024, a year where it felt like Shawn Levy (Deadpool & Wolverine) and Vera Drew (The People’s Joker) were holding the genre together with nothing but duct tape and a dream. Despite that, 2023 did not help allegations of "superhero fatigue" go away.

But there was one film whose very existence was put to the test.

RELATED:

Featured

Guardians Of The Genre: The Directors Who Kept Superhero Movies Alive

In 2019, Captain Marvel flew into theaters with her very first solo film. Directed by indie darlings Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck, the film received mostly positive reviews and was a colossal box-office sensation. Kevin Feige officially announced a sequel to Captain Marvel at Disney Investor Day in 2020. During that time, Nia DaCosta (best known for directing films such as Little Woods and Candyman) was confirmed to be the film's director. A self-proclaimed nerd, DaCosta beat directors such as Megan Park and Olivia Wilde for the gig on the strength of a great pitch. Looking to comics and films such as Interstellar, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Your Sister’s Sister, and Waiting to Exhale for inspiration, DaCosta and her lifelong fandom of comic books made her an ideal candidate for the MCU.

But life and the media had other plans.

The Marvels immediately fell victim to false narratives and culture war nonsense, as is the case for most franchises with large fandoms nowadays. All the same "anti-woke" creators who were bitter that their Brie Larson hate content did not affect Captain Marvel's box office instantly did the same for the sequel. While Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck seem to come out of the discourse mostly unscathed, Nia DaCosta wasn't as lucky. The sad reality of media, whether it be music, television, or movies, is that anything made by women, people of color, or women of color (Especially Black women) is put under a microscope and often has to fight more uphill battles than media made by their white counterparts. Conversations didn't highlight DaCosta's acclaimed films, fandom, or talent; instead, people started attacking her race and gender. In a fandom landscape that doesn't let women of color be as openly nerdy as others, DaCosta's evident and vocal love of superheroes was questioned by people who, let's be generous, probably haven't spoken to a woman in fandom spaces before.

Actual professional media wasn't doing DaCosta or the film any favors either. Frequent reports of heavy reshoots, creative conflicts, and weak test screenings dogged the film throughout 2023. While we can't lambast media pundits for simply doing their jobs, nobody can be blamed for feeling or even believing that the media had some vendetta against The Marvels. Combine this with later reports of low ticket sales, the dual labor strikes preventing the actors from promoting the film, rumors that DaCosta left during post-production, and the seemingly endless stream of, to use a term coined by YouTuber Ophie Dokie, “misogyny slop” on YouTube. It is safe to say that the lead-up to the film's release was nothing but constant discourse and misery. All these events make one wonder how a film is supposed to succeed when almost everyone hopes it fails. If Nia DaCosta felt a way about all this, she's never vocalized it. Fans hoping the film would succeed couldn't help but think that the odds were being stacked against it on purpose.

Marvels at an AMC — Image Source: Polka Dots & Pixie Dust

The Marvels was released in theaters on November 10th, 2023, and three years of adverse reporting, rumors, and discourse resulted in some people's worst nightmares coming true. The film opened to an MCU-low 47 million domestic haul while only opening to 110 million worldwide, a far cry from the first film's record-breaking 456 million worldwide opening weekend. To make matters worse, reviews were very mixed. Critics frequently highlighted Nia DaCosta's direction, the performances of Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, and Iman Vellani, and the musical score as positives. However, they were less kind regarding the film's screenplay, length, and tone. Disney CEO Bob Iger didn't help at all, as he stated the lack of studio oversight during production was the reason for the film's failure. Iger's comments seem to have implied that DaCosta couldn't handle a production of this size and that it was her fault it turned out the way it did. These comments, and the hostile reporting regarding the film, were thankfully called out for being sexist, as Peyton Reed (Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania), Justin Simien (Haunted Mansion), James Mangold (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny), and Chris Buck (Wish) didn't have the same allegations or media narratives levied at them, despite their films also being box office failures with mixed critical reception.

Sadly, unenthusiastic reviews and a terrible box office have become the film’s legacy. Naturally, grifters reveled in their victory as The Marvels failed to overcome the constant negativity thrown at it from the start. Meanwhile, fans hoping the film would overcome the odds felt defeated.

But it doesn't have to be this way forever.

The Marvels is not a masterpiece of the genre. It won't change anyone's life or reinvent the wheel of superhero movies. But does it have to? It often feels that women-led superhero movies are not allowed to be fun times at the movies. The Marvels, at its core, is an entertaining sci-fi romp about the importance of sisterhood and honesty. It's not the most thematically rich MCU film, but its heart is in the right place.

As mentioned above, Nia DaCosta's directing was frequently singled out by critics as a highlight, for good reason. DaCosta brings more energy behind the camera for this installment. While Boden & Fleck maintained their more subtle and subdued directing style from their previous films, DaCosta kicks things into high gear. The main plot beat of Carol, Monica, and Kamala switching places whenever they use their powers provides many opportunities for creative visuals. DaCosta keeps the action fast and engaging without losing sight of the characters. The action sequences in The Marvels also utilize fewer quick cuts than other MCU films, allowing the audience to become wrapped up in these three women's constantly shifting powers.

DaCosta's love and affection for comics and superhero movies are evident in the visuals. Doing away with the MCU's more grayish look for bright colors and comic book-esque cosmic scenery. The film's heavier emphasis on space gives it more chances to pop visually, especially with scenes set on Aldana. DaCosta's direction, leaning into the MCU's comic origins, lends itself to key sequences. The musical sequence where our three heroines land on Aldana is so delightful and goofy in the best way. Only wish the sequence were more extended. Let's not forget the sequence in which a batch of flerkin kittens swallow S.A.B.E.R. employees to save their lives as their spaceship crashes. Barbra Streisand's cover of Memory from the Cats soundtrack playing over the sequence helps make it one of the MCU's funniest and most memorable comedic moments.

As with past MCU films, The Marvels finds its greatest strength in characters. Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau, and Kamala Khan are entertaining, relatable, and engaging characters, but put them together, you only create magic. The Marvels is a rare case in the MCU where the film features three protagonists instead of just one. Despite the film's short length, our three heroines get a lot of time to bounce off each other and feel like old friends to the audience. Sisters fight; that's just a part of life, but they can always come together when needed. The strength of Carol, Monica, and Kamala as characters comes from their shared bond and willingness to do good. Larson, Parris, and Vellani's performances help great characters become even greater.

Each of our three heroines provides the viewer with different kinds of women dealing with various things. Carol has to deal with the consequences of her actions, whether it’s accidentally throwing Hala into civil war or failing to provide Monica with comfort after the death of Maria Rambeau. Monica is in desperate need of closure and is actively trying to escape the shadow of her mother. Young Kamala must grasp her idolization of Carol and that the hero she worships can make mistakes. While unattentive viewers will lazily write off these characters as “Mary Sues” who don’t struggle, Nia DaCosta and her co-writers make sure to make them feel as down-to-earth as possible.

The last thing we will highlight today is the film's musical score. Composed by Laura Karpman (the Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning composer behind What If..?, Ms. Marvel, and Captain America: Brave New World), she delivers one of the most remarkable MCU scores to date. Karpman's main theme (appropriately titled ‘Higher, Further, Faster, Together’) may do away with Pinar Toprak's excellent theme from the first film. Still, it's so catchy and memorable that it's hard not to hum when it's over. When the main theme was performed live at the 2023 BBC Proms months before the film’s release, fans already had the chance to become raptured with Karpman’s infectious compositions. While Dar-Benn may not be the most three-dimensional villain, Karpman’s theme provides a constant sense of danger and menace.

Like Alan Silvestri's work in The Avengers films, Karpman often uses the main theme, but not to the point of annoyance. Those seven heroic notes are infectious and guaranteed to put a massive smile on the listener's face. The action cues are also very impressive. Graduating from the Jerry Goldsmith/James Horner school of action, Karpman ensures no single note is wasted. The evacuation from Tarnax sequence is where Karpman's action music shines. The score never finds itself lost in the sound mix or neglected in favor of needle drops. While there are needle drops, none push the score out of the film. Laura Karpman’s undeniable knack for composition and uplifting superhero music is fully displayed here. It's no wonder Marvel keeps bringing Laura Karpman back for more projects.

Overall, The Marvels is a film that more viewers should be allowed to see. While it won’t blow your mind or make you rethink the superhero genre, it may give you a breezy good time. Anyone who can take in Nia DaCosta’s energetic direction, the charisma and talent of its three leads, and Laura Karpman’s uplifting musical score should have a lot of fun. The film’s legacy doesn’t have to be one failure. Considering the film’s success on Disney+, it should be due for cult classic status in the near future. At least Nia DaCosta can take pride in directing the highest-grossing film directed by a Black woman of all time. DaCosta seems to be doing pretty well career-wise. She is currently in post-production on her new film, Hedda (which will be released in October), and is working on 28 Years Later: The Bond Temple (which will be released next year). While it’s unknown if DaCosta will ever return to the realm of blockbusters, at least we can take pride that she’s still making exciting and interesting career moves.

It’s somewhat understandable to be turned off from the idea of watching the film due to the constant barrage of negativity, discourse, and misogyny on social media. Despite that, one should take matters into their own hands and engage with both Captain Marvel films on their own merits. There is no shame in giving movies a fair shake, even if you don’t think they’re the greatest movies of all time. You don’t have to walk away from them claiming Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, and Nia DaCosta made you feel cinematic nirvana, but you could hope that, at the very least, they entertained you and made you smile.

Just be sure to watch it with friends. Remember, you can go higher, further, and faster together.

READ NEXT:

Featured