“The Marvels” First Reactions: A Boisterous, Fast-Paced, Surprisingly Sweet Treat
The Marvels had its premiere in Las Vegas on Tuesday, with additional press screenings in New York and Los Angeles. This means we’ve got your first reactions to co-writer/director Nia DaCosta’s first MCU film, which features the return of Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel as she finds herself teamed up with her estranged niece, Teyonah Parris’s Monica Rambeau (reprising her role from WandaVision) and her number one fan in Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel (reprising her role from her Disney+ series).
The Marvels finds these three, literally star-crossed superheroes (their powers are all mixed up thanks to the cosmic fallout from an anomalous wormhole) facing off against a formidable foe in Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton), a Kree revolutionary with a major bone to pick with Captain Marvel. As the final trailer revealed, Dar-Benn’s powers only seem to expand when she fights with the exponentially potent Captain Marvel, so the superhero trio will need to work together to find a way to stop a villain who is every bit Captain Marvel’s match.
“This film is so much fun and exactly what a comic movie should be,” the Washington Post‘s Herb Scribner wrote. “The Marvels is so much fun, action-packed goodness, but genuinely hilarious and exciting to watch from start to finish,” wrote Mary Sue‘s Rachel Leishman. “This thing moves! The location-swap action is a blast,” writes Fandango’s Erik Davis. This is the general tenor of the reactions—genuine delight at a film that’s short, sweet, and filled with well-paced action.
Let’s have a glance at what some of the critics are saying in their first reaction to The Marvels.
#TheMarvels is the most fun I’ve had watching a superhero movie in a while! It’s hilarious, action-packed & full of girl power. Kamala was a stand out & so many moments surprised me. There was a great balance of the team, while dropping shocking bombs that will change EVERYTHING. pic.twitter.com/Zj6Lbc5xKn
— Kristen Maldonado (@kaymaldo) November 8, 2023
Nia DaCosta’s #TheMarvels is a delight! The power-swapping plot is cool & all, but the real fun comes from the stellar chemistry between Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris & Iman Vellani. Low stakes aside, it delivers some of Marvel’s best action & comedy to date! See it with a crowd 👀 pic.twitter.com/Qz8k9j6nAm
— Dempsey Pillot (@DempseyPillot) November 8, 2023
#TheMarvels worked for me. Female Avengers team-up movie packs in chuckles, cats, hairballs, and musical sequences. Much more episodic than a cinematic endeavor, but I think that’s its greatest strength. Great post-credits. Loved my leading lady trio. Great visual effects. Jersey… pic.twitter.com/uWk9w4M4Og
— Clayton Davis (@ByClaytonDavis) November 8, 2023
All I wanted from #TheMarvels was to have a good time and that movie is stupid fun! Kamala, Monica, and Carol are so much fun together. The swapping, singing, and dancing played better than I thought it would. The cameos, my god those cameos! I’m so happy I saw this in IMAX! pic.twitter.com/seWhnb9fzX
— Joseph Deckelmeier (@joedeckelmeier) November 8, 2023
Nia DaCosta’s #TheMarvels is a great time at the movies! It’s well paced & full of frantic, hilarious energy. I even liked it more than 2019’s #CaptainMarvel. This thing moves! The location-swap action is a blast & the end credits scene is 😱 . I’m definitely a fan.
Iman… pic.twitter.com/vK8vDFpJ4h
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) November 8, 2023
Happy to report #themarvels is a blast. It’s fun, funny & the cast is so good together. Is it one of the best Marvel movies? No. But I had a smile on my face a lot. Definitely worth seeing in a movie theater.
Also the after the credits scene is 🔥🔥🔥
Excited for what’s next. pic.twitter.com/XuRYyqcVJD
— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) November 8, 2023
#TheMarvels is so much fun, action-packed goodness, but genuinely hilarious and exciting to watch from start to finish. I love my girls so much and seeing them fight all three together truly is so special. Higher, further, faster baby! pic.twitter.com/epEroO2ClU
— Rachel Leishman (@RachelLeishman) November 8, 2023
it’s no secret i adore captain marvel and wandavision, so #TheMarvels is something i knew I’d have fun with. brie larson, teyonah parris, and iman vellani’s chemistry made this one for me — they had superb comedic timing together but also beautifully worked in the touching scenes pic.twitter.com/BRYh2fcaDm
— Nora Dominick (@noradominick) November 8, 2023
#TheMarvels is short & sweet 💕
plenty of laughs 😂
& action 👊I went in hoping it wouldn’t be TOO bad
& ended up with a smile on my face the whole time 😄TONS of surprises big & small
(NOT just the end credit scenes)
– avoid spoilers!Review tomorrow 12pm EST #MCU #Marvel pic.twitter.com/xJJis9o6u2
— Grace Randolph (@GraceRandolph) November 8, 2023
#THEMARVELS is short, sweet, and a hell of a lot of fun. The main trio is a blast together and it’s great to have action sequences that are exciting again. Probably the most charmed I’ve been by a MCU film since No Way Home, and I can’t wait to see what this film leads to… pic.twitter.com/BA8lkRCjU8
— Ross Bonaime (@rbonaime) November 8, 2023
#TheMarvels is actually great fun, with a good complex dynamic between the leading trio at its center. Iman Vellani steals every scene. Some great stylistic action and a hilarious place-swap dynamic. Lots of Meowsomely crazy moments. With also some BIG setup for the larger MCU. pic.twitter.com/BppzxYyoIQ
— Rayyan 🇵🇸 (@RayyanTCG) November 8, 2023
#TheMarvels flies higher, further and faster than the first movie! Iman Vellani, take a bow. Easily the most fun I’ve had watching a Marvel movie since Spider-Man: No Way Home. pic.twitter.com/labCXnNEta
— Aaron Perine (@SumitLakeHornet) November 8, 2023
My early #TheMarvels review —
—Yes. So much yes.
—This film is so much fun and exactly what a comic book movie should be. It’s funny, silly, short and sweet, action-packed. Loved the cosmic sci-fi moments. Plenty of MCU interconnectivity without being overbearing.
—We will… pic.twitter.com/ANzu9cQ9MH
— Herb Scribner (@HerbScribner) November 8, 2023
For more on the Marvels, check out these stories:
“The Marvels” Final Trailer Reveals Major Cameo From MCU Star
“The Marvels” Clip Reveals What Happens When a Superhero and a Superfan Become a Superteam
“The Marvels” Teaser Tracks the Evolution of Captain Marvel
Featured image: (L-R): Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan, Brie Larson as Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers, and Teyonah Parris as Captain Monica Rambeau in Marvel Studios’ THE MARVELS. Photo by Laura Radford. © 2023 MARVEL.
