• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Iman Vellani, Brie Larson and Teyonah Parris star in a scene from the movie "The Marvels." The OSV News classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (OSV News photo/Marvel Studios)

Movie Review: ‘The Marvels’

November 15, 2023
By John Mulderig
OSV News
Filed Under: Movie & Television Reviews

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

NEW YORK (OSV News) — Considered artistically, the quirky, sometimes humorous but more often confusing superhero adventure “The Marvels” (Disney) presents a mixed bag of ingredients that will likely appeal to some viewers but not others. Assessed for its morality, the film is equally miscellaneous and confronts parents with a potential quandary.

There are few explicitly troublesome elements included in the comics-rooted script director Nia DaCosta co-wrote with Megan McDonnell and Elissa Karasik. Yet one of the central relationships binding the picture’s threesome of female main characters comes freighted with a distinct sexual undertone.

Given the Magic Kingdom’s recent record of propagandizing on behalf of homosexuality, this skirting of the line between adulation and desire complicates evaluation of the movie’s appropriate audience. If older teens are given the go-ahead, it should probably be accompanied by a family discussion about church teaching on the subject of same-sex activity.

Like their elders, however, adolescents who do obtain permission to patronize “The Marvels” may be too distracted by its frenetic proceedings to ponder its underlying ethics to any great extent. In fact, although this follow-up to 2019’s “Captain Marvel” touches on themes of family reconciliation and altruism, it’s really all about strong women smacking down baddies.

This time out, the titular heroine of the earlier movie (Brie Larson), aka Carol Danvers, battles intergalactic warrior Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton). With her home planet having been environmentally impoverished by a long civil war, Dar-Benn is bent on stealing the natural resources of other worlds to restore her own.

As she strives to check Dar-Benn, Danvers obtains the aid of astronaut Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), the daughter of her deceased best friend. She’s also helped by Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), alias Ms. Marvel, a Jersey City teen who idolizes — and perhaps lusts after — her.

Initially accidental, their partnership is complicated by the fact that the three have become metaphysically entangled so that anytime one of them exercises her superpower, she switches locations with another member of the trio. Though the filmmakers have fun playing with this conceit, it eventually becomes more wearying than fanciful.

As the plot develops, we discover that, although her methods may be thoroughly misguided, Dar-Benn is not entirely a villain. Instead, she sees herself as a champion of her endangered people.

We also learn that Danvers herself was partially responsible for the crisis Dar-Benn is trying to remedy. And Danvers’ dealings with Monica — who has looked up to her since childhood and once regarded her as an honorary aunt — have been problematic as well. So much so, that the two start off estranged from each other.

While such moral subtleties are introduced, they mostly go undeveloped and register as beside the point. This is, overwhelmingly, an action flick. So those in search of escapist entertainment will likely come away from its scenes of bloodless combat satisfied; those seeking dramatic substance, not so much.

The film contains frequent stylized violence, an implicit lesbian theme, several mild oaths and a couple of crude expressions. The OSV News classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Read More Movie & Television Reviews

Videogame Review: ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’

superman

Movie Review: ‘Superman’

sorry baby

Movie Review: ‘Sorry, Baby’

Jurassic World Rebirth

Movie Review: ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’

Movie Review: ‘M3GAN 2.0’

Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

Copyright © 2023 OSV News

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

John Mulderig

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Hunt Valley parishioner recalls her former student – a future pope

  • superman Movie Review: ‘Superman’

  • Deacon Gary Elliott Dumer Jr., active in men’s ministry, dies

  • Father Robert Wojsław dies at 52

  • Loyola University Maryland graduate ordained Jesuit priest

| CURRENT EDITION |

CR digital edition

| Vatican News |

Filled with hope, Christians know cries of the innocent will be heard, pope says

Pope calls for ceasefire, dialogue, peace after church hit in Gaza

Stop the hatred; humanity is at stake, Pope Leo says in video message

New Catholic scouting patch honors Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo visits Italian Carabinieri station, Poor Clares during summer break

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

| Movie & Television Reviews |

Videogame Review: ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’

superman

Movie Review: ‘Superman’

sorry baby

Movie Review: ‘Sorry, Baby’

Jurassic World Rebirth

Movie Review: ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’

Movie Review: ‘M3GAN 2.0’

| En español |

‘No tengan miedo de hacer lo que El Señor quiere para nosotros’

Dios quiere ayudar a las personas a descubrir su valor y dignidad, dice el Papa

El ‘Padre Migrante’ nos relata su vida sirviendo a comunidades inmigrantes

El ‘Obispo Bruce’ forjó fuertes lazos con Baltimore en tiempos difíciles y tenía corazón de pastor

El Papa León comienza su pontificado pidiendo una ‘Iglesia unida’ en un mundo herido

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Quo Vadis attracts biggest crowd ever, promotes camaraderie and faith
  • Three dead, Holy Family Gaza pastor injured after mid-morning Israeli attack
  • Proof of life for kidnapped Nigerian priest received by Alaska diocese where he served
  • Filled with hope, Christians know cries of the innocent will be heard, pope says
  • Pope calls for ceasefire, dialogue, peace after church hit in Gaza
  • School club gives students chance to benefit veterans, fosters Gospel value of serving others
  • Top Republican appears to walk back probe of Catholic entities amid charged committee hearing
  • Mahmoud v. Taylor: A Supreme Court victory for parents, freedom
  • Church leaders, faithful in procession to Detroit ICE office call for just immigration policies

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en