Catching Up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe

The Marvels
Released November 10, 2023
Director Nia DaCosta
Screenplay Nia DaCosta, Megan McDonnell, Elissa Karasik
Starring Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton, Gary Lewis, Park Seo-joon, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Saagar Shaikh, Samuel L. Jackson

The Marvels goes to great lengths to humanize their Captain. Bree Larson may have irreperarily doomed her reputation during the marketint tour of Captain Marvel. After her remarkable work bringing life back to Candyman, DaCosta fearlessly attempts to blend three stories into one.

The result, while messy, is decent lite fare that plays more like Disney than it does MCU. Thankfully we have Vellani and her family to insert real weighted emotion that carries over from the delightful Ms. Marvel show.

There is not much of a story here. The bad guy finds one of the bracelets, Ms. Marvel has the other. This leads to the powers of Ms. Marvel, Captain Marvel and Monica Rambeau being intermixed. The results are increasingly frustrating from a storytelling perspective.

In the end, the film does its job using Vellani’s natural charisma to humanize Larson’s normally drab countenance.

It’s unclear if there is a future for The Marvels anywhere but in Avengers films. It’s a shame, but only a small one.

(*** out of *****)

Deadpool & Wolverine
Released July 26, 2024
Director Shawn Levy
Screenplay Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Resse, Paul Wemick, Zeb Wells, Shawn Levy
Starring Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Aaron Stanford, Matthew Macfadyen

Deadpool & Wolverine is a fantastic romp through Marvel’s past as we connect ever so slightly to its future. In this story, tries to join The Avengers, is rejected, and changes his life to a boring regular me. Then he is asked to kill his timeline by Mr. Paradox of The TVA (Time Variance Authority) an organization last seen in the Loki television show.

This is something he cannot do. It leads him to be pursued. He searches for another version of Logan to help his timeline. The search is hilarious, but his journey with Wolverine is violent, and unforgettable.

There are many delightful surprises along the way. The circumstances are just about the same as the previous two Deadpool films. However, this time definitely feels bigger. Fights between the titular characters are brutal. They are reminiscent of Terminator 2: Judgement Day because they cannot die. They can fight forever.

The result is an unforgettable and entirely rewatchable film. If only the rest of the MCU could be so bold.

(***** out of *****)

Captain America: Brave New World
Released February 14. 2025
Director Julius Onah
Screenplay Rob Edwards, Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson, Julius Onah, Peter Glanz
Starring Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, Harrison Ford

Brave New World is an attempt to get the new Captain America (Mackie) off of the ground. Cap Sam Wilson had a faltering start in the TV show The Falcon and Winter Soldier. The film still shows him dealing with the perceived issues of there being a black Cap. They throw him and his personal hero, Isaiah Bradley into the thick to assassination attempt on President Thunderbolt Ross (Ford, replacing the deceased William Hurt. The decision to keep our new Captain uncertain of his place is a poor one. After seemingly coming to terms in the TV show, this decision confuses the audience. It lands like a thud.

More interestingly, Ross has a mysterious ailment. He is taking medication for it. This will definitely lead to something unexpected by him and most of the cast at least.

There is a former Black Widow present, Ruth Bat-Seraph (Haas). Her Israeli background and many of her scenes were removed or downlayed after the Israel/Hamas war began. It’s a shame because many of the interactions she has are the most interesting conceptually.

Cap Wilson is training a new Falcon. This relationship is the least interesting of the film. One dotes on the other. At least when Cap Rogers meets Wilson, there is a feeling of two multi-dimensional characters. With Ramirez’ Joaqin Torres as Falcon, there is no such feeling.

As for bad guys,Esposito’s Seth Voelker/Sidewinder is added late and many of his scenes feel tacked on, which they were. Nelson’s Samuel Sterns has horrible effects presented, which make him unintentionally comical. Ford’s Red Hulk scene is presented with some real stakes. This is due to Wilson’s earlier reluctance to take the serum that makes Rogers and Bucky so strong. It leads to a great line in that confrontation.

All told, Brave New World is a bit like the first Captain America film. Necessary to move forward, but not necessarily something to rush back to see..

(*** out of *****)