Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teamwork, action violence in fun, woman-centered MCU tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Marvels
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 27 parent reviews
Based on 27 kid reviews
Kids say the film is a mixed bag, with some praising its humor and character dynamics, while others criticize it for its plot, violence, and reliance on familiar themes within the Marvel franchise. Many viewers noted the film's appeal to younger audiences and commended the visuals, though they also expressed disappointment over the weak story and characterization.
- funny moments
- weak plot
- good visuals
- mixed reviews
- family-friendly
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In THE MARVELS, Kree warrior Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) finds an arm bangle that gives her the power to create holes in the space-time continuum. When Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), aka Captain Marvel, investigates one such incident, she ends up trading places with Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), aka Ms. Marvel, who in turn switches with Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), entangling the three superheroes' powers. Every time they simultaneously use their powers, they magically trade off. Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) encourages the trio to work together to solve the mystery of their enmeshed powers and stop the Kree from destroying other planets by siphoning off their resources. As the three women form an alliance, Kamala's family must hang out with Fury and his agents on the SABER space station for their safety.
Is It Any Good?
Thanks to Vellani and Rambeau, this MCU entry embraces the clever and goofy fan in all of us. No, The Marvels isn't the "best" Marvel movie, and the trio does't have the emotional gravitas of the three past and present Peter Parkers in Spider-Man: No Way Home. But that's definitely not the point here. Director Nia DaCosta, working from a script she wrote with Megan McDonnell and Elissa Karasik, explores the joy of Kamala's secret fantasies about collaborating with Captain Marvel actually coming true. On the flip side, Rambeau's fraught past with her "Aunt Carol" provides the heart of the story, as she and Carol are decades overdue for a heart-to-heart conversation. Carol herself is slightly less interesting than her protégés, except for when it's discovered that she has unexpected alliances of her own across the universe.
Plot-wise, thanks to the proliferation of the Disney/Marvel properties, the movie is all over the place. It has to provide exposition about characters and developments associated with various TV shows, in addition to previous movies. Planets and civilizations are brought up in one sequence and then never discussed again. And the special effects are a bit lackluster for a Marvel film; they're more on par with what you'd expect from the small screen. On the plus side, the cat-presenting Flerkens are back -- and hilarious. In keeping with the movie's woman-centered story, the Kree villain is also a woman, and Ashton plays her with a grimace-filled zeal. Despite the film's uneven execution, audiences will surely want more of Monica's story, more Ms. Marvel seasons, and more Flerken kitties.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the characters in The Marvels demonstrate courage, empathy, and teamwork. Why are those important character strengths?
Why does representation -- of gender, race, ethnicity, and more -- matter? Why is it important that women have a hand in making big, popular movies? What's the potential consequence when the majority of films come from only one gender?
What do you think about the way superhero movies depict violence? Is there a difference in the way you react to realistic violence vs. stylized violence? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
Where do you hope the stories for these three superheroes take viewers next? Which of them are you most excited to follow along?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 10, 2023
- On DVD or streaming : January 16, 2024
- Cast : Brie Larson , Iman Vellani , Teyonah Parris
- Director : Nia DaCosta
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Black Movie Director(s) , African American Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s) , Black Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Disney/Marvel
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Superheroes , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time : 105 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : action/violence and brief language
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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