Ms Marvel Episode 1 Review: One Of The Most Surprising Marvel Studios Shows Of This Phase 4
Cast: Iman Vellani, Matt Lintz, Rish Shah
Creator: Bisha K. Ali
Streaming Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
Filmyhye.com Ratings: 3.5/5 (three and half star) [yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Ms Marvel Episode 1 Review: The path that the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Kevin Feige are following is always clear. On the one hand, Phase 4 has begun to introduce new characters, at the moment partially secondary and with few links to the future; in this regard, see, among all, the Eternals and Moon Knight (read our review of Eternals and the review of Moon Knight). On the other hand, however, there is a clear desire to build a new superhero dream team. With most of the Avengers now out of the game, the MCU seems willing to draw from the comic stories dedicated to the Young Avengers, a formation made up of young heroes linked to the previous generation. In this context, the series dedicated to Ms. Marvel comes to life, which we talk about in this preview review.
We are faced with a well-rounded, charismatic and fun heroine. The light-hearted tone of the comics gives way to an intelligent coming of age. Not only that, but Ms. Marvel is also a family story, in which the representation of a Muslim family who emigrated to the United States stands out. In short, the work done on the background and the future of the character led him to deserve awards. Now, Marvel Studios are preparing to bring their live-action version to the small screen. Played by a bubbly Iman Vellani, the MCU’s Ms. Marvel will have to deal with several changes compared to her paper counterpart. Unfortunately, Kamala Kahn’s background and the bond she weaves with her powers bring her dangerously close to another Disney product.
Ms Marvel Episode 1 Review: The Story
Set two years after the events of Avengers: Endgame (according to the director’s statements), Ms. Marvel follows the birth of a new superhero: Kamala Khan. The young girl lives her adolescence immersed in her dreams. Her creative mind unravels, and she shapes the world around her, especially when it comes to the Avengers. Kamala is a huge fan of superheroes and in a large way of Captain Marvel. The latter is her idol, her reference figure. She dedicated his YouTube page and the aesthetics of his room to her. Unfortunately, this being of her in the clouds of hers will lead her to clash with the family and the principal of the school. Kamala’s parents will try to bring her back to the ground, but their sometimes-antiquated view seems to have the opposite effect.
The first episode opens with the young woman’s desire to go to the first Avengers Con, a highly anticipated event complete with a competition for the best cosplay. Kamala’s Captain Marvel costume, however, is deemed too tight and skimpy by her parents, who will forbid her to go. But the desire to participate in such as leads the protagonist to devise a plan to leave the house undisturbed. However, the contest includes a distinctive ornament that differentiates the contestants. Our budding heroine thus chooses strange bracelets that belonged to her grandmother and runs away to her dream in the company of Bruno Carrelli (Matt Lintz), her best friend. Not everything will go exactly as planned, and Kamala will have to deal with unknown powers linked to her bracelet and the mysterious past of her family.
And this is where the substantial difference with the print version of Ms. Marvel comes into play. In the comics, the young woman gains her powers through the earthly mists, the substance that gives new abilities to the species known as Inhumans. The Inhumans had peeped into the Marvel universe a few years ago, with the disastrous and homonymous series. The product was canceled after only one season, and the Inhumans ceased to exist on Earth-616. The production decided to give Kamala Khan a new origin story. On the one hand, the idea was perhaps the most suitable, on the other some implications a little less. As we said before, Ms. Marvel, or at least the first episode, has several ties to a recent Disney movie.
Ms Marvel Episode 1 Review And Analysis
We are aware of the Disney habit of extrapolating scenes or entire sequences from other products to create new ones. With digital, by now, all this is easily achievable. However, the relationship between Ms. Marvel and Red is purely narrative. Both stories seem to go in the same direction, complete with very similar internal mythology. With Red- one of the best Pixar features of recent years – we were faced with a teenager of Chinese origins in contrast to the restrictive tradition of her own family. Little Mei, in the course of the story, will turn into a big red panda according to her emotions. This is nothing more than an ancient curse that affects the women of her family. Between accidents and forgiveness, Mei and her mother will reach a meeting point, halfway between tradition and the new.
Does it remind you of anything? Ms. Marvel also features a very similar character, whose family legacy will lead her to learn about her origins and merge them with a modern perspective. The first episode reconstructs the same narrative styles as the film, except for some differences of a religious/social nature; on the one hand, we have a young woman of Chinese origin and on the other a Muslim girl. However, the starting line seems to be the same. All this does not seem to weigh too much on the story, although the originality factor is lost. With the second episode, the story takes a new path, emancipating itself from the initial structure.
The first and second episodes of Ms. Marvel feature a different script and direction. The second, in our opinion, takes the right breath from a frenetic and saturated pilot. Bisha K. Ali takes the elements that made the film famous to excess. By accentuating the visual representation of Kamala’s thoughts, the screen is flooded with colors, shapes, and movements that displace us. Our brain must process a large amount of information so that we lose focus on the characters.
The second episode seems to correct this overabundance, lowering the shot and reducing the visual expedient to a few selected scenes. That said, Ms. Marvel still has points in favor of her, first and foremost the protagonist. Iman Vellani is a young actress with a strong charisma, and it’s hard not to get attached to her Kamala Khan. An interesting cast also surrounds her, in which her parents stand out. Matt Lintz’s Bruno Carrelli and the protagonist’s love interest unbalance the tone of the episodes a little, bringing his acting closer to that of the Disney Channel productions. Conversely, what is striking is the storyline reserved for another friend of Kamala, Nakia. The abundant number of characters and performers is managed in a way that is congenial to the story, always leaving our Kamala Khan at the center. Each storyline moves in unison with that of the heroine, although it is not yet known who the villain of the series is.
This is a point against the first two episodes, as there is no threat to the life of the protagonists. The finale of the second episode seems to obviate this problem, bringing on the screen a character ready to create havoc; always if this is the real villain of the story. The debut of Ms. Marvel travels between highs and lows, between interesting narrative choices and others not so original. compensating for the novelty we find a multi-quotation story. A striking example is a reference to Ant-Man and the unnatural youth of Paul Rudd. From the beginning to the end credits we see a myriad of quotes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, passing from the Tracksuit Mafia van seen in Hawkeye to the battle against Thanos.
Unlike Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel has a clear understanding of her role within the expanded universe. This choice also depended on the fact that Kamala Khan will appear in the next film dedicated to Captain Marvel. The film will reunite the new superheroine, Carol Danvers, and Monica Rambeau (introduced in WandaVision). Beyond the connections that the series has with other products, the light-hearted and colorful coming-of-age tone approaches the character well; exactly like in the comics. Ms. Marvel is the answer to a younger audience, differentiating itself from the rest of the Disney + series. We are closer to the Disney Channel than to a Captain America politician.
However, Ms. Marvel does not exempt herself from talking about the problems of the Muslim community in the United States, much less from exposing her criticisms. We refer to a particular moment in which characters refer to the Partition that took place between Pakistan and India in 1947. A controversial historical period, marked by wars and massacres. The Marvel Cinematic Universe expands its spectrum of representation with Ms. Marvel, finally leaving a certain comfort zone. The series will certainly not stand out as a brilliant debut, but it still manages to make us smile in various passages. If Moon Knight taught us something is that all that glitters is not gold. The series starring Marc Spector had an excellent debut that ended with a pitiful season finale.
Ms Marvel Episode 1 Review: The Last Words
If a good morning starts in the morning, Ms. Marvel can become one of the most surprising Marvel Studios shows of this Phase 4. The hope is that the pace will hold up for the remaining 4 episodes and that the staging will prove to be up to the expectations of an effective and convincing character. Iman Vellani is an excellent protagonist, who gives life to an adorable and engaging Kamala Khan. Ms. Marvel seems to want to be the heir to Spider-Man: Homecoming, but more colorful and livelier than ever, in the hope that the teen frame will blend well with the comic book references, and that the final product turns out to be a pleasant coming-of-age novel. Superhero-like Jon Watts’ fine comic was years ago.
