Ms. Marvel (TV)
I have a feeling I’m going to have a ball watching Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan bounce off of one another in “The Marvels.” That isn’t to say that Kamala’s journey towards taking on the Marvel name wasn’t without rough spots, but I don’t know that I’ve enjoyed a character introduction more in the MCU in a while.
“Ms. Marvel” creator Bashi K. Ali has given us a teen coming-of-age story in this series that we typically associate with Spider-Man. That makes sense, since Kamala is an awkward teenager trying to figure out her place in life. When she comes across a family heirloom, her teen years are about to get more complicated. Unlike Peter Parker, though, Kamala has bigger concerns than just balancing superhero life with a normal adolescence.
I love Tom Holland as MCU Spider-Man. And I loved Andrew Garfield as “Amazing” Spider-Man for Marc Webb (even when the films failed him). But because of the ways both their narratives have been changed, neither had that true origin story that Peter Parker has in the comics. That’s part of why Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker will always be my favorite of the big-screen Peter Parkers we’ve gotten. Maguire was so sincere in the role that, even though we know he’s too old to play high school Peter Parker, we felt like we were watching the character on screen. I am not familiar with the comics for Ms. Marvel, but Iman Vellani is an absolute delight as Kamala, and a large part of it is the sincerity she brings to Kamala’s struggles as a teenager, and a daughter of over-protective parents. Sometimes, the writing is not as strong as the performance she’s giving, but that is very much par for the Marvel course we’ve seen in the past couple of years. Her performance is a delight.
Kamala is the daughter of a Pakistani Muslim family living in Jersey City. She’s also a Carol Danvers superfan, and in the first episode, she’s hoping to go to Avengers Con, with a homemade Captain Marvel outfit. Oh my God, Marvel is starting to get clever and self-reflective, as if we haven’t seen hints of that with characters like Michael Pena’s wonderful storyteller in the “Ant-Man” films, or the voiceover by Thor in “Ragnarok.” But honestly, it makes sense, because we’ve already seen the ways in which these superheroes have made impacts on people beyond just saving the world. (Wasn’t Hawkeye about just that with Kate Bishop and the Avengers Broadway musical?) Kamala’s presentation to her parents falls flat, however, but that doesn’t stop her from trying to go anyway. Her Captain Marvel outfit is good, but as her friend, Bruno (Matt Lintz), suggests, she should make it more unique to her. One of her accessories is a Bangle bracelet her grandmother has sent over from Pakistan, and she doesn’t expect just exactly what it adds to her costume. She becomes more like her hero than she expects, and unlocks a family secret in the process.
Fractured families have been the lifeblood of comic books, and the MCU, for basically ever. That’s part of what makes “Ms. Marvel” so special- Kamala’s immediately family is tight, and that we see her interact with them while also struggling with her powers and new responsibility is not the same thing as seeing Peter Parker or Miles Morales tip toe around their families, although there is plenty of that. Gradually, we see her family let in on the secret- in part because, in an ambitious subplot that involves a trip to Pakistan, as well as a glimpse as the fractious history between Pakistan and India, we see that her family knows more of what it happening to her than she thinks. At the heart of the family is Zenobia Shroff and Mohan Kapur as Kamala’s parents, and this is probably the most authentic family dynamic we’ve seen in a superhero movie ever. Kamala, as she’s learning about her powers, is bound to hurt her parent’s feelings, but the way we see Shroff and Kapur play such moments is genuine for anyone who’s ever- be it intentional or not- left their parents disappointed in their actions and words. That doesn’t mean forgiveness is going to be a long journey for Kamala, however; she just has to find balance between the internal struggle she has with who she’s becoming, and the external struggle of what that means for her as both part of her community, but her family. Seeing the latter is a big part of “Ms. Marvel’s” first three episodes, and there are great supporting performances by Yasmeen Fletcher as Nakia, Kamala’s friend, who’s trying to make her mark on society as well; Rish shah as Kamran, Kamala’s crush, who might have some secrets of his own; and Nimra Bucha as Najma, Kamran’s mother, who might have some answers for Kamala.
“Ms. Marvel” has a lighter overall tone that works for it, but there is a shift during the family trip to Pakistan that is kind of jarring, although what that adds to the narrative is worth it. The action sequences are not as crisp and solid as some other MCU films or shows, but given most of them involve a 16-year-old girl who’s just figuring out her potential, I like how unpolished they feel; it’s a nice break from the natural action hero most of these characters end up being. The score by Laura Karpman fills the conventions of this genre nicely, but gives us lovely themes and stylistic choices that not only allow it to stand apart, but also tie it to Pinar Toprak’s score for “Captain Marvel.” I love the sheer ambition of “Loki,” the invention of the early part of “WandaVision,” and the gonzo acting of Oscar issac as “Moon Knight” more, but I think “Ms. Marvel” might be the most enjoyable first watch for the main character it introduces, and the potential for the future it points to in doing so.
