Reviewing - Ms. Marvel (***1/2)
A vibrant and youthful entry for the MCU, Ms. Marvel’s true value lies in its authentic and balanced depiction of Muslim America.
First and foremost, Canada’s own Iman Vellani does a great job giving us a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed heroine. She’s lovable, quirky, and a total MCU nerd. Her development as a character feels a lot like a classic Disney coming-of-age story in the sense that she starts off in conflict with her family before finally finding a new status quo where her family celebrates her differences. I loved the zany special effects they peppered throughout some of the episodes to make the whole thing feel like a high school agenda or diary – particularly in the first episode. But more than that, what I loved the most was the depiction of a Muslim family. If I’m being honest, the most exposure I’ve had to the Muslim faith from a cinematic standpoint has been through watching nine seasons of 24. And as great as a show as that is, the Muslims aren’t always as three-dimensional as they could have been. Here, we get a wonderfully fleshed out family and a larger cast of characters within and adjacent to the Islamic faith. Some characters take their faith very seriously, while others don’t. Some characters feel a strong allegiance to their traditions and homeland, and others don’t. Throughout the season, I learned about a faith and a culture that I have very little experience with – and I loved that. It was so cool getting to see this family’s strengths and dysfunctions displayed so openly and earnestly. In a universe of spandex-wearing crime fighters, this family felt genuine and real. I particularly loved the relationship between the protagonist Kamala and her mother. That was the heart and soul of the whole thing – both did a great job adding pathos and emotion to their conflict and growth.
I’m looking forward to seeing how this ties in with the upcoming Captain Marvel sequel – the end-credits scene at the season finale pointed to a confusing but exciting kickstarter. We’ll see where the MCU takes Vellani next – but wherever she goes, I’ll be there!