Posted by Disney+’s new original series, Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel, will be coming to the streaming platform soon! The first two episodes of the newest Marvel exclusive introduces viewers to 16-year-old Kamala Khan, who must put her unexpected superpowers to the test. Here we’ll be giving you a spoiler-free review of the first two episodes.
Based on the comic book of the same name, Ms. Marvel takes place in Jersey City and asks the question: Can a brown girl become a superhero? The series’ first episode will air on Disney+ on June 8th, and then will be dropped weekly until July 13th. Marvel originals are known for telling heroes’ stories in a new way—getting viewers to think while treating them to great action and humor—and so far, Ms. Marvel isn’t any different.
Spoiler-free review of ”Ms. Marvel”
Ms. Marvel follows a young girl named Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani). She is a huge fan of the Avengers, particularly Captain Marvel, and this obsession has her daydreaming, writing fanfiction, and even inserting herself into her own stories. Kamala is also Muslim, and often feels out of place, both at home and at school, dealing with her parents’ overprotective natures and people constantly mispronouncing her name. The series introduces Kamala as she navigates her way through school, family, friends, and just generally being a teenager who would love to be a superhero. Other characters include Bruno Carreli (Matt Lintz), Nakia Bahadir (Yasmeen Fletcher), Muneeba Khan (Zenobia Shroff), Yusuf Khan (Mohan Kapur), Aamir Khan (Saagar Shaikh), Kamran (Rish Shah), and Zoe Zimmer (Laurel Marsden).
The writing for Ms. Marvel is wonderful. The characters speak very naturally and none of their dialogue seems forced. The show captures what it means to be a teenager, particularly a Muslim teenager, through Kamala’s interactions with her family and friends. Though we are only two episodes in, the main characters are given their chance to shine. For example, Bruno gets to show off his tech-savviness, while Nakia is a voice for Muslim women in the community.
The first episode starts out a little slow, but that is because we are getting to know Kamala. We learn—through fun music and animations—that being an Avengers fangirl is a big part of her identity. Our first impression of Kamala is her making fan comics, and it is such a great way to introduce her because that’s who she is.
The Acting is Great
The actors do such a great job of showing us who their characters are. As expected, Iman Vellani stands out. She is quirky and fun and relatable, and she brings Kate Bishop to mind when she goes into fangirl mode. In every scene, you can see Captain Marvel’s influence on her, from the way she gushes to her complete determination to be like her. A perfect example is that despite not having full control of her powers she tries to help where she can. Through the tone of her tone, Vellani shows that Kamala is wiser than she seems, knowing that she is in no position to officially start her crime-fighting journey, and instead is working slowly to get the job done.
It is not just Vellani who gets to shine. Matt Lintz does a great job of playing awkward Bruno, who is fiercely loyal and incredibly smart. Yasmeen Fletcher embodies Nakia’s attitude and determination, never allowing anyone to make her feel less of herself. We can’t move on without talking about Zenobia Shroff and Yusuf Khan as Kamala’s parents. You can really see the love they have for their daughter, even through their strict rules.
Great Religious Representation
Being Muslim is a big part of who Kamala is, and Ms. Marvel does not shy away from that. Instead of showing just a necklace—which says her name in Arabic—or a hijabi friend, viewers see Kamala’s religion throughout the first two episodes, and will most likely see it during the series. Kamala goes to the mosque with her friend and prays. She joins her community for an Eid celebration (the lesser Eid since it’s not the one that comes after Ramadan), where there are food and games, and interaction.
A great thing that comes out of this representation is the fact that, other than religion, Kamala and her family are just like everyone else. Though they follow certain rules and pray in Urdu, they gather around the dinner table, the parents embarrass their kids (you’ll know when it happens), the siblings mess with each other, and friends are always there.
Great Effects:
Like all superhero shows, effects are a big part. After Kamala gains her powers near the end of episode one, she reaches out to save Zoe Zimmer, a bully from her school. As she does so, a crystallized light forms from her hand and stretches, giving off the impression of cosmic stars.
It is beautiful to see, and though her powers are different in the comics, this choice seems perfect for Kamala. She always has her head in the clouds and stars, so it makes sense for her powers to manifest in a similar way.
Overall Thoughts:
As a Muslim-American girl, I was so excited to be able to watch Ms. Marvel, and it didn’t disappoint. I, like Kamala, am a big nerd, and if superheroes existed in real life, I would probably draw my own comics, too. She is the sort of character I wish I had growing up, and I am glad that little Muslim girls all over the world have someone amazing to look up to.
Ms. Marvel is fun and goofy and like other Marvel shows, has cliffhangers that will make you keep watching! I am excited to see where the series will go and how Kamala will grow, (and if Captain Marvel does show up, that’d be awesome. We need a scene of them meeting; it will be just like Hawkeye and Kate!)
Marvel Studios’ “Ms. Marvel” will be premiering exclusively on Disney+ on June 8th.
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