I’m such a sucker for Marvel films… and I’m not even a comic book fan. Just something about their whimsical nature – when they aren’t being universe ending – that appeals to me. The Marvels is a mashup of three of their properties which I welcome… where some (including a vocal contingent of very serious-minded fans) will frown with great sincerity at how silly it is.

The Marvels mashes together Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), Ms. Marvel (Kamala Kahn), and Monica Rambeau (who doesn’t have a cool superhero name yet). Their powers have become intertwined for vague hand-waving reasons and now they must team up to handle a problem from Carol’s past.

This is a very light-hearted and deliberately silly film… it has a serious enough plot but, as with a lot of Marvel, that’s just window dressing to let our heroes play. Carol and Monica have unfinished business to reconcile while Kamala is just happy to be along for the ride. The three create a very light-hearted team, including the very welcome rampant enthusiasm from Kamala (who will make some fanboy frown).

There are ridiculous scenes in the film that are just here to make you smile (or frown). This is good natured pulp, a bunch of hijinks that will appeal to those less serious-minded about all this razzmatazz. I’m in that camp and I love silly Marvel when they aren’t trying to make fun of serious Marvel. This is not serious Marvel… let them play.

The setup of the film is a little rushed and the finale has a kind of messy hand-waving skybeam logic… but the middle chunk is so much fun I don’t care. We get the return of Kamala’s family, a continuation of the Captain Marvel storyline, and Nick Fury and Goose.

Yes, you might have had to do your homework if you didn’t watch WandaVision and Ms. Marvel (and maybe even Secret Invasion… but also maybe lets ignore that show… this movie does). I’m not sure they really explain what you need to know if you aren’t familiar… but I also doubt it matters that much. It’s not rocket science.

There are some fun cameos from some of the less famous Marvel heroes, including a very gasp-inducing (the actual reaction from my audience) appearance by a most unexpected hero in the mid-credit scene.

I doubt this will be a huge hit and Marvel is buckling down for some pretty low box office. I don’t care… I had fun. I hope others will give it a shot and not take it too seriously.

Score: 86