‘The Marvels’ and the Undue Crucifixion of Nia DaCosta

The Marvels was a fun flick to watch and did everything a comic book movie should do. It’s a strange thing to talk about a movie this long after its release, but it raised several issues across the interwebs that need to be addressed. The Marvels is the latest entry in the serial blockbuster machine that is the MCU, and it seems like all it had to do to make headlines is exist and be woman-centric. Much like its predecessor, Captain Marvel, the film had to defend itself before it was even released. We’ll talk about the movie, the blowback, and the impact. It’s a Comic Book Movie Mind you, The Marvels is great. Doesn’t break a lot of new ground, but it has a different approach to the genre. It’s not the box office smash the MCU expected, but a gigantic and very well-publicized writer’s and actor’s strike could have more to with those box office numbers. However, you won’t hear about that by and large. More importantly, there is no honest and true connection between the gross of a film and the quality of said film. Don’t believe the hype, or the hyper-hate for that matter. The Marvels goes hard in the paint in a way all its own. It’s not the darker or more bleak or more action-centric comic book movies that have dominated theaters over the last decade and a half. If anything, The Marvels plays out like a hybrid of two different generations and two mediums of comic book media. All of the wit, quirkiness, and color play of Ang Lee’s Hulk (not well received, but well made) and Fav…