Ms. Marvel Review Round-Up: What Did the Critics Think?

Ms. Marvel debuts this week on Disney+, and that means reviews have begun rolling out. The series introduces Kamala Khan, played by Iman Vellani, into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ms. Marvel is one of Marvel’s most popular and successful new characters to emerge in the past decade, to the point that she led the Marvel’s Avengers game’s story. That means there’s a lot riding on successfully translating her into live-action for the Ms. Marvel series and her return in the upcoming film The Marvels. According to ComicBook.com’s Aaron Perine, Ms. Marvel succeeds:

“The Marvels might be just around the corner, but Kamala is going to be a star before that adventure lifts off next year. Ms. Marvel lays a great foundation for the character among casual audiences. Who is she? Well, the Disney+ show argues that she’s a hero and a pretty awesome one at that.”

But what are other critics saying? The reviews thus far are mostly positive, though several critics worry that Ms. Marvel will trade is freshness for the standard Marvel Cinematic Universe formula as it approaches its end. Keep reading to see what the critics are saying.

Ms. Marvel debuts on Disney+ on June 8th.

CNET

“As colorful and chaotic as a teenager’s imagination, Ms. Marvel wears its heart on its sleeve. It remains to be seen if the show will find its focus amid the many subplots, and if it will deliver more widescreen superhero action to go alongside the teen angst. But as origin stories go, Ms. Marvel brings enough of a new feel to make it an enjoyable watch, both for new viewers and anyone who loves superheroes as much as Kamala Khan.” – Richard Trenholm, CNET

GameSpot

“Of course, this review is based solely on the first two episodes, provided for screening by Disney. With six in total, there is still plenty of space for twists or surprise reveals down the line–so it’s probably best to not bank on anything as a certainty until the season finale debuts in July. That said, based on these early episodes, Ms. Marvel is an extremely fun, deeply charming watch with a cast of great new characters and a gravity that other Disney+ MCU projects have been lacking.” – Mason Downey, GameSpot

TechRadar

“On the whole, then, Ms Marvel is sure to be the latest in a long line of pleasing Marvel Studios projects. it finds a sturdy balance between its multiple moving parts and the overarching mystery about Kamala Khan’s family tree is sure to enthral and captivate audiences throughout its six episode run. In Iman Vellani, too, the MCU has a fantastic Khan/Ms Marvel, who’s sure to steal the show when she makes her Marvel movie debut in The Marvels in summer 2023.

“Good is not a thing you are; it’s a thing you do”, according to Khan’s comic book counterpart. In the case of her TV series, Ms Marvel is certainly both.” – Tom Power, TechRadar

Variety

“Inevitably, “Ms. Marvel” will take the now familiar turn of almost every other Disney+ venture from the studio and tee up Kamala’s story to dovetail with the rest of the MCU. Indeed, Vellani is set to star in Nia DaCosta’s “The Marvels” alongside Larson and Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau (formerly of “WandaVision”). But the looming specter of Marvel obligations to come almost makes this series, with its determination to make Kamala an individual and her neighborhood a home, an even more precious commodity. Before Kamala formally becomes Ms. Marvel and gets subsumed into something greater than herself, she just gets to be herself, and that’s more than enough.” – Caroline Framke, Variety  

Discussing Film

“DUltimately, the civilian aspect of Ms. Marvel is its strongest feature as the traditional superhero plotline takes a backseat. Some will find this refreshing and others will be frustrated by the lack of the usual Marvel selling point. This story won’t be exactly for everyone, and that’s why it works. Defying expectations, Ms. Marvel breaths life into a pivotal new character and the rich community around her. Whereas the future of the series can feel uncertain at times, these introductory episodes promise just enough entertainment for an exciting debut season.” – Yasmine Kandil, Discussing Film

Empire

“Sure, it’s a show with a target audience: designed more to appeal to teenagers than adults. But for those who can roll with the punches of the awkward-but-relatable approach, there is much promise here. Kamala clearly has a bright future mapped out for her in the MCU — we have the delightful prospect of a meeting with Carol Danvers in next year’s The Marvels — and these initial episodes are an encouraging start.” – Destiny Jackson, Empire

IGN

“The MCU television slate continues to grow, and Ms. Marvel is already making a strong case for Kamala Khan as an exciting new addition. This coming-of-age story includes some familiar elements of a teenager struggling to figure out the path ahead. Still, the teenager’s Muslim faith and her parents’ expectations offer a new perspective. Directors Adil and Bilall immediately pull us in with solid visual flourishes, and Iman Vellani is an arresting lead. AvengerCon isn’t entirely on the scale we would expect, but otherwise, the Disney+ series gets off to a bold start.” – Emma Fraser, IGN

Forbes

“The MCU has become so reliable in terms of the fundamental building blocks (strong actors, sharp dialogue, enjoyable characters, etc.) that it only really stands out when an offering goes against the grain (Doctor Strange 2), is exceptionally good (Shang-Chi) or is aggressively bad (Eternals). Ms. Marvel is none of those things, it is line-drive to second base good which will please those with a specific interest in Kamela Khan and what she represents. The biggest way in which the show stands out is in how it implicitly associates Disney’s IP with feminist teenage rebellion.” – Scott Mendelson, Forbes

Rolling Stone

“That the series can be so good at the coming-of-age part – and do so while feeling so distinct from the rest of the MCU – is absolutely to its credit. But eventually, every Marvel project (WandaVision included) has to become like all the others. If the superhero parts don’t get substantially more interesting before that point, the creative team may have done their jobs too well on the aspects that set their heroine apart from her costumed peers, creating a narrative imbalance that may be too big to fix.” — Alan Sepinwall, Roling Stone

The Hollywood Reporter

“It’s time to stop fantasizing,” Kamala’s mother admonishes her in a moment of frustration over her daughter’s fixation on superheroes. “I wish that you would just focus on you. Your grades. Your family. Your story.” Arguably, she’s wrong about that first part. It’s no spoiler that Kamala’s destiny will lie in embracing, rather than rejecting, her love of all things Avengers and Captain Marvel. But she has a point about the second. In letting Kamala’s story shine on its own terms, Ms. Marvel offers us the very thing she herself never found in all her fangirling: the uplifting vision of a brown girl from Jersey City who saves the world. – Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter