The mighty powerhouse that is the MCU continues with the 33^rd movie (not counting assorted series on Disney+) with “The Marvels.” It’s a departure from some of the other movies on several fronts. It’s the shortest of the MCU movies, it’s the first to not have a character’s or group’s name in the title, it directly links to two Disney+ series (3 if you count end scenes) and it was directed by a Black woman. It’s also a TON of fun, which is not a departure but is always good to see.

I’d argue you don’t need to see everything connected to this movie to get it, but, in order of importance, it’s helpful to have seen Ms. Marvel (Disney+ series), WandaVision (Disney+ series), and the first Captain Marvel movie. The various end scenes relate to other projects as well as hint at what’s to come, but I won’t spoil those. I will say there were some great surprises.

The three main characters in this movie are Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) and Monica (I don’t want a codename) Rambeau. Nick Fury also has some significant screen time. There is a major threat to our world, and a few others. This weaves into several past stories, but again, you don’t need to have seen them to follow the plot. There is also some amazing interaction between the three leads: the jaded and weary Carol, the dedicated and brainy Monica, and the absolutely star-struck Kamala. A few other familiar supporting characters return. There’s a cameo by a character from another part of the MCU who stops by to offer some help and moral support.

I found it really interesting how many different plot points and ideas they worked in from throughout both the MCU and Marvel Comics in general. Again, you don’t need to know what everything is, but if you’re a long-time, in-depth hero geek like I am, it’s really impressive, and a constant stream of, “Hey, is that…!” The writers really did some homework here.

The three leads have to find a way to work together, and they are forced to by some really unique circumstances. There’s a lot of action, high stakes, comedic beats, and emotional resonance from earlier stories. And a musical number. Really. And a sort of Disney princess moment. The story isn’t lacking in heroism, teamwork, and sacrifice, and some really well-done fight sequences.

I’m having to go light on details because so much happened that was so entertaining, but almost all of it is spoilers. I will say I hugely enjoyed this movie, and everyone I personally know that has seen it has the same opinion. This may well be in my personal top 5 Marvel movies.

What I Liked: The end scenes were amazing. The action and comedy mingled wonderfully well. I really liked seeing Carol. Monica, Kamala, and Nick Fury again. There’s a moment you can easily miss, but one of the bad guys gets a killer “mom look” that should have made him just burst into flames on the spot. The cameo I mentioned above was nicely done. And while everyone did a great job, Iman Vellani was amazing.

What I Didn’t: Remarkably little. There’s been a gradual shift on how Nick Fury is portrayed in these projects that I’m not sure I’m a fan of, but I get it, more or less. There was at least one moment I was thinking someone specifically should have been called in, but I could also see the argument that there wasn’t time.

I’ll give this a 4.5 out of 5. Probably a 4.75. It’s a great movie, I recommend seeing it in the theater. And for the record, I’d say that “superhero fatigue” is more something some people are wishing for than a real thing.