Photo Courtesy of Hollywood Reporter.
I knew going into “Captain Marvel” that I would at least be mildly entertained. In my opinion, even the worst films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) are watchable. It was just a matter of if it could find a way to stand out from the standard Marvel origin stories. In some ways, the movie does this, but there are certainly times where you get a bit of deja vu.
As far as plots go, “Captain Marvel” is good, but not great. The superhero origin stories in Marvel films tend to follow similar beats, and they work. “Captain Marvel” is no exception.
I do like the idea of Carol Danvers’ lost memory arc, and how it affects her relationships with the Kree, an advanced alien race that Danvers’ lived with and has the abilities of. However, the story doesn’t get too engaging until after Danvers regains her memories of her life on Earth as a U.S. Air Force pilot. This is when Danvers starts to question her loyalties and trust, and it builds more conflict within a few minutes than the entire first half of the film.
The action scenes are pretty fun, and some resemble “Guardians of the Galaxy” more than “Captain America,” with 90s music blasting as Danvers punches, flies and shoots energy beams at enemies. The post-credits “Avengers: Endgame” tease was interesting, and it got me even more curious for what “Captain Marvel” will bring to the table alongside the other “Avengers.”
“Captain Marvel” has built both hype and controversy because it is the first film in the MCU to feature a solo female lead. I am relieved that “Captain Marvel” didn’t hammer in a lazily thought out “girl power” lesson that other female-led action movies feature. I’m all for feminist films, but these messages can get heavy-handed at the expense of character and story.
Instead, Captain Marvel, one of the most powerful superheroes in the canon, just happens to be a woman, and no one belittles her because of her gender. There could have been a more complex message of women, like how “Black Panther” tackled colonialism and nationalism. I think this message is hinted, but never fully comes to fruition.
Oscar winner Brie Larson plays the titular heroine with as much as enthusiasm as a child who only received socks for their birthday. If Captain Marvel was meant to be a stoic character, this would be fine, but it’s stated several times throughout the movie by Danvers’ allies and enemies alike that her greatest flaw is being unable to control her emotions. I think the movie was trying to explain that emotions are actually a strength, as Captain Marvel doesn’t unlock her true power until she removes the physical and metaphorical restraints off herself. This is an especially important message for women who are told to keep their emotions in check, or else they won’t be taken seriously.
But this isn’t particularly apparent or poignant when Larson is stone-faced during the majority of the film, save for a few scenes such as when her memories of life as Danvers returns. Larson is a talented actress: we know this from her previous performances. Maybe the directors or the script didn’t offer Danvers many opportunities to emote or present any interesting concepts.
Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury is top-notch here, as expected. This is the movie where we finally learn how Fury loses his eye, and it’s not what I thought would happen to say the least. Lashana Lynch also offers a solid performance as Maria Rambeau, demonstrating the vulnerability of a woman who’s long-lost best friend suddenly shows up at her door with no memories, as well as the strength of an Air Force pilot. Goose the cat is the character I heard most people coming out of the theater talking about, and I won’t dare spoil why (though knowing the Internet, you probably already know). Personally, I think Goose should get her own movie, and will probably be the one to stop Thanos once and for all.
I don’t think “Captain Marvel” has the punch to make the same cultural impact as last year’s “Black Panther” or even DC’s “Wonder Woman.” But the film is a fun ride with tight action and a strong supporting cast that will give you your Marvel kick before “Avengers: Endgame” premieres.