Once again, we’re delved into Marvel’s cinematic universe. This time with Captain Marvel, an all-new adventure with a first female lead, Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), as we watch her become one of the universe’s most powerful heroes. Set in the 1990s, we follow Danvers as she is caught right in the core of a galactic war.
Despite it being an origin story, the film doesn’t follow the typical template. The film begins towards the middle, we know nothing and Danvers even less. As the story picks up, we’re introduced to new characters and twists along the way. It keeps you on your toes as both the audience and Danvers sets out to find who she really is through a series of flashbacks and inevitable challenges. Not only do we get to see her origin story, but a fan favorite, too: Agent Nicholas Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). The chemistry they shared on screen is one of the main reasons this movie is so enjoyable—you get to watch the two of them ultimately become the characters they are today and it is an emotional and hilarious ride. The true superstar here, though, is Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch), who plays Carol Danvers’ best friend. Not just for her story, but for her performance, too—to be honest, I often found her stealing any scene she was in. She added a particular emotion and grit that the film was apparently lacking.
A lot of viewers were concerned with Brie Larson’s casting, and as far as her performance goes, I was just a tad underwhelmed. Maybe it’s the high hopes and expectations that I had to watch one of my favorite actresses embody one of Marvel’s most interesting and pivotal superheroes, but some of her lines fell quite flat. Maybe there’s some fault in the writing itself, but sometimes I felt more development coming from the supporting characters than from her (ironically) and that’s what ultimately disappointed me (and hurts to say out loud). The writing is far from Marvel’s best, but you do have to take the time period and storyline into account—this is a film that visually explains how and why things happen in the other films we have seen. It’s going to be far more informational and developing rather than fresh and thrilling. They still kept it fun and lighthearted by adding their classic awkward and blunt humor, and it thankfully picks up intensity as the film comes to a close.
Cinematography, as always, is beautiful and striking and surprisingly more colorful than previous Marvel films. CGI-wise, Danvers’ photon blasts were intricate and fantastical. Their most impressive work, though, is bringing back the young Nick Fury and Phil Coulson. You almost forget that Nick Fury did, in fact, have two eyes. The artists also created a lovely posthumous cameo of the beloved Stan Lee, who unfortunately passed away late 2018. Speaking of which, you may want to pay attention to Marvel Studios’ title introduction before the movie starts.
As Marvel’s first female-centered film, you can expect this to be a huge form of feminist filmmaking. Like every other film they’ve released, it follows the same premise: where evil threatens, good prevails. The twist is the fact that this superhero is… different—she’s a woman. She’s sarcastic, witty, and never a quitter. She proves her strength time and time again despite the challenges and shows Marvel what they’ve been missing all along. They didn’t make it political or cringe-worthy, instead, it was incredibly tasteful and powerful. A beautiful way to show young girls and women everywhere that they simply can.
Now, I know what you’re all wondering, because, at the end of the day, this is a precursor to Marvel’s upcoming film, Avengers: Endgame. So, does it tie in well? Does it answer any unsolved questions or theories? The answer is… yes. And it does so tastefully, just enough to keep you anticipated, still. There are two end-credit scenes for which I urge you to stay and watch if you’d like to get a peek into what’s coming up…
This film is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief suggestive language. In theaters everywhere March 8, 2019.
Rating: 4/5 stars
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