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Captain Marvel
(Marvel Studios)
By Lucas Allen
If you can recall from the post-credits scene from “Avengers: Infinity War,” the character of Captain Marvel is teased as the hero who plays a crucial role in this April’s “Avengers: Endgame.” But first, we need to learn a little more about her origin and powers before she can take down Thanos.
The movie is co-written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who came from independent filmmaking before being picked up by the powers that be at Marvel Studios. Think of this as the studio’s answer to 2017’s “Wonder Woman,” but with the addition of a cat.
Set in 1995, there’s an ongoing war between the Kree and the Skrulls that’s been going on for a long time. One of the Kree’s finest is a soldier named Vers (Brie Larson) who was trained under the guidance of Yon-Rogg (Jude Law) and the Supreme Intelligence (Annette Bening). However, she’s stricken with amnesia and plagued with memories of her past she can’t recall. When she gets kidnapped by Skrull leader Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), she escapes and ends up on Earth, which could hold a key to her past. She’s then being tracked by lead S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) who at the time has rookie agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) under his wing.
Together, they search through secret records before finding out Vers was a young pilot named Carol Danvers trying to overcome personal obstacles to reach for the stars. Eventually, she and Fury go to Louisiana to see Danvers’ fellow pilot Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch) who reveals that Danvers was testing a new secret plane when she disappeared from Earth. It also reveals new twists and turns that will put Carol on a new path to becoming a hero.
Part of the appeal of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is that audience get properly entertaining introductions to the heroes they may not have heard of. In this case, we’re introduced to who may be the most powerful hero in the MCU thus far. She’s courageous, full of heart, and doesn’t care if you tell her she can’t do anything. She is this universe’s embodiment of empowerment and her heroics will surely inspire a wide array of viewers for years to come. When you see her handle the action on screen, you’ll know that even the most evil of Marvel villains are probably shaken in their boots at her presence.
As per usual, there’s a generous display of action, humor, and heart at display though some of the fight scenes look clumsily edited. But there are some twists and turns into the story that you cannot expect, but it makes the last act much more interesting. The movie is also pure ’90s nostalgia joy with some images like Blockbuster Video and Game Boy that’ll make some viewers in their 30s miss the good ol’ days of renting movies and living a carefree life. Not to mention, a ’90s mixtape of great songs from artists like No Doubt, Hole and Garbage help best represent the last decade of genuinely good music.
Larson is fantastic as the lead character, delivering a believable portrayal of a warrior overcoming adversity to become a hero in her own way. She and Jackson have very good comic chemistry, while the use of CGI de-aging actually makes the veteran actor look like he’s always been aging well. Gregg returns in his signature Marvel role but sadly doesn’t appear too much, which means you’ll have to suffice to watching repeats of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Both Law and Mendelsohn brings more meat to their characters giving the story some big weight. Yes, Goose the Cat has some great moments of his own that’s sure to please cat lovers alike.
Though it’s unlikely to get the same awards recognition as “Black Panther,” “Captain Marvel” manages to stand tall among all other MCU entries in the studio’s 11 year history. If her presence is any indication, looks like the future is looking brighter for this universe.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: PG-13 (for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief suggestive language)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 3.75 Stars (Out of Four)
