What to Watch: Captain Marvel
by MC Brooks, Lead GGR Contributor Brand recognition is one of the most important things any person or company can attain. When people know you, know your work, and what to expect from you, it allows you to continue flooding the market with products that will keep your customers happy. Marvel has done an outstanding job in this regard for the last 11 years. They’ve established themselves as the gold standard for superhero films. While it took 11 years to finally get a movie with a female-lead, ultimately, the success of the MCU has proven that people from all parts of the world just want to see good stories, compelling characters, and dope action scenes.
The hype leading up to the release of Captain Marvel has seemed pretty lackluster in comparison to other Marvel films. One would think that the excitement would be through the roof considering this is the final film before Phase 3 of the MCU comes to a close with the release of Avengers: Endgame in April. However, that just has not been the case. There are a variety of factors as to why this could be, but I believe that Marvel has earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to their films. They’ve produced such great work over the years that they could afford a misstep if they produced one.
Captain Marvel is not that.
While the trailers for the film may been underwhelming, the film itself delivered in typical Marvel fashion. I was unfamiliar with this version of Captain Marvel since the name and character seems to have changed a ton over the years and has been the cause of controversy among DC and Marvel fans. This version of the character stars Brie Larson (Academy Award winner for Room) as Carol Danvers, a woman who finds herself in the middle of an alien war with scattered memories of her previous life. In a sense, I could relate to her character because I also found myself wondering "Who is Carol Danvers?".
This is a question that is explored throughout the film. Larson is joined on her journey to discover herself by co-star Samuel L Jackson, known through out the MCU as Nick Fury. Their chemistry on-screen is honestly one of the best things about the movie. Jackson gives his most entertaining and energetic performance within the MCU to date. Also, the technology they used to make him look 20 years younger is eerily accurate. In addition to Fury, we also meet Carol's best friend Maria Rambeau and her daughter Monica, played by Lashana Lynch and Akira Akbar respectively, who also play a pivotal role in helping Carol remember her previous life on Earth.
Overall, the tone is much lighter than the trailers may have presented and the pacing doesn't feel like it takes a long time to get into the story. The visuals in this film are not only aesthetically pleasing but they really jump off the screen, even if you're not watching it in 3D. While the the film takes place in 1995, it doesn't beat you over the head with the 90s nostalgia. There are some fun callbacks to prominent staples of that time like Blockbuster and Radio Shack. The soundtrack perfectly captures the time period and doesn't feel like it's forced to work because of where it is set. In fact, at no point does it feel like there was an attempt to romance the viewer into viewing the film more favorably because of nostalgia over the presentation of the story.
Brie Larson does a good job selling the sarcastic and determined nature of Carol Danvers but it does seem like the character is overall hindered from having any real personality because of the story. What I mean is that because Carol spends the film attempting to discover who she is, it makes it kind of difficult to truly fall in love with her in the same way that fans did with Iron Man. This is not a knock on the film at all. I believe they've laid the groundwork to truly transform her into a fully-rounded character going forward. I knew next to nothing about Captain Marvel prior to this movie but I was left with enough intrigue to want see more of her beyond whatever role she has in the next Avengers film.
If you're going into this film believing that this will be the "female version of Black Panther" then you'll likely walk away from the theatre feeling disappointed. This is simply a conventional superhero movie that isn't out to make a larger point. However, there are still some great moments on screen of Carol kicking a lot of ass. The interactions between Carol, Maria, and Monica feel very empowering without feeling like they are pandering. Marvel ultimately opted to play safe with this movie and that's not a bad thing. Movies with female leads shouldn't feel obligated to be anything more than great movies.
Contrary to what's being said on social media, you should absolutely take the time out to go see Captain Marvel. It is fun, it is exciting, it will keep you on the edge of your seat, and it does a good job balancing out the various storylines while getting you prepared for what is next to come in the MCU. It doesn't feel like a period piece because it is still gazing forward even while being set in the past. It is still an origin film, and there are many unconventional elements that I don't want to spoil here. I encourage you to check it out for yourself. It's Marvel, you should know what to expect by now.
I give Captain Marvel 4.5 badass cosmic heroes out of 5. The movie isn’t perfect, but my issues with it are minor. If nothing else, go see it because Goose is adorable and who doesn't want to see an adorable cat in space?
MC Brooks is GGR’s lead convention reporter and the only one of us who goes to see movies on opening weekend. Check out his podcast The Overflow and his appearances on GGR Pirate Radio.