In this Article:
From Ms Marvel to Captain Marvel
I’d like to preface this review by stating that my knowledge of Captain Marvel begins with Carol Danvers’ Ms Marvel. Then ends with her commanding effort in Civil War 2. I should in no way be considered an expert on the character.
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Like many movie goers familiar with Kevin Feige’s foray into all things super – I go in feeling I’ve got enough knowledge of the Marvel Universe stacked up to get me through. But feeling like it and fact are two separable facets of reality in Captain Marvel’s case. Brie Larsen’s rendition of a largely B-character was always going to throw out a story line left field.
The Skrulls have been pitched for months as the big bad antagonists with the Kree as a somewhat oppositional police force. For those hardcore comic nerds, it’s reasonable to assume we were always going to get an all out invasion in the vein of Heroes Reborn. Though with a little less superhero man boob.
Setting the Marvel Scene
The movie sets the scene with Captain Marvel (a Kree Warrior), who is caught in the middle of an intergalactic war between the Kree and a race of shape shifters called Skrulls. Eventually crash landing on earth as a point of circumstance, Larson’s character teams up with a much younger Nick Fury.
Now living on earth, past memories begin to surface of her time as Carol Danvers. As she explores more about her past past the lines begin to blur and soon enough her Kree colleagues turn from allies into bitter enemies. While the Skrulls turn out to be more friend than foe. With the eventual revealing of her own Captain Marvel origin story.
Brie Larson captures the true feeling of Captain Marvel in every way. From the highly emotive scene of meeting her best friend again and daughter for the first time. To her cheeky wit and sarcastically strong nature. You know, the type that gets incels bent out of shape? Yes that one. While there are some questionable acting chops that wreak of cheesy, they are so few and far between. You hardly have cause to complain.
One point Captain Marvel doesn’t let slip is heart. There’s no short supply of heart in this film. From the Stan Lee tributes in the opening credits and train scene where he’s reading a Mallrats script. To the ongoing cat jokes, Ben Mendelsohn’s quips with his chief scientist and Nick Fury “eye loss” gags.
There’s only a few things I regret about watching Captain Marvel is its reliance on the MCU canon. The poor introduction of the Tesseract when (chronologically) it should have still been under the ocean floor with Captain America on ice. The SHIELD looking jet Fury and Danvers steal from an unused hangar. Are we supposed to believe that jet remained fueled for those years since?
Higher than Wonder Woman
You can spend your time comparing Captain Marvel to the obvious competition. Though looking back on Wonder Woman I don’t remember DC injecting such intelligent commentary on egalitarian values – and with such gusto.
If you think a strong independent woman making a statement that she doesn’t need validation from a man is highly politicised. If that’s the case. If that is highly politicised – then sign me up for more. A statement can be made within a movie and that movie can still be thoroughly enjoyed. A world with movies like Captain Marvel is a world I want to live in.
Higher, further, faster, Brie.