Runtime: 124 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief suggestive language)
Who should see it? Marvel fans of all ages.
Carol Danvers is finally making her cinematic debut in Captain Marvel a month before the long-awaited Avengers: Endgame. Co-directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck with a script from Boden, Fleck, Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Nicole Perlman, and Meg LeFauve, Captain Marvel is the twenty-first entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the first female-lead feature from Marvel Studios. Thus far, I'm getting the impression that the film is being held to a higher standard by certain critics and audience members than most Marvel-fare due to this and outside controversies. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, bless your hearts as you've done well avoiding the toxic discourse.
Getting back on track, the Avengers: Infinity War post-credits scene teased that a powerful ally would soon be joining the Avengers to help defeat Thanos and reverse the ensuing chaos which resulted from the dreaded snap of the Mad Titan's fingers. Therefore, Captain Marvel had the responsibility of introducing Danvers as someone whom audiences would consider a powerful asset for Earth's mightiest heroes. I'd go as far to say it exceeded my expectations in that regard. While it may come at the cost of audience members slinging the dreaded words "Mary Sue" and "over-powered" towards the titular character, Boden and Fleck fulfilled their duty for the most part. I believe those specific criticisms towards the character could have been avoided if she'd faced more powerful adversaries though. This isn't to say that she didn't struggle at all over the course of the film, but I wish the villains had been in the same league as her concerning her powers. Carol needs a suitable opponent, but I suspect Endgame will rectify that issue.
Though the action was somewhat standard for Marvel, the cinematography, visual effects, and production design were visually-appealing when rooted in the cosmic aesthetic established by Guardians of the Galaxy. I particularly liked the stark contrast between the dark environments and Carol's bright display of her abilities. Otherwise, I was very engaged in the core-narrative and taken aback by some surprising plot twists. It was quite refreshing that the story didn't unfold as expected. Since this is a spoiler-free review, I'm steering clear of story details, but I'd like to highlight a few aspects I appreciated. I particularly liked the narrative framing device, approach to showcasing memories, and I felt the film's female-empowerment angle was incorporated tastefully. While there were undoubtedly characters and story threads that could have been expanded upon, the script serves its purpose and the charming cast wins you over.
Leading the charge, Brie Larson captures the go-getter, spunky attitude of Carol Danvers incredibly well while we see an unfamiliar, free-spirited side to Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury who's twenty-five years younger thanks to some remarkable de-aging CGI! In their shared screen time, Larson and Jackson have an effective rapport that's best described as a delightful buddy-cop dynamic. Clark Gregg is also de-aged to reprise his role as familiar S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson, albeit with substantially less involvement than Fury. I really wish he'd been in it a bit more!
Filling out the supporting cast, Lashana Lynch and Akira Akbar play the mother-daughter pair of Maria and Monica Rambeau as Annette Bening takes the form of the Kree's Supreme Intelligence. Lynch and Akbar's mother-daughter duo are endearing additions thanks to their connection to Danvers while Bening seems not to be used to the fullest.
Concerning "key" Kree characters, I was underwhelmed by Jude Law's Yon-Rogg and the militant Seal Team 6-esque Space Force as a whole. They're absent for large chunks of the film, so when they're suddenly pivoted as being more important, it's not an effective shift. Law plays the mentor role as best he can, but lacking screen time and development cripple the character. I held out hope there'd be exciting developments and much-needed backstory surrounding the return of Lee Pace's Ronan the Accuser and Djimon Hounsou's Korath who were last seen as the bland baddies in Guardians of the Galaxy, but alas, they were hardly onscreen for maybe ten minutes. On the contrary, Gemma Chan's Minn-Erva had some cool moments of action as the Space Force's sniper though.
It's almost impossible to discuss the Skrulls at length without spoilers, but I'll say that Ben Mendelsohn's Talos is surely a stand-out character. Caked in make-up, Mendelsohn chews up the scenery like no-one else, and it's quite glorious! I also really appreciated that the Skrulls were more complex characters than the trailers would have you believe.
Lastly, Goose is a stand-out in its own right, with the feline providing much of the film's levity. Since Captain Marvel is set in the '90s, there's also plenty of opportunity for connective narrative tissue and nostalgia, so keep an eye peeled for references, easter eggs, and familiar characters. Not to mention Stan Lee, who gets a lovely tribute at the start of the film in addition to another trademark cameo. And there are two post credit scenes, so stick around afterward!
Captain Marvel's unique spin on Marvel's origin story formula also serves as a satisfactory introduction for Marvel's most powerful superhero. It's not a genre game changer, but did it really need to be? I don't think so, and I give it a glowing recommendation nonetheless. Higher, further, faster baby!
