Written by Corey Osborne
Captain Marvel is the 21st film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Throughout this 21-film saga, a good portion of these films have been dedicated to origin stories. After films such as Iron Man (2008), Thor (2011), and Doctor Strange (2016), can Marvel Studios stick the landing with yet another origin flick?
The short answer is yes. Captain Marvel is a welcomed addition to the Marvel franchise and Brie Larson does a great job bringing the character off the comic book page and onto the big screen. Larson’s chemistry with her fellow cast members (Samuel L. Jackson, in particular) is dynamic and fun. Captain Marvel has all of the character of its predecessors, and it has an amazing story to tell, but it just wasn’t executed proficiently at all times.
The film begins in a disorienting and choppy manner as we follow the amnesiac, Kree Soldier, Carol Danvers, also known as “Vers” (Brie Larson), through a bevy of quick exposition-heavy scenes. A collective knowledge-bomb of plot details are typically expected in films like this, but Captain Marvel would have benefitted from a slower pace during the opening act in order to tell its story more effectively.
The exchanges between certain characters are dry and stilted, with a rich history between Vers and Yon-Rog (Jude Law) being implied, but not earned. Vers is supposed to have been comrades with Yon-Rog and the rest of her military unit for six years, yet it seems like they have just met. Vers is a soldier who is supposed to be dedicated to the mission of protecting the Kree against the sinister Skrulls, but it’s not a believable conviction. Vers is merely thrown into the conflict and it makes no sense why she would believe in it. It’s heavily implied that someone has tampered with her mind, but her belief in the mission should still be a compelling aspect of her character. However, it’s simply not there.
Carol Danvers is then enlisted into the Kree Military Strike Team Star Force, and as they go on a mission off-world to bring the fight to the Skrulls, things go terribly wrong. Vers gets captured through an explosive escape attempt and finds herself hurling down to planet Earth. She lands in the middle of a Blockbuster video store, which cleverly tells the audience when this film takes place, and she’s reported by a nearby mall cop with some familiar faces entering the story.
This is when the film begins to come into its own. Samuel L. Jackson’s titular Nick Fury is brought into the fold and his chemistry with Carol Danvers beams off the screen. Clark Gregg’s Agent Coulson also enters the fray but is a small part of the film. Fury and Danvers go on an amazing adventure as they attempt to uncover the schemes of the Skrulls and the key to figuring out Carol’s past.
Villainous Kree officer, Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), arrives in the story as a shape-shifting alien who masquerades as Fury’s boss, S.H.I.E.L.D Agent Keller. Talos brings an interesting dynamic to the film, which is all I can say now without spoiling. It feels good to say that Marvel is continuing its winning streak with compelling and complex villains.
Captain Marvel evolves into a nice viewing experience due to the engrossing dynamics of the characters. Although the editing is still turbulent, during the action scenes in particular, the story is more focused on what it actually wants.
It’s almost as if Captain Marvel evolved into a different movie toward the beginning of the second act, with it then beginning to feel like a Marvel film. Carol Danvers begins to come into her own as a hero and the message of the film comes into focus.
As average as this film is, the message is quite powerful, stressing that emotions are what makes a person strong. This movie doesn’t just empower women, it emboldens anyone who has been told their feelings are not important. It’s a shame that a 10/10 message like this is packed inside of a 6/10 film.
Captain Marvel is by no means a bad film, because at times it soars, but then it proceeds to plummet and fail to meet its full potential. The technical failings of Captain Marvel should not be ignored because it detracts from a fantastic story and message. Captain Marvel may have not been the best film in the MCU, but the story it had to tell is worthy of its counterparts.
