An entertaining if not flawed addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain Marvel survives a bumpy ride of origin story tropes and sci-fi jibber-jabber to become a supernova of a superhero movie sure to shake up the MCU.
As with most new entries in the superhero movie sub-genre, there is a lot to consume in a short space of time before the real story begins: new worlds to discover, strange new names to remember, and new backstories to catch up on. For us uninitiated with Marvel comic book character Carol Danvers, aka Ms. Marvel, aka Captain Marvel (as she is known over the last several years), the opening act of Captain Marvel will be a bit of a slog. The pacing is sluggish, the set-up rushed, and the characters are void of personality. But stick with Captain Marvel and you will find an entertainingly ass-kicking movie that although doesn’t quite reach the bar of numerous other MCU films, is never the less a striking addition when it eventually does take flight.
Although the character is popular in comic-book circles, this creation by writer Roy Thomas and artist Gene Colon had never crossed over to the mainstream. Until now. Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (Sugar), Captain Marvel is very reminiscent of Thor in its telling of a godly warrior finding their more vulnerable, human side while stranded on Earth. For Carol Danvers – a “noble warrior hero” of the alien Kree race – that means following the clues to her Earthly identity, while fighting against her mortal enemy The Skrulls. Assisting her is S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury, who is once again played by Samuel L. Jackson (only this time in a much larger capacity.)
As the film is set during the mid-1990s, Jackson is assisted by some nifty de-aging visual effects by Lola VFX, who along with Industrial Light and Magic, and Australia’s Animal Logic (amongst many others) deliver spectacular visual effects work throughout the film. Production design by Andy Nicholson (Gravity) and costume design by Sanja Mikovic Hays (Star Trek Beyond) are of high quality. A major downside is found in the decision to go the “shaky cam” route with the films numerous fight scenes, which is a shame considering the majority of MCU titles have opted not go down that Bourne tread road.
Performances from all involved are great. Larson proves to be a formidable presence in her portrayal of a character of much strength and confidence, who finds her purpose in life shifting with every twist and turn of an existential journey. Jackson has much fun as a more mellowed out version of the ferocious Nick Fury, and Ben Mendelsohn steals scenes with a superbly entertaining turn as Skrull leader Talos, adding a new shade to his tapestry of miscreant characters.
Much fun is had with the films 1990s setting and a post-credits scene will have many salivating for more. Not without its fair share of problems, Captain Marvel succeeds in its objective to be an entertaining addition to an ever-expanding franchise.
