Captain Marvel (watched March 7, 2019)

Understandably so, there is a LOT of hype behind Marvel Studios’ “Captain Marvel,” making it one of the most anticipated movie releases of the entire year. So, let me get right into it. 

Captain Marvel is the “origin story” behind not only how the female superhero came to develop her powers; but, also how she came to discover who she is as a person. It takes place back in 1995; which lends itself to a number of “throwback” moments that I won’t ruin for you; and, it kicks off with a look into an intergalactic war between the alien races of the Kree and the Skrulls. Carol Danvers aka Vers, who later becomes Captain Marvel and is played by the up-and-coming talent in Brie Larson, is a human living alongside the Kree but without much recollection of her past life on earth beyond some flashbacks that manifest themselves in pressure moments. If this dynamic feels familiar, then you were probably among those of us who recently saw Alita: Battle Angel, wherein the kick-ass cyborg faces her own struggles in trying to remember her life before the one she is currently living. 

Vers is seen developing her strength and physical prowess by participating in a number of missions that eventually sees her crash-landing on Earth. It is there that she runs into a younger-than-ever-before-seen S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Nick Fury, who, of course, is played by the legend Samuel L. Jackson (BEFORE the eye patch), as the two embark on adventures together “doing good” and “saving the world” one day at a time. The two share a spirited yet lighthearted banter that, along with the setting, make their time together on screen feel like a 90’s action comedy. Eventually, Vers rediscovers her past life with Fury’s help and develops a sense of purpose and power that help her become Captain Marvel and EASILY the strongest of any Marvel superhero of the bunch. 

The film is slightly over two hours and certainly comes with its share of more dull moments as a result of being an origin story. While it takes some time for it to kick into another gear, the film does, finally, get to a handful of INTENSE action sequences that have become “the bread and butter” of the Marvel Comic Universe (MCU). It is also very much in line with the recent shift towards depictions of female empowerment, fittingly releasing (officially) on Friday, March 8th: International Women’s Day. But, Captain Marvel does not offer much else that feels “new” or “different.” The film feels more like a Nick Fury buddy piece carried by nostalgia, hints of comedy and some VERY gnarly action scenes that will probably stick out more than anything else. For having its lulls, interspersed comedy and grandiose action scenes that are worth the wait but still way less plentiful than hoped for, Captain Marvel gets 3 reps out of 5 from me. I saw it in 4DX; so, the action scenes alone were worth it and are the main reason why this film should be watched in theaters. But, it probably doesn’t need to be seen multiple times. Stick around for one post-credits scene that ties the movie DIRECTLY to the upcoming Avengers film “Endgame” and makes Captain Marvel feel more like a hype train for that movie (coming out in less than two months) than anything else. There’s also a second post-credits scene after the entire credits finish rolling that is more lighthearted and an homage to a furry feline who steals the show in a couple of moments. 

What did you think about Captain Marvel? What was your biggest takeaway from this film and how do you feel it fits into the MCU?

TRAILER THOUGHTS!

I’ve decided to start including some thoughts on trailers I might have come across during my viewing that made a particular impact, since those are a huge part of the theater-visiting experience for me. 

"Spider-Man: Far From Hom" looks poised to be the biggest MCU movie not called “Avengers” that has come out in a while, particularly because of the sheer number of superheroes that will be in it. 

The trailer to "Frozen II" was also particularly interesting and attention-grabbing, even for somebody like I, who is not a particularly huge fan of the first film, but who certainly appreciates it (and CERTAINLY appreciates Evan Rachel Wood!!!!).

"Dark Phoenix" feels like a film that's been a lifetime in the making; and, I can’t WAIT to see it following the final season of Game of Thrones, as GoT favorite Sophie Turner returns as Phoenix.

"Rocketman," which tells the story of Elton John's skyrocketed trajectory to superstardom is also in the works and looks full of all the life the man himself is.