Captain Marvel (2019)

Review

124min

Genre:     Comic-book, Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Director:  Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck

Cast:       Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Jude Law…and more

Writers:   Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Geneva Robertson-Dworet…more

-Synopsis-

When a shapeshifting alien menace leads her to Earth in the mid 1990s, a powerful ‘Kree’ warrior joins forces with a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent to neutralise the threat, only to find out not everything is as it seems when she uncovers her forgotten past and unleashes her full potential . . . setting up a clash with a certain megalomaniacal purple Titan in the very near future.

Several years after the film debut of this constantly changing comic-book character was first announced and its star unveiled, and following some now traditional pre-film controversy, Marvel Studios’ first female-led and #MeToo era conscious epic hits every screen imaginable—tickling our funny bone, dazzling and delivering a not-so-subtle message of female empowerment, just in time to usher in a new era for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Brie Larson stars as U.S. Air Force pilot turned Kree operative ‘Carol Danvers’, a human transformed into a powerful extraterrestrial with very little memory of her past, who is drawn back to Earth when a mission led by her mentor ‘Yon-Rogg’ (Jude Law) against shapeshifting ‘Skrull’ enemies and their leader ‘Talos’ (Ben Mendelsohn) goes awry. But after forming an unlikely partnership with S.H.I.E.L.D. agent ‘Nicholas Joseph Fury’ (Samuel L. Jackson), their alien-tracking Earth mission re-connects her to forgotten figures ‘Wendy Lawson’ (Annette Bening) and ‘Maria Rambeau’ (Lashana Lynch), unveiling both her past and a galactic conspiracy—forcing her to take control of her destiny and unleash one of the most powerful heroes in the universe.

‘Captain Marvel’ marks the latest occasion where Marvel Studios recruits indie filmmakers to help shape a character-led superhero spectacle and inject humanity into the visual extravaganza, this time with writer/directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (Half Nelson, Mississippi Grind) invited to play in Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige’s billion-dollar playground.

Much has been made about how ‘Captain Marvel’ amounts to a milestone for female representation in comic-book cinema, and in some ways it does, but only for Marvel Studios really. The notion that this is somehow a particularly groundbreaking or important moment for strong and empowered female characters with agency on screen—and the dawn of new inspiration for little girls—is little more than clever and timely marketing from the Disney studio. And it really doesn’t hold up if you open your eyes to the decades of strong crucial women across genres in cinema and TV—so at best this is arguably the biggest moment in terms of scale and impact . . . although DC and Warner Bros. may have something to say about that.

Yet as the first female-led standalone film in the MCU, this certainly signals the dawn of a new era for the massively lucrative and influential Disney franchise, and by choosing to adapt the latest incarnation of the constantly changing comic-book character rather than all the alternatives, Kevin Feige & co. are making a statement about women in their world, and representation in Hollywood. . . both in front of and behind the camera. It also takes a leaf out of the ‘Black Panther’ playbook in establishing its ‘woke’ credentials, by unexpectedly reflecting (albeit oversimplifying) complex socio-political issues like unjust war, colonialism and refugee crises.

Despite any fears some early critics may have had though, the film’s drive to be socially conscious never drowns out the spectacle and sheer entertainment value, and this is ultimately almost every inch what we’ve come to expect from an MCU film, sticking to a larger formula and skilfully recycling themes and tropes. Meanwhile the film’s style credentials are undeniable, clearly referencing the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ films with which ‘Captain Marvel’ is so directly linked, not only in terms of design and colour palette but also in narrative and tone.

The action and spectacle here is also all you might hope for, consisting of everything from lavish fight sequences and chases, to dogfights and space battles, all rendered or enhanced by largely impressive effects and CGI, including the seamless de-aging of a seventy-year-old Samuel L. Jackson . . . who hardly seems to age anyway.

Everyone in the eclectic cast plays their part, particularly the always excellent Ben Mendelsohn who steals many a scene as an antagonist with more than meets the eye, but like the others he’s occasionally upstaged by the film’s infamous feline star ‘Goose’. Meanwhile after some pre-film controversy and personal objections, Brie Larson leads the line adeptly and admirably carries the film with solid nonchalant charm and some distinct ‘Khaleesi’ vibes, plus a healthy balance of attitude and humour, making for some great banter with Samuel L. Jackson’s younger, less cynical and manipulative secret agent.

Indeed much of the film’s first two Earthbound acts, and the best parts of the film, consist of the Danvers and Fury show, basically amounting to Marvel’s take on the classic American buddy road movie, and resulting in a very healthy dose of clever quips and dry humour. All of which combines well with the fish-out-of-water element of the narrative and all the nostalgic 90s film, technology and music references—all whilst being powered by a soundtrack of largely female-led acts like Elastica, Garbage, Hole and TLC . . . among others.

Yet when we get into the third act, the spectacle gets wild and the narrative goes slightly off-the-rails, as Captain Marvel’s powers suddenly become too abstract and limitless, steering free of setting even the most basic context you might expect from a comic-book fantasy, requiring more suspension of disbelief than expected and drowning out some of the film’s charm.

Meanwhile the film’s more poignant moments surrounding Danvers’ past and a lost friendship—designed to deliver a message of sisterhood and example-setting—tend to come off as slightly overemphasised and undercooked. The final third also opens up the floodgates on the film’s inspirational central message of empowerment, allowing it to flow freely with a strong but slightly banally executed message of shackle-breaking and self-empowerment—but it never really beats you over the head with it, and is nowhere near as militantly feminist as some early critics were dreading . . . or perhaps hoping to be offended by.

‘Captain Marvel’ may have its shortcomings, but by the time the credits lead you into the upcoming ‘Avengers: Endgame’, you’re invested in a skilfully realised character whom you know will make her mark. All in all leaving you thoroughly entertained by a reasonably well-balanced, socially conscious superhero epic with universal themes and an unexpected narrative twist—and with nothing to really fear after all.

The Bottom Line…

Whilst it may not be the most memorable Marvel movie to date, nor does it quite set the MCU alight . . . despite its fiery heroine, ‘Captain Marvel’ is still an expertly crafted event movie which boasts all the elements of the Marvel magic formula, anchored by a social message without beating you over the head with it—all of which makes for a hugely entertaining superhero romp which potentially ushers in a new era for the franchise . . . and marks an auspicious financial start for the ‘year of the Disney’.

Similar films you may like (Home Video)

Wonder Woman (2017)

Gal Gadot further sets the ‘DC Extended Universe’ in motion with the origin story of ‘Diana Prince’; an Amazonian warrior princess and demigoddess, whose encounter with a fallen pilot inspires her to leave an isolated island home and fulfil her destiny, helping to rescue a dangerous world ripped apart by the First World War.

Directed by Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine and Connie Nielsen among others.

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