Another solid Marvel entry

Rating: 7/10 (8 March 2019)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe reached it's crowning apex with Avengers: Infinity War. The film left comic book fans and causal viewers devastated by the snap of Thanos. Just when all hope had seem abandoned in the MCU, the post-credits sequence teased the appearance of Captain Marvel. Oscar-winner Brie Larson signed on to play the hero in the first female-centered superhero movie. Anticipation was high and filled with great controversy before the actual release of the film. After being the nerd I am and going to the first possible showing, I am here to tell you that I was somewhat pleased with the results.

Captain Marvel is a somewhat mixed bag of genres. It uses some aspects of a neo-noir, such as lost memories, a lack of trust in all characters, and a bad-ass femme fatale. Using a poor man's Memento-like plot, the film pieces together who really is the character we see on the screen. It also uses aspects of buddy cop films with the relationship with Captain Marvel and a younger Nick Fury. The story is the weakest part of the film, being incredibly threadbare at times. Even thought he film uses basic plot lines, the use of visceral imagery and storytelling is truly captivating. As a viewer, you can't help but be engulfed by the pure emotionality of the film, whether it is the humor, poignancy, or vigor Captain Marvel brings to the table.
It was very interesting to see different performances from many actors who are typically typecast in roles. Brie Larson is usually utilized as a likable and charming character in most of her films. The transition to a more hardened yet charismatic hero is refreshing. Samuel Jackson going from the hardened rebel to an amiable side character reminds the viewer what a range he truly has. Ben Mendelsohn is finally not pigeon-holed into a one-dimensional villain and is finally given some heart and humor in a script. Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden know how to direct great acting performances as witness by 2000s indie darlings Half Nelson and It's Kind of a Funny Story. Using that filmography background made the drama within Captain Marvel to be that much more believable. Visually, the film's use of de-aging technology is the best that Industrial Light and Magic has created so far. On the contrary, the visual effects did at times look somewhat cartoonish. Being the forward thinker that I am, I could see these aspects of the movie not aging well for future generations.
The choice of the 1990s as a period for the film was a unique choice by the filmmakers. At times, the film felt engulfed in the 90s culture many of us know well. On other instances, the film felt jam-packed with references at times became bothersome and left me as a viewer wanting to say, "Okay! I get it!" However, the film wouldn't nearly pull off its pure wit without some of the references, so overall, it was a well-utilized plot tool.
Captain Marvel has been described as a 2-hour trailer for Avengers: Endgame. While some of that is true, it still is able to operate as a separate entity with satisfying tie ins to the rest of the MCU. The casual comic book viewer could still enjoy themselves and the die hard viewers are rewarded with wonderful connections to comic lore. The film is truly feminist in nature, proving that women are a force to be reckoned with, literally. Though it is not the strongest Marvel entity ever, Captain Marvel is another success for the comic book titan and is still better than any film D.C. has made.
Grade: (7.5/10)