'An absolute blast which comfortably triumphed my expectations.'

Rating: 8/10 (7 March 2019)

Captain Marvel stars Academy Award winner Brie Larson as the titular comic-book superheroine in the latest entry of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Carol Danvers is first introduced to us as Vers, an intergalactic Kree warrior trained to serve in the ongoing Kree-Skrull war. Her journey leads her to Earth circa 1995, where she slowly begins to unravel her mysterious past there as an air force pilot. Through her buddy cop team-up with S.H.I.E.L.D agent Nick Fury, Carol discovers her true self and becomes the hero Captain Marvel.

First things first, I had very little expectations going into this movie, largely due to an underwhelming marketing campaign. Nevertheless, part of me also had a sneaking suspicion that Marvel were keeping their cards close to their chest as to try and not give away too many of the film's secrets. Thankfully for me the latter proved to be true. Captain Marvel is an absolute blast which comfortably triumphed my expectations. This is a true fantasy, sci-fi, superhero, action adventure epic which is exhilarating to watch and is sure to be a real crowd pleaser.
It would be a disservice for me to discuss the films merits without me commenting on the performance of lead actress Brie Larson. I was sceptical going into this film, certain that she had been miss-cast and would deliver a wooden, un-interested performance. I couldn't have been more wrong; Larson is fantastic and brings to life a character full of heart, humour, attitude and strength. The supporting cast are equally brilliant with Ben Mendelsohn a clear stand-out as Skrull General Talos. Like many, I feel Mendelsohn has often been type-cast in villain roles but thankfully here he is so much more than your run-of-the-mill comic-book supervillain. Talos is delightfully menacing but at times also wildly entertaining, with many of the film's best lines delivered by him. Samuel L. Jackson of course returns as Nick Fury, this time around much younger and more optimistic. Fury, along with fellow MCU alumni Agent Coulson, are welcome additions to the cast and provide much of the films heart and humour.
What I found most intriguing was how the movie served to fill in many of the blanks that existed within the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. Of course, that's not to say you have to watch all 20 entries to appreciate the movie, but there remains a large number of Easter eggs for die-hard Marvel fans to feast upon. The film also has a number of surprises, which at times left me stunned. Without a doubt these moments greatly contributed to my overall enjoyment of the movie. Captain Marvel is far from a perfect film, however, and there are certainly a few elements that I could have done without.
As seen in the trailers, Captain Marvel is set in 1995 and the filmmakers go to every effort to remind the audience of that fact. Many of the film's more comedic moments are derived from 90s pop-culture references and feel extremely forced at times. Many of the films song inclusions are also odd choices that took me out of the movie, albeit briefly.
Going into the film I had several concerns and fears for the movie that were luckily proved to be unfounded, I therefore strongly recommend to re-evaluate your own personal expectations before checking this one out. I went into this movie with an open-mind and I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised. That's not to say that Captain Marvel ranks as one of the all-time great comic-book films, it just isn't. I personally rank this one alongside other solid MCU origin stories such as Doctor Strange or Captain America: The First Avenger. On the whole this movie is one hell of a good time that is sure to appeal to audiences young or old, female or male. Remember to stick around for the post-credit scenes.
FredOnFilm Movie Rating: B+
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