A Marvel Movie That Is Allrite But Could Have Been More

Rating: 7/10 (18 March 2019)

What can I say about this decent or so-so Marvel movie? A surprisingly (I wouldn't say a good performance but kinda energetic) okay performance from Brie Larson, where if you have seen the trailers, she looks kinda dull and you are instantly worried that she wouldn't be able to carry the movie. While her performance is allrite, both Sam Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn, gave a great supporting performance with both Nick Fury and Talos, supporting Captain Marvel in her journey. Her frequent interaction with Fury and their instant chemistry, makes this movie come alive for me and for once a Ben Mendelsohn performance that is not the same as you have seen him before, ever since he broke into Hollywood and playing the same bad guy again and again. His performance as Talos, the kinda leader of Skrulls, an alien race who is involved in a war with the Krees, which Captain Marvel herself is a part of its Starforce, was surprisingly touching and for a moment there I was kinda sorry for their race and wanted him and his race to live. Not to mention Lashana Lynch's performance as Maria Rombeau, Captain Marvel's best friend, who is also good with her constant energy, almost on the same level as Brie, is of course entertaining and her daughter Monica, played by Akira Akbar is also a worthy mention. Speaking about Fury again, the CGI that was utilised to de-age him and Clark Gregg, who portrays the fan-favourite Coulson is flawless as hell, where their first appearances does make you feel a bit unbelievable but as the movie progresses you get absorb into their performance (There's not enough Coulson btw and it is more of a small appearance but they still did good on his face except for that one I think intentional error) and you don't mind the CGI after awhile. Positives aside, there are several flaws with this movie. Firstly, the action sequences. Despite the good CGI used in most of its set pieces, the fight sequences in the movie are bad. Speaking about making cheap fight sequences, this movie had plenty. No doubt Brie Larson and other actors trained so hard for their role, the way the filmmakes shot and edited the fight sequences are terrible. Secondly, the musical score. The first MCU movie composed by a female should be a good thing rite? Well I find the score pretty much underwhelming with several themes barely move you at all as an audience. Compared to other musical scores in the MCU, whereby they are not memorable but at least when you watch the movie you wanna shake your head or at least the music moves you. Here waiting for the Post-credits sequence feels so dull and uneventful. Lastly, the direction. Directed by both Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the filmmaking duo behind critically acclaimed Half Nelson and Mississippi Grind, should be making a great Marvel movie just like Taika Waititi and James Gunn did, where they moved from an Indie background to making blockbusters. But instead this movie feels very dull and the 90's period feels very off, in this case it doesn't feel like the 90's at all. A constant reminder that this movie is set in the 90's with songs and nostalgia is constantly throughout the movie but if not for that, this movie should or definitely set in the present. Some of the shots are unmemorable and speaking about the action, clearly the duo have no experience in shooting action and as opposed to the aforementioned duo of Gunn and Waititi, despite having no background in action whatsoever, they did good there. Overall, depsite some negativities and positivities, Captain Marvel is an allrite movie and knowing Marvel's track record, this is a step down from what they used to do and here's hoping that the Russo Brothers will improve Captain Marvel's image or character in Endgame.