"Captain Mediocre."

Rating: 4/10 (17 March 2019)

As a Marvel film, Captain Marvel had potential to outdo its predecessors. As a regular superhero film, Captain Marvel had potential to outdo its premise. Unfortunately, despite carrying many elements of previous Marvel installments, it fails to embody their success due to its questionable ambition. Not only does it fail to carry enough baggage to persuade audiences to care about her ordeals, but also giving more time to tolerate her.
The story of Captain Marvel follows protagonist Carol Danvers on her elongated adventure to recover memories while utilizing her vast superhuman strength within an ongoing war. Although she's joined by allies and foes, she's presented as an unstoppable and stoic heroine with behavior that could be considered reckless and unsympathetic.
One of the biggest problems with Captain Marvel, unfortunately, is Captain Marvel. Aside from her blatant stoic attitude, which at times are followed by some mildly emotional and disjointed comical outcomes, she's incapable to avoid being merely humdrum. Her attitude in this film is dreadfully humdrum to the extent of not caring about her impending fate. Although she manages to somehow build chemistry with other characters, their personalities feel more alive than Captain Marvel.
Carol, as a character, leaves an interesting impression towards audiences. She's seen as a genuine heroine but also a recklessly stoic individual. She's given the strength to overcome her worries, and overpower her foes, but not enough time to appear outmatched. Time is also another unfortunate problem in the story since audiences aren't given enough with characters and subplots. The storytelling featuring certain crucial ideas are merged in sections that either feel rushed, unfinished, not enough, or outright questionable.
The universe that Captain Marvel introduces to audiences has ideas that could've been given more depth but was purposely condensed to fit the main narrative. It's all about Captain Marvel's quick flashbacks and toughness but never about vulnerability and giving more context to her origins. This also follows other characters in certain instances but theirs are underutilized and unsatisfying.
Captain Marvel is mildly enjoyable with lowered expectations and ignoring any potential setbacks that greatly trembles any storytelling or characterizations. In comparison to other Marvel installments, this gave audiences the least dynamic introduction to a character that feels too abrupt than properly timed. It''s an ambitious installment that fails to entirely exceed its intent.
Carol Danvers isn't Captain Marvel yet. For now, she's Captain Mediocre.