Less Than the Sum of Its Parts

Rating: 6/10 (11 March 2019)

Having eagerly anticipated Captain Marvel for years, I wanted to love it. My honest assessment, though, is that it's one of the most mediocre MCU films, which is unfortunate because there is tons of potential in the mix. It's just not fully realized.
The main issue, I would say, is that the directing feels kind of flat, scattered. The guiding theme (Carol's self-actualization) is a good one and there are some scenes here and there that tap into something powerful in support of that theme, but there are very few moments where the film really 'takes off' and transcends. It just kind of bounces around. The emotional content in particular rarely packs significant punch, and unfortunately, for me anyway Brie Larson's performance has something to do with that. Charitably one might call her Carol 'stoic,' but for me it was more distant or stiff, making it hard to connect with the character. Maybe that was the idea, but I think a more dynamic, expressive approach to acting could've worked wonders for this film.
Anyway, there are some really nice supporting turns, especially by Jude Law and Lashana Lynch, and a lot of glorious sci-fi eye candy. And even a really good, emotional subplot that I won't give away. It's just too bad that the whole feels like less than the sum of its parts. Marvel usually manages to more than break even. Hopefully Carol comes across better in future films; Doctor Strange endeared me a lot more in Infinity War than in his self-titled introduction.
Bonus thought: The 1990s setting could've been a blast--I grew up then and was excited to see how this film played with the period--but it feels mostly like an afterthought, a few pinched references. It's probably good that this didn't go full-Guardians of the Galaxy, but at the same time, a mixtape version of Captain Marvel might have been a lot more fun to watch.