Better than it gets credit for.

Rating: 10/10 (13 March 2019)

I think this film ranks up there in terms of "origin movies". Iron Man is still my favourite, and Captain America holds up well. This one isn't as good as Guardians but I thought it was definitely better than Doctor Strange (which I also enjoyed).
The real issue is that Marvel has avoided origin movies for a little while, so this almost feels like a step back in some respects. They introduced Black Panther and Spider-Man in Civil War, and their first movies were stand alone stories starting with them already introduced and ready to go right out of the gate.
This film tries to do the same, but with no basis for comparison to begin with, so it almost feels like an up-hill struggle. They needed to fit all these threads in to tie the character into the MCU, and make her work for her inclusion in End Game, so at times some plot lines might have felt rushed, or forced. With that being said, I think despite it's limitations within the MCU, I thought it was really entertaining and was genuinely engaging.
For a film that focuses time on secondary characters telling the lead that she needs to be less emotional, it heaps on the emotions. Sure there's some heartfelt moments, but there's also frustration, rage, and disappointment. Carol is constantly being told not to use the things that make her special, and keep her emotions in check. Some people might think the feminist plot lines are heavy handed, but I thought they really helped develop the character.
And that's where I thought the movie REALLY excelled. Carol's development, and her characterization is what makes her interesting. Past their powers, or equipment some characters in the MCU aren't really that interesting.
Tony Stark is far more interesting than most, and his snarky attitude and quick wit make him genuinely fun to watch. Steve Rogers has the drive to keep on pushing through to fight for what's right, but he lacks a lot of emotion. I thought Carol had an interesting mix of the two. She's got a splash of Tony's sass, and the Steve Rogers "Never Give Up" attitude. The way she's always smiling during fights and seemingly reveling in the combat was fresh to me, because it's a juxtaposition of Captain America's grim purpose and stern attitude when rushing into a fight.
She might be a little confused throughout the film, but that's because of her Kree training, and years of being told to fight with her head and not her heart. Her "heart on her sleeve" attitude is what is always trying to push through, and she's surrounded by people trying to get her to repress those emotions.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how her character has developed in the years between this film and End Game, and am VERY excited to see how she interacts with the rest of the Avengers.
Can't wait to watch this one again soon!