A Marvel action spectacle that delivers

Rating: 7/10 (10 March 2019)

Despite the hype about its anti-male stance, and feminist message, Captain Marvel is a regular superhero movie that delivers on action, spectacle, and performances. The battle scenes are great, and the train fight scene from the trailer does not disappoint. I used to think that DC is better at spectacle than Marvel, but the spectacle, especially when Brie Larson finally becomes Captain Marvel, is much better. I like to see heroes fight using actual powers than martial arts, and Captain Marvel delivers in spades. The supporting cast was strong, and I especially liked Samuel L Jackson, who plays a more innocent version of Nick Fury. Jude Law is great, and so is Annette Benning. But the one who truly steals the show is the cat named Goose. He is so adorable, he steals all the scenes. He even has a few tricks on his sleeve too. Ben Mendelsohn's Talos elevates the material too. However, the story itself seems like a mixture of The Bourne Identity, Top Gun, a random buddy-cop movie, and Star Wars. The visuals seem like a recycling of set pieces from Thor, and the Guardians of the Galaxy. I admit that Brie Larson's Captain Marvel seems a bit stale, but she is not given much material. And we do see that Captain Marvel's subtly human side, but her emotions truly show when she is with Jude Law. In fact, Larson should be credited for being able to have chemistry with everyone onscreen; especially Samuel L Jackson. Though she has great moments with Jude Law, and Annette Benning. However, I feel more could be done about the character. I also believe that Djimon Honsou, and Gemma Chan were really underused. Honsou never gets to display his full potential as an actor like in his breakout role Blood Diamond. The same can be said for Gemma Chan, whose captivating performance in Crazy Rich Asians is the best part of the movie. However, despite these flaws, Captain Marvel is a true delight to watch.