There was deceptively more that this movie had to accomplish than one might at first think; especially after the scrawling, massive, ensemble beast that was Infinity War. This didn’t have as many moving pieces, but still had to bring to the forefront a female character that most people had never heard of (in the wake of the massively successful Wonder Woman no less). All signs from Feige and Co is that she will be the future of the franchise. A lot of weight to put on such a new, unknown character. It also had to bring something new to the table in a franchise that is 20 films deep, and a genre that some say has become oversaturated. It had to accomplish all that, and still be a prequel that hopefully didn’t ruin the timeline.
The results are mixed. I do believe in Captain Marvel. I have read a lot of her stories in the comics, and there is a lot to her character. Power-wise, she was definitely there. She’s more than a match for every Avenger (except for perhaps Thor, who took a star to the chest and still walked away.) However, I don’t think we’ve had enough time with her to feel like she belongs next to Captain American, Black Widow, Iron Man, or perhaps even the Scarlet Witch. The MCU has always been so careful crafting their characters and letting fans get to know them. It’s strange that Captain Marvel is going to be the next big thing after just one movie. (Even Strange got a cameo in Thor before Infinity War)
The most puzzling thing though, was her characterization. She was supposed to be a warrior that has difficulty keeping her emotions in check. This absolutely worked in the first few minutes of the movie. She really seemed like a likable, emotion filled human that couldn’t quit bottle up everything inside her. She was easy to relate to. However as the movie progressed, she seemed to become less emotional, and more bland. I think Marvel was trying to go for stoic, but it didn’t quite work. It could just be a starting point for her character, and she could still evolve into the more interesting character I know she can be, but that will be a tall order considering Endgame is just a month and a half away.
Don’t get me wrong, there was a lot to like. I don’t understand why trolls decided to go after this film. The visuals and alien worlds were incredible, as we have come to expect from Marvel. I still can’t get over how much Brie Larson looks like Captain Marvel, and a de-aged Sam Jackson was great to see. Also, Goose the cat was the best thing I didn’t know I wanted to see.
In summary, I think Captain Marvel was very serviceable, but not quit gripping. Perhaps it was just one scene away. Avengers had that iconic 360 shot of all the heroes, Civil War had the airport battle, and Wonder Woman had that amazing trench scene that just gave it that extra emotion, that extra layer of something special that got the audience to buy in.
I’m hoping for that kind of moment for Captain Marvel in Avengers: Endgame
Rating: 3.75/5
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