This review contains spoilers for “Captain Marvel” and “Avengers: Infinity War.”
Marvel Studios has done it again. Now nearing the end of their third phase of movies, the company is tying up loose ends and introducing new characters that will help with the indefinite finale of the “Avengers” movies, “Avengers: Endgame.” In an end-credits scene of the last “Avengers” film, movie-goers could see that Captain Marvel would play a pivotal role in the next film, as her symbol was seen on Nick Fury’s pager before he passed away in Thanos’ snap. Now, just a month away from “Avengers: Endgame,” Carol Danvers is finally an official part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, something that is long overdue, considering her importance to the comic lore.
Arguably one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Universe, many fans wonder why she had not been introduced to the movies sooner. While “Captain Marvel” somewhat clarifies this by stating that she has been in space since the events of the film, which takes place in 1995, many fans are convinced that the true reason is much more political than that. While there are other female superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, such as Black Widow and Scarlet Witch, none have ever had their own film, despite many fans desperately wanting it. After seeing the success of DC’s “Wonder Woman” in 2017, this prompted Marvel to finally take the leap towards more inclusivity in their films when it comes to women.
“Captain Marvel” follows to story of Captain Marvel, as she learns how to use her powers, discovers her true identity, and finds her chosen family. The plot overall is pretty predictable, especially for fans of the comics, so the plot twist regarding Danvers’ choice to go against the Kree and help the Skrulls was foreseen by many. The origin story follows the same Marvel formula that fans are used to, but this time with a female hero in the spotlight. Although some may feel as if this is repetitive, it works. It gets the point and story across and doesn’t treat the character any differently just because of her gender. It helps teach young girls that their stories are just as valuable as young boys, while also providing them a positive female role model in the process.
The film has great action sequences accompanied by Brie Larson, the actress who plays Carol Danvers, doing her own incredible stunts. The costuming and set design are both accurate for the time period and gives the viewer a sense of nostalgia, as does the film’s soundtrack, which is made up of both original scores and popular songs from the 1990s. However, despite the many positives this movie brings to the table, the mediocre dialogue and inconsistent characterization for certain characters, such as Maria Rambeau, take away from the film’s overall enjoyment factor.
With a fresh new face and a capable hero, “Captain Marvel” is a welcome addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While very few are present, its flaws can be overlooked, as the social impact of the film is much greater, showing little girls around the world that they too can be the Marvel superheroes that they aspire to be.
8/10
Grace Barnett // Staff Writer
