Captain Marvel is well placed to help build up the ever increasing frenzy of anticipation for Endgame. If one old white film critic may be so bold, it is a fine addition to the ever increasing list of Marvel films on offer. Captain Marvel stars Brie Larson as the title character: Carol Danvers. There are computer ‘air-brushed’ versions of Samuel L Jackson and Clark Gregg and a pretty decent cameo by Annette Bening. The film; a jointly directed effort by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, is a bit of enjoyable, female empowering, fun.
Melancholic
Jude Law, complete with yellow coloured eyes, does a brilliant turn as fellow Kree warrior Yon-Rogg. It is difficult not to fall in love with Brit actress Lashana Lynch‘s character Maria Rambeau. This final piece of the ‘Endgame’ puzzle fits in nicely with everything leading up to the final battle of The Avengers v. Thanos. Plus it gives us a feel good factor of 100.
One does not have to be a Captain Marvel fan to appreciate this new and improved version of the superhero. If the viewer is not a Brie Larson fan going into this installment, it is almost guaranteed that they will be by the time the end credits .
One melancholic note was the opening montage of Stan Lee Marvel cameos that reminded us of the “heart of Marvel” passing. Later in the film, Stan is reading the Mallrats script circa 1995 and it is a bittersweet moment indeed.
Convoluted
The plot is a tad convoluted. It has to be though as it is a necessary addition to the verse thus far and it ties everything in very nicely to the overall story-arc. But as a standalone film, Captain Marvel overachieves in terms of powerful female role models. Everyone of the feminine gender is strong and self actualized, even the baddy – Gemma Chan as the Kree warrior who ‘has never liked’ Marvel, aka Vers…
Captain Marvel looks stunning, the film, not the character . However, Larson is beyond impressive as the title character. The set pieces and the scenery, which are most likely CG look brilliant in spite of its computer origins. They are gorgeous and the characters all step out smartly to add a lot to the existing story.
It has to be pointed that “Endgame” intrudes through the entire film. One cannot help but overthink the entire installment. You wonder just how, or when, the timeline will marry up with the whole Thanos storyline. It takes the time-travel theory and stands it on its head. It also makes one wonder if this is even a factor when the cinema airs the latest installment of the Spiderman franchise trailer after he “dies’ in “Infinity War.”
Dragging
At two hours and three minutes the film does drag a bit at the start. However it is necessary to set up the main character’s personality . It also shows just what a prig Jude Law’s character is. Without revealing too much about the plot, it is sufficient to say that Yon-Rogg is an insufferable arse.
Captain Marvel includes a lot of nods and winks, not least of which is Nick Fury’s “Marvel” line, and one can literally see a load of homages in the film. Groot-like death dealing by the cat is only one of the nods given to other films in the verse. It is all good fun and while there are some extemporaneous and downright slow bits in the film, it is greater than the sum of its parts.
The Verdict
This is a full 5 star addition to the Marvel-verse and one that must be seen prior to the final installment of Infinity Wars – aka Endgame. It is streaming on Disney +, TBS, TNT, and other streaming platforms.
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