Captain Marvel
Cast: Brie Larson, Jude Law, Samuel L. Jackson
Directors: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Unlike Avengers: Infinity War, which gave us a sneak peek into the beginning of the end, Captain Marvel takes us to the era when it all began. Marvel Cinematic Universe's (MCU) newest hero is in search of her roots, and in the process, pierces through the layers of lies and deceits, with overwhelming rock soundtracks of the 90s in the background.
Watch: Captain Marvel Cut to Cut Movie Review
Add to it, humorous punch lines and a really cool cat and you’ll land up at the origin story of Carol Danvers, who is potentially the secret weapon in Avengers: Endgame.
Captain Marvel is probably the easiest Marvel film till date. You don’t need a backstory, don’t need to know the trivia and also don’t need to dig into previous films to find Easter eggs. It works just fine as a standalone film.
The film begins with Vers (Brie Larson), an elite member of the Kree Starforce who gets flashes about an unknown past. She is learning to deal with her troubles under Yon-Rogg’s (Jude Law) guidance on planet Kree. However, she is far from winning the battle.
After a space mission against the 'bad guys' Skrulls goes wrong, Carol lands on planet C-53 (Earth) in 1995. Here, she meets Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and the two immediately hit it off. The bonding between Carol and Nick has a calming effect. While Jackson is an absolute delight as Nick Fury, Larson seems apprehensive about jumping wholeheartedly into it. You miss the badass superhero you wanted as the lead of Marvel’s first woman superhero film.
We have seen the origin of Captain America, Iron Man and Hulk, and Captain Marvel follows a similar formula, yet it seems new, thanks to perfect permutation and combination by the director duo Anna Boden-Ryan Fleck. Most of the origin films have been based on the theme of a superhero losing his powers, for instance, what is Thor capable of doing without his Mjolnir? But Captain Marvel does the opposite. The female superhero loses everything in the moment when she gains her powers.
The film also delves into the subject of the portrayal of women as the weaker gender and scans Carol’s life for references. In her life, she struggles against the societal norms but the writing is devoid of depth. Her fierce comeback after every fall puts screen on fire though.
Then comes Reggie the Cat, the real star of Captain Marvel. Her unapologetic stance deserves a spin-off.
Further, Carol doesn’t need armours and is happy to get into a fistfight. With due credit to stunt choreographers and CGI team, it’s truly enjoyable.
Captain Marvel has a lot of '90s references, with blockbuster video-rental stores, telephone booths, bikes and grunge fashion constantly in sight. The soundtrack includes songs like Only Happy When It Rains by Garbage, Nirvana's Come As You Are, and No Doubt's Just A Girl. They seamlessly fit into the backdrop and you can't help but tap your feet.
Having said that, the film lacks the coherence of other Marvel films. None of the secondary characters get enough space, and it wouldn’t be audacious to say that it might have happened because the makers were in a hurry to introduce Captain Marvel before Avengers: Endgame.
Captain Marvel is an enjoyable and robust entrant in MCU. Although it's a long way for Carol Danvers to prove herself as the strongest superhero, she has definitely set her foot right.
Rating: 3.5/ 5
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