Review : Captain Marvel (2019)
It’s almost impossible to ignore the fervor surrounding the release of Captain Marvel. Based on comments that Brie Larson made (when A Wrinkle in Time was released) about making sure that the press was inclusionary in regards to minorities and women, a movement of backlash began in hopes of tanking the film, and in some ways, the MCU. The voices were so vocal that Rotten Tomatoes was forced to change the way it has operated since day one in order to make sure that Captain Marvel (and any other ‘controversial’ release) get a fair shake in the court of opinion. This weekend, we’ve finally reached the moment of truth, where the art gets to speak for itself.
On the Kree planet of Hala, Starforce member Vers (Brie Larson) finds herself at a loss for memories of her past as she dedicates herself to the war against the Skrull that Starforce leads. Her mentor Yon-Rogg (Jude Law), a formidable warrior in his own right, attempts to help Vers hone her skills and tame her emotions, but the mystery that Vers deals with fuels her rogue spirit. After a visit to the Supreme Intelligence (Annette Bening), Vers is sent on a mission with her Starforce team members to rescue a kidnapped former member, but the mission turns out to be an ambush, and in the hectic battle, Vers is hurtled through space, eventually landing on 1995 Earth. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Coulson (Clark Gregg) investigate her appearance, and immediately find themselves neck deep in Vers’ mission to find the shape-shifting scrolls on Earth. As her mission unfolds, however, Vers begins to learn the truths of her origin, her support system, and her emerging powers, all of which eventually lead to Vers emerging as the incredibly powerful Captain Marvel.
At its heart, Captain Marvel is a solid story about trust, betrayal and manipulation. The concept of the Supreme Leader presenting itself as the one you are closest to in order to give itself power over you is wonderfully effective, as it immediately puts the question of trust on the table. This, in tandem with Danvers and her hopes of discovering the truth about her past, all set against the backdrop of a civil war between the Kree and Skrull that we’ve been told of in other Marvel properties, creates a rich presentation, and a standalone story that holds up well considering it’s position between the already monolithic Infinity War and the potentially mindblowing Endgame.
Quality sci-fi in a Marvel costume would be the easiest way to describe Captain Marvel, putting it somewhere between the Guardians of the Galaxy films and Thor : Ragnarok on the grand MCU scale. The interesting thing, however, is that despite its comedy chops, the film is much less of a comedy than the aforementioned movies. Tones of Serenity, Star Wars and Blade Runner at times emerge, specifically outside of range of action that takes place on Earth. The overarching war between the Kree and Skrull allows for the moral and emotional tug-of-wars (no pun intended) that come with deep conflict, which gives it the epic feel that good science-fiction has. The flashback nature of the film (and the Skrull ability to both detail and adjust it), in tandem with space and the former introduction of dimensions, may open up the door for time travel in the MCU in many interesting ways.
Hala has wonderful production design, especially during the night scenes (hence my earlier Blade Runner comparison). Great humor, both regular Marvel-style and deadpan when within the Kree social realm, can be found throughout the film, but not at the expense of drama or action. The journey through the memories of Danvers is already one of my favorite sequences in 2019. There is an instantly tear-jerking opening credits tribute to Stan Lee, plus a great cameo that references Mallrats and his cameo in that film. Surprisingly, there is actually quite a bit of homage to many films : Mallrats, The French Connection, Top Gun, True Lies and a handful of other movies are referenced directly and indirectly.
Brie Larson, in my opinion, nailed the confidence needed to be a potentially game-changing character, while also balancing a deep humanity against a lack of knowing where she comes from. Samuel L. Jackson manages to eschew the serious cloak that follows the Nick Fury character, allowing his comedic side to shine even brighter than the aging down effects used on him. Ben Mendelsohn matches Brie in his ability to exude humanity on screen, making him possibly the most grounded character despite being positioned as a protagonist. Annette Bening gets a chance to play both ‘regal’ and a bit on the silly side, giving her character several layers that benefit the eventual reveals of her true nature and motives. Jude Law plays the twisted mentor quite well, feeding Larson the poison so well that it takes a life-changing event to snap her out of her spell. Djimon Hounsou, Gemma Chan, Lee Pace and Lashana Lynch all add strength to the supporting cast, Clark Gregg keeps the likeable Coulson a crowd favorite, and a layered cameo from Stan Lee is both bittersweet and a great inside joke to another Marvel-loving director.
While Captain Marvel may not be my favorite Marvel film (I don’t think anything will ever match The Winter Soldier), I feel that it will sit in the high tier of films. It did everything it was supposed to do, and it did it well in my opinion... we’ve been introduced to Danvers and the scope of her powers, we know her connection to the Avengers and Fury, and most importantly, it opens up the door of possibility even further for what we will get next month in Avengers : Endgame.
