After 10 years and 20 moving-picture show , Marvel Studios finally — let me repeat , finally — has its first female superhero standalone film . And Carol Danvers is every turn as awing as you had hop-skip .
Captain Marvel marks the 21st addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is an stock story unlike any other . It ’s chock full of ‘ 90 nostalgia , not just in memorabilia you ’ll distinguish , but also in its storytelling and soundtrack . And the picture show just screams “ girl tycoon , ” not the least of which is because it boast thebest female friendshipthe MCU has ever seen .
Colorado - directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck , Captain Marvel opens with “ Vers”—the name Carol Danvers ( Brie Larson ) is given by Yon - Rogg ( Jude Law ) , her Kree mentor / loss leader . A take aim soldier , Vers follows her crew — Yon - Rogg , Minn - Erva ( Gemma Chan ) , Korath ( Djimon Hounsou ) , Bron - Char ( Rune Temte ) and Att - Lass ( Algenis Perez Soto)—into struggle with the Chamaeleon - likeSkrulls , and at long last ends up landing place on Earth in the mid-1990s . Arriving on the strange planet raises even more enquiry , especially after meeting S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Nick Fury ( a digitally de - aged Samuel L. Jackson ) . The Skrulls have also come to Earth and while searching for them Vers / Carol starts to clear there may be more to her mysterious life story .
permit ’s be readable : Brie Larson is the very definition of Captain Marvel . After watching the film , there is no dubiety in my mind that there is anyone else that encompasses everything that Carol Danvers is and what she represents to mirthful record book fans everywhere . Not only did Larson train smartly to embody the animalism of the “ most sinewy hero in the MCU ” ( have you seen herpushing a jeep uphill ! ? ) but she has an informality with herself that allows her to full become the hero that women want to be and girls love to look up to . She is smart , witty , and yes , a badass .
The “ girl major power ” mantra is felt throughout the entire picture show , but this is also very much a buddy movie — in two parts . Carol ’s friendly relationship with Fury and Maria Rambeau ( Lashana Lynch ) are as significant but unequalled . This is a Fury we have n’t seen yet . Before Carol , he had never contact someone with superpowers and questioned the creation of outside worlds . In Captain Marvel he get to be more fun , and unforced to go along for her journey with an open psyche . Larson and Jackson are hilarious in what ’s a bit of a uneven duo . Jackson himself has been all smiles on the press tour and seems to enjoy seeing his own reference ’s origin story . In a way , this film is an origin story for him , Carol , and S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson ( Clark Gregg ) , who also create a few abbreviated appearance throughout the film . As a fan of the MCU , it ’s fun to see the de - ageing outgrowth as well as just how much each character has arise from the the great unwashed we meet in Captain Marvel , to who we bed they are in the forthcoming Avengers : Endgame .
But for me , in person , it is the strength of Maria and Carol ’s family relationship that elevates the movie to another story . While the MCU has render women bring together ( Nakia , Shuri , and Okoye in Black Panther ) , as well as part of a hot / cold sibling contention ( Gamora and Nebula ) , Maria and Carol ’s relationship is truly the first meter we ’ve seen women in a close life - defining friendship . The bond that two women can share reaches deep into their effect and is not just about who will support you , but also about the one person that will call you on your shit when you postulate them to . Lynch ’s Maria is a consummate compliment to Larson ’s Danvers . Lynch gives court to the women pilots of the Air Force , as well as pays tribute to the individual mothers of the world . Her essence is very grounded but fierce , and the delivery of a monologue that come just when Carol needs it most brought tears to my eyes . And sure , she ’s a mom , but she can also knock you out in a blink of an centre if want be . While both are strong in their own way , they are two dissimilar women , and it was thrilling to watch such a stuffy female bond come through in a comic book natural action film .
And the fact that the film deal home in the ‘ ninety is a wizard choice . The decade was a metre where feminist movement was re - delineate itself . It no longer reflected the bandeau - burning activism of our mothers ; rather , ‘ ninety feminism was about set strength in womanhood , whether it be physically ( à la Sarah Connor in Terminator 2 ) or tossing out the idea of an “ aroused ” female ( see : Daria ) or simply , defining who you are ( like Lelaina Pierce in Reality Bites ) . The multifaceted nature of woman is what sets Carol asunder from all the heroes that came before her and it ’s what makes her the impregnable grinder the MCU has ever seen .
I was a teen in the ‘ 90s , so yes , I was totally hooked on all the nostalgic throwbacks like payphones , beeper , and Blockbuster Video ( I used to work there ! ) position that seem in the film . Not to cite the euphony that filled my angsty teenage days like Hole , Garbage , Nirvana , No Doubt , etc … oh , the ‘ 90s ! My 11 - year - old girl react the way I anticipate most youngster will react to these old shoal add-on : She had a few questions about what a Blockbuster was , as well as what pagers did , why the cyberspace was “ sooooooo slow , ” why computer were so big , and why we wore so much flannel . She encounter it amusing and odd , but she was too accept by the story to get too distracted by those additions .
In a way , it feels like a trivial winking that we observe ourselves in the era that had no approximation cat videos would be huge movement of the future , and yet , gives us one of the best cats on cinema — Goose ( play by a squad of bozo , the lead being Reggie ) ! Goose is the tangible MVP and I take him in every MCU film from now on . To tell you why would be a self-aggrandising spoiler , so I wo n’t deflower it for you , but if you were n’t a hombre fan before , you most definitely will be now .
All that being enounce , Captain Marvel still does n’t solve the origin story issuance that has plagued every superhero film thus far , whether they be from the DCEU or Marvel . There are several lulls , specially in the first routine . Some of them are because of the jumping back and forth in time between when Carol was an Air Force pilot light , and when she lands on Earth as part of the Kree . Unless you know the story from the comics , it can be a bit confusing until the piece get going to connect about mid - path through the film . Plus , when you ’re used to the most recent Marvel films , where we already know each character and can see them shine almost forthwith , and Captain Marvel ’s “ big moment ” choose far too long to make it . But when it does … goosebumps galore .
While Captain Marvel has powers that she has only begun to attain , her true strength is own what has set her apart her whole life — just being a lady friend , because that is more than enough .
Captain Marvel opens on March 8 .
Yolanda Machado is a Los Angeles ground , Latinx freelance film / telecasting critic and journalist . She has been featured by the Los Angeles Times , CBC , AP and has bylines at TheWrap , Atom Tickets , Harper ’s Bazaar , Marie Claire , Remezcla and many more .
For more , make certain you ’re following us on our raw Instagram @io9dotcom .
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