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In today’s post we’re going to dive into Marvel’s Captain Marvel with my Captain Marvel movie review!
Just so you are aware, all my movie reviews are spoiler free. You are going to get my honest reactions to Captain Marvel without reading anything that will ruin your moviegoing experience.
In this post you will learn about the great story, acting and special effects that make Captain Marvel a truly special film.
So if you are wondering if Captain Marvel is worth seeing in theaters or purchasing, you will love this review.
Let’s get right into my Captain Marvel movie review.
First Impressions
Marvel and Disney have done it again; Captain Marvel is a bona fide hit. It seems like the 2 studios can almost do no wrong lately.
This is the first Marvel movie to center on a female superhero, as well as being co-directed and co-written by a woman. The end results are fantastic and there should definitely be more movies with women at the helm and as the featured star (uh-hem, Black Widow anybody?).
The movie takes place in the mid-90s and is full of nostalgic moments. It was a real treat being effortlessly dropped into the 90s with the music, outfits, electronics (pagers and Game Boys!) and Blockbuster Video store.
Captain Marvel is an incredibly fun and entertaining movie that combines awesome special effects with a motivating story and just the right amount of humor.
Inspired Directing and Writing
Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck did an outstanding job directing Captain Marvel in their first big-budget film. Previously, they co-directed Sugar and Mississippi Grind and were an inspired choice to direct this movie.
Boden and Fleck also co-wrote the screenplay with Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Tomb Raider – the new one).
The movie moves along at a good pace and does not get slowed down by the exposition and backstory parts. What helps these moments out are the laugh-out-loud humor that is mixed throughout the movie.
Awesome Casting Choices
I absolutely loved Brie Larson as Captain Marvel. She was a perfect casting for the role.
Brie Larson brings her incredible range and gravitas to the character of Carol Danvers (aka Captain Marvel). She brings a ton of range to a complex character that is struggling to figure out who she really is.
At the beginning of the movie Carol is actually called Vers by her Kree comrades. She is a warrior hero fighting for the Kree in the middle of the Kree-Skrull War.
However, much of her past is a mystery for her, as is the extent of her abilities. Once she is captured by the shapeshifting Skrulls, her character goes on a path of self-discovery as she tries to complete her mission.
I really enjoyed the toughness and spirit Brie exemplifies in Captain Marvel. She will not give up, nor will she back down from what she believes is right.
Brie Larson also delivers big time on the humorous banter she has with her fellow co-stars.
Samuel L. Jackson is back as Nick Fury, though this time he is not the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., just a mid-level officer.
The CGI used to de-age Samuel L. Jackson was incredible and should be applauded. His character looks natural and does not appear fake at all for someone 20+ years older than the character he’s portraying.
The chemistry and banter between Fury and Danvers is incredible. Jackson and Larson work really well together and serve as a solid core to the movie. Their witty back-and-forth dialogue is refreshing and shows off 2 characters in full command of their characters.
Jude Law and Ben Mendelsohn are Great
Jude Law plays Yon-Rogg, Carol Danvers’ trainer and commander of an elite Kree task force.
I really like Jude Law because he brings a high level of charm and charisma to his characters. This role is no exception.
He cares about Carol, but his true allegiance is to the Kree Empire and the Supreme Intelligence (the leader of the Kree).
Yon-Rogg is constantly reminding Carol to not let her emotions get the best of her or to rely on her powers. It really felt like a chauvinistic relationship, with a man telling a girl she’s too emotional and not good enough. This is one of the main issues Carol must overcome.
Brilliant Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn plays Talos, a Skrull general and Danvers’ adversary at the start of the film.
Mendelsohn brings the same awesome presence to Talos as he did with his characters in Rogue One and Ready Player One. He also had some really funny moments because his character is not familiar with Earth vernacular.
Excellent Secondary Characters
Annette Benning (Dr. Wendy Lawson) and Lashana Lynch (Maria Rambeau) round out the characters important to Carol’s life.
Dr. Wendy Lawson is a mentor to Carol, and Maria Rambeau is her best friend. Both actresses were awesome and greatly impact Carol’s life. Annette Benning really stands out in the limited time she’s on screen.
Clark Gregg (Agent Coulson), Djimon Hounsou (Korath) and Lee Pace (Ronan) all reprise their roles from earlier Marvel movies.
They de-age Clark Gregg in this film, too, though not to the same excellent result as Jackson. The main issue with the de-aging on Coulson was his hair. It just didn’t look natural.
However, seeing him as a rookie was pretty awesome. Love me some Coulson!
Goose the cat/Flerken is a scene stealer in this movie, especially at the end. You will absolutely love every scene Goose is in.
An interesting side note, Brie Larson is allergic to cats. The fact she was able to power through the scenes that used an actual cat on set is pretty incredible. Props to her!
A Motivating Story About Finding Yourself
The story of Captain Marvel works well as both a standalone character feature and a movie deeply entrenched in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Captain Marvel is not as well-known as the old Avengers like Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and the Hulk. Due to that, there is a lot of backstory involved in this movie.
The backstory, however, is evenly distributed throughout the film, which allows the pace of the movie to flow nicely.
Captain Marvel is ultimately about a woman who doesn’t know where she belongs. For 6 years, she has been on Hala (the Kree home world) but has no memories before that outside of random flashes.
As the movie progresses, Carol Danvers finds out more about herself, which turns everything she thought she believed upside down.
Carol definitely has a little “fish out of water” feel to her. She doesn’t know where she belongs.
What she does know, however, is right from wrong. She sticks to her gut and uses her strength and bravery to help others in need as well as herself.
The most rewarding relationship for viewers is the one she has with Nick Fury. They play off each other really well and are the glue of the film.
All Hail Girl Power
Maria Rambeau and her daughter provide an excellent grounding for Carol, bringing her back to her roots and reminding her who she is. It takes time, but the memories do come back.
Much of this story focuses on girl power, and boy are they powerful.
A central theme is how the women are held back by men and the system they’re in. The women in Captain Marvel prove they are just as capable as the men, if not more.
Captain Marvel has powerful moments showing what these women overcome in their journeys to being bad ass heroes.
Typical Awesome Marvel Movie Special Effects
This is your typical Marvel movie with awesome special effects. It’s incredible how much better the CGI and special effects get with each movie.
While a lot of the movie does have some really great practical effects and makeup, portions of the film take place in space and those scenes look great.
However, the best effects are how awesome they make Captain Marvel look. Once she gets full use of her powers, Captain Marvel looks absolutely incredible with all the energy flowing around her.
I already touched on how great a job they did with de-aging Samuel L. Jackson.
The way the Skrulls shapeshift between characters is also pretty cool.
What I really liked is how the effects group(s) make the CGI look like it belongs in the real world. It mixes in with the practical sets and effects seamlessly to make a very beautiful movie.
Final Thoughts
I loved Captain Marvel!
Is it the best MCU movie? No.
However, it is really good with wildly entertaining and several humorous parts.
The movie is wonderfully acted and looks beautiful on the big screen and at home.
If you are a fan of the Marvel movies, it’s a must that you see it. Even if you have never seen a Marvel movie before, I highly recommend watching Captain Marvel.
Now I’d Like to Hear from You
I hope you enjoyed my Captain Marvel movie review.
Now I would like to hear from you!
What were your thoughts on Captain Marvel?
What did you think of my Captain Marvel movie review?
Is there anything you think I left out?
Let me know by leaving a quick comment below!
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