Film Review | Captain Marvel

Captain Marvel is directed by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck and stars Brie Larson & Samuel L. Jackson.

Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi. Released 2019.

Captain Marvel is the latest instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and our first introduction to Brie Larson's Carol Danvers, said to be the most powerful being in the entire MCU. Carol Danvers is a Kree warrior who finds herself caught in an intergalactic battle between her people and the Skrulls. With help from Nick Fury, Carol uncovers the secrets from her past whilst trying to harness her incredible powers to end the waging war.

I am very satisfied with Captain Marvel. I must admit that I wasn't a huge fan of what we had seen prior in trailers and other promotional material, so I went in with moderate expectations. I was also skeptical about how Brie Larson would harness the titular role, but I am pleased to report that she delivers. I don't believe that she absolutely nails it; I think she can be a bit rigid at some points but I think in time she will be very comfortable in the role. However, seeing Captain Marvel in action was incredibly exciting and Larson is a major factor of this.

One of the best aspects of this film is the dynamic between Carol and Nick. Samuel L. Jackson, along with Larson, finally leads a Marvel movie as opposed to just being a supporting character, and its great. He is the primary comic relief as well as the heart of the film, solidifying himself yet again one of the most crucial characters in the MCU. Ben Mendelsohn is the singular stand-out character and performance in this film, and also can be argued as the comic relief as well as the pure, warm heart of the film. I wasn't even aware that he was in this film and only found out that it was him in the credits. He makes this role an incredibly heart-warmingly humorous character. 

In regards to the action, it is hit or miss. Most of the sequences are thrilling and exciting, and thankfully the show-stopping finale is the best of them all. The weakness is usually the hand-to-hand combat, most notably the first sequence involving Jude Law, mostly because it is lazily shot and not particularly well-choreographed. But as I say, the big set pieces and that car chase sequence in the second act is definitely quite exhilarating. 

Overall, Captain Marvel delivers. It does not sit in the top tier of all MCU movies, but it definitely makes me look forward to see Carol Danvers in action in future films, most notably, Endgame. 

B