Captain Marvel 2019 *NO SPOILERS*
Directed by Anne Boden & Ryan Fleck
I went to see this on opening day, the eve of International Women’s Day and seriously, I couldn’t have been happier or more excited. Back in the long-lost past of my childhood, I used to read a lot more comic books and I was always wanting more female characters. In particular the kind that didn’t need saving, didn’t always lust after male heroes, the kind that wore sensible clothes and had agency. I remember Wonder Woman (2017) and how I enjoyed it despite the narrative flaws until the final act, which was simply awful and I confess, I haven’t watched it again since.
So, I came to this with more emotional baggage than normal and I’ll get it out of the way first.
This movie was everything I ever hoped for or wanted – a very cool origin story (with echoes back to Captain America), a strong, feisty central character that was warm, emotional and feminine without being sexualised. YAY!
Now that I’ve got that out of my system, let’s look at the movie.
Brie Larson puts in a great performance as Vers/Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel and achieves the balance of quirky, not-quite-sure-of-herself young girl and noble warrior hero with a lot of style. Unsurprisingly, she is very ably supported by Samuel L Jackson, who proves again why he is the glue that keeps so much of the MCU together. After one viewing, my big takeaway are the scenes Larson and Jackson share. There’s real chemistry there and we learn so much about Nick Fury’s backstory. Lashana Lynch is really good as Maria Rambeau, Ben Mendelsohn, Jude Law and Clark Gregg are all excellent in support but Annette Bening lights up the screen every time she appears.
I think the pacing is at times patchy. The first act seemed jerky and didn’t flow particularly well for me and I wonder if it’s an editing issue. The second act is very, very well done and really delivers some great scenes. As this is a Marvel movie, the final act is everything you’d expect – all the bells and whistles – but surprisingly well-paced and not as unwieldy as it could easily have been.
With twenty prior entries in the series – yes, I count The Incredible Hulk (2008) – the CG is just what I’d expect from Marvel – very high standard that only rarely made me think it wasn’t real. In the first act especially, I noticed hardware and props that had strong design similarities with Guardians of the Galaxy (2014 & 2017) and Avengers: Infinity War (2018). This offered further textual continuity and gave this film some excellent narrative grounding.
For me, the script was good, (particularly the Larson/Jackson scenes) and I really enjoyed the second act. But some of the one-liners (something Marvel is renowned for) seemed forced and dropped very flat. Again, I’m not certain if that’s an issue with editing, comic timing or just too many unnecessary cheap jokes. Having said that, I liked the little comedic touches that are delivered almost as background detail in some otherwise serious scenes. This harks back to the talent onscreen and the depth of characterisation they brought to the roles.
I think it was a bold move to invest so much in character development, so hats off to the directing team, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. But the results are very deeply satisfying, bringing a fully-fledged female superhero to the screen with heart and soul. As always with the MCU, stay for the very end – there are two postscripts.
Take your mothers, sisters, daughters, girlfriends and enjoy the fun of this film. As a childhood fan of Marvel Comics and more recently, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I’m thrilled to finally have a fully realised female superhero that I can see on the big screen.
Celebrate it!
PS: This is no spoiler – but the opening credits celebrate Stan Lee and gave me ALL the feels ❤
Debra Manskey 