Captain Marvel could have simply been an average Marvel movie—an appetizer
for Avengers: Endgame—and that would
have been enough. But instead, it has some fun tweaking the Marvel formula in inventive
ways. The result is easily the best standalone film of the MCU’s third
phase (which began after Age of Ultron).
The biggest changeup is the
structure, which reveals story pieces out of chronological order. Rather than a
stale straight origin story, the film instead presents its narrative as a bit
of puzzle. This makes for a captivating introduction to this corner of the Marvel
universe for casual viewers, and for those well-versed in the comics lore, it
still is an entertaining trip with a few genuine surprises.
All I’ll say is that Brie Larson plays
the title character, a galactic warrior fighting on the side of the Kree (the
blue-skinned aliens we saw in Guardians of the Galaxy). In the midst of a conflict with the shapeshifting Skrulls, she
ends up on Earth in the mid-1990s. Teaming with a young(er) S.H.I.E.L.D. agent
named Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), she races against the Skrull Talos (Ben
Mendelsohn) to find an experimental piece of space flight technology designed
by a U.S. Air Force scientist (Annette Bening).
Mendelsohn chews the scenery exquisitely,
and his recent persona as the go-to bad guy for nerd blockbusters cleverly plays
into the plot. Other franchise newcomers like Jude Law and Lashana Lynch are
effective in supporting roles, as are a few returning faces (most obviously the
digitally de-aged Jackson, who is a characteristic hoot as the greener, less battle-hardened
Fury). But this is Larson’s show, no doubt. She carries every moment she’s onscreen
as expertly as any of the Marvel heroes who have been doing this since Phase One, showing
icy resolve, disarming sincerity, and an expert handle on the patented Marvel humor, often
all within the same scene. And yeah, she gets a few girl power lines in to
rebuke those who were piling on this movie before it even came out.
There are some exciting action
sequences in this one, but the most enjoyable element is how it uses its humor.
The 90s references are numerous and hilarious (and I'm definitely biased, but the era-appropriate soundtrack
plays a hell of a lot better that the boomer rock of Guardians). Certain blanks in the franchise continuity are filled
in in uproariously funny ways. It even seeps into the action, namely a shapeshifting
fistfight/car chase involving a commuter train that’s alternately
side-splitting and actually pretty good. Though not as explicitly parodic or fourth
wall-breaking as Deadpool, this is arguably
the most self-aware Marvel film, and more fun for that (and if you thought the
last cameo by the late Stan Lee couldn’t be topped…). But, it never gets too carried
away with itself, and stays grounded enough that there’s still some pathos to
the proceedings.
After Infinity War, rumors are flying about the ultimate fate of characters
in Endgame, but everyone seems to agree that it will be the end of the road for
at least some of the Phase One players. If Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel is given
the task of carrying on the Marvel mantle, I’d say the franchise is in good
hands.
