On International Women’s Day, Marvel Studios released their first film featuring a female lead, and “Captain Marvel” made over $400 million worldwide its opening weekend. After watching the trailer, I wasn’t as excited for “Captain Marvel” as I have been for other Marvel films, because there was no initial humor and the “it” factor every other movie in the franchise has wasn’t present.
After watching the film, it’s clear that “Captain Marvel” may be just another superhero origin story, but it’s also a movie that stays relevant by encouraging female power and contributing to the Marvel Universe.
The story takes place in 1995 and follows Vers (Brie Larson), a member of the Kree military force, who is captured by Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), the enemy Skrulls’ commander. Under Talos, Vers is forced under a memory probe and has flashbacks about her time on Earth as Carol Danvers.
After escaping, Vers ends up crash landing into a Blockbuster in Los Angeles, where she meets two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), who want to understand more about the Skrulls and how to stop them.
The main appeal of “Captain Marvel” is that it’s the only Marvel film so far that is solely about a female superhero, but the intricate storyline mixed with provocative characters further differentiates the movie from other cookie-cutter superhero movies. However, like many action hero films, “Captain Marvel” features impressive special effects and has that ’90s nostalgia that many people crave. Captain Marvel’s suit also has a classic feel. It resembles Captain America’s garb, but was intended to be less flashy to show Captain Marvel for her character, not her looks.
Even though Larson received a lot of backlash when she was cast, I thought she fit the role well and portrayed a relatable female character. Drawing on her past roles in “Room” and “The Glass Castle,” Larson strikes a balance between courage and vulnerability. In “Captain Marvel,” she shows an underlying caring tendency, but her strong suit is knowing when to show strength.
Other heroines, like Black Widow and even Wonder Woman, are seeking to help others and make the world a better place — they have a nurturing instinct. Captain Marvel is also trying to do that, all while figuring out who she is and who she wants to be, which makes her more relatable.
Similar to many other Marvel origin stories, “Captain Marvel” set up what could potentially happen next in the universe. For one, the Skrulls have a rocky relationship with the Fantastic Four, so another movie could be in the works. Along with the Skrulls spinning off, another installment of “Captain Marvel” could feature Rambeau’s daughter, Monica (Akira Akbar), as the Captain Marvel of the next generation, since that’s how it plays out in the comics. Also, the fan favorite Goose the cat will definitely pop up in another Marvel film, but the biggest question “Captain Marvel” presents is what do we know about “Avengers: Endgame” and how can this new hero help the Avengers defeat Thanos?
It has been confirmed that Larson will play a huge role in the next Avengers film, but I don’t think she can defeat the supervillain on her first try. Despite her might, Captain Marvel will have to find a way to balance her emotions and work with the rest of the Avengers to defeat Thanos. Until “Endgame” makes its way to theaters next month, fans will have to dig for more clues on what could happen in the next film. “Captain Marvel” may have provided hints throughout the movie and after the credits, but it’s never enough.
Regardless of what we learned about the Marvel Universe, at the end of the day, “Captain Marvel” still has value on its own. It is superheroine movie that may have the typical elements of an action hero flick, but with charisma that leaves you wanting more.
