Marvel Studios’ First Female Solo Lead Makes Powerful Debut in “Captain Marvel” (Spoiler-Free Review)

Marvel Studios’ First Female Solo Lead Makes Powerful Debut in “Captain Marvel”

By Melanie Gable

I was invited as media to attend a press screening for “Captain Marvel.” All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“Captain Marvel” checks all the boxes for an entertaining Marvel Studios origin story: Wisecracking hero learning how to wield their super powers responsibly? Check. Villainous alien invaders? Check. Complex and thrilling fight sequences? Check. S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Nick Fury attempting to maintain control of an insane situation with his signature surly attitude? Check. So what makes “Captain Marvel” stand out from the other films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (a.k.a. the MCU)?

Namely, it’s Captain Marvel herself.

First introduced by Marvel Comics in 1967, Captain Marvel has been the superhero alter ego of a variety of characters, both male and female, since the series first began. The new film is based on Captain Marvel’s most recent mantle holder, Carol Danvers, a determined and talented U.S. Air Force pilot with a dry sense of humor and strong moral compass. Played with pluck and confidence by Academy Award winner Brie Larson, the new Captain Marvel is an awesome (and welcome) addition to Marvel Studios’ roster of superheroes.

Though there are already formidable heroines in the MCU, like Black Widow, Gamora, Scarlet Witch, The Wasp, and pretty much every woman in Wakanda (shout-outs to Okoye, Nakia, and Shuri), none of these characters have been featured in their own stand-alone, solo franchise. Captain Marvel is the first female superhero to do so, and it’s long overdue.

But that’s not the only unique aspect of this film in comparison to other Marvel Studios flicks – it also acts as a prequel of sorts to the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. Set in the 1990s, “Captain Marvel” is not only an origin story for the title character, but also for S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Nick Fury and Phil Coulson, and the Avengers Initiative itself.

The movie begins in media res, with Carol Danvers waking up in another galaxy on Hala, the home planet of the Kree alien race. She has no memory of her life on Earth, but is haunted by vivid nightmares that hint at a past very different from the life she’s living on Hala, where she’s simply known as “Vers.” She spars with a Kree military commander named Yon-Rogg (Jude Law), who acts as her mentor and is training her to serve on an elite team of Kree military officers known as Starforce. Vers believes her super powers, specifically her ability to fire photon blasts from her fists, were given to her by the Kree, and she’s eager to put those skills to use. The Kree are embroiled in a war with the Skrulls, a race of shapeshifters, and Vers is sent on her first Starforce mission to help retrieve a Kree spy from Skrull-occupied territory.

Through a series of misfires, Vers is captured by the Skrulls, who are seeking information about an energy core that could turn the tide of the war. The Skrulls use a device to comb through Vers’ memories of her life on Earth, but she’s uncertain as to whether or not the memories are real or a mind game being played on her by the Skrulls. Vers is able to make her escape and crash lands on Planet C-53, otherwise known as Earth, and that’s where the real fun begins.

Vers soon encounters a younger, slightly less jaded Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson, de-aged by visual effects technology) and his partner Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), agents in the specialized U.S. law enforcement and counter-terrorism division known as S.H.I.E.L.D. Vers is Fury and Coulson’s first encounter with a visitor from another planet, and Fury is quickly drawn into Vers’ search for answers as to who she was on Earth and the real reasons behind why the Skrulls are seeking the energy core.

Directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, a married couple who are also creative partners, are best known for helming indie films “Mississippi Grind,” “It’s Kind of a Funny Story,” and “Half Nelson.” The pair were originally in the running to direct “Guardians of the Galaxy,” but Marvel Studios ultimately hired them for “Captain Marvel,” in part based on an eloquent pitch by Boden. Though the film is a bit uneven in tone, their direction is overall adept, especially in the quieter scenes where the actors are given the chance to have more intimate conversations. With this film, Boden and Fleck have proven they can tackle a big-budget adventure just as skillfully as a character-driven indie.

“Captain Marvel” really shines when the filmmakers lean into the inherent comedy of the odd situations in which the characters find themselves. Larson and Jackson are especially fun to watch. The two actors worked together on both “Unicorn Store” and “Kong: Skull Island” and formed a friendship in real life, and they clearly have a blast playing off each other. As Skrull leader Talos, Ben Mendelsohn is encased in a head full of green makeup and prosthetics, but he still manages to get well-deserved laughs as he verbally spars with his enemies and uses his thick Australian accent and great comedic timing to full effect. And, of course, the movie is rife with ‘90s references, from the soundtrack to the costumes to the tech, which gets its own laughs from moviegoers who remember all-too-well the maddeningly slow process of dial-up Internet connections.

I’ve been a fan of Larson’s work for years, going back to “The United States of Tara” and “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” so I was stoked to see her take on Captain Marvel. In her hands, Carol Danvers is like Leia Organa and Han Solo wrapped up into one character – she has the rebelliousness and courage of Leia, the swagger and piloting skills of Han, and the sarcasm of both. Because of the character’s strange journey to become her fully-realized self, Larson had to create a believable through line between Vers, Danvers, and Captain Marvel, and she pulled it off with aplomb.

The whole cast is excellent, navigating their roles seamlessly through action sequences, emotional scenes, and witty dialogue. One of the standout performances is Lashana Lynch as Maria Rambeau, Danvers’ ride-or-die BFF, a single mom who is also a talented Air Force pilot and the one person who is able to help Carol connect to her humanity and her true identity. Their friendship is the true love story of the film, and the connection between the women is relatable and moving, to the point where I wished the script had delved deeper into their past as military career women. But since we probably won’t be getting a “Top Gun” style Maria and Carol spin-off movie anytime soon, let’s hope for more of the pair in future Marvel films.

There’s another exceptional character in the movie who already has substantial buzz swirling around her and is sure to be an audience favorite. Yes, I’m referring to Goose, the orange tabby cat who plays such a significant role in the plot that she even got her own movie poster. Unsurprisingly to cat lovers, Goose is adorable (played in most close-up scenes by a gender-bending feline actor simply known as “Reggie”), and Fury’s interactions with her are amusing. But is Goose really a cat, or a fearsome alien species known by the Kree and Skrulls as a Flerken? I won’t spill the beans, but Goose definitely has some surprises in store for audiences.

It’s exhilarating when Carol Danvers is able to fully embrace her abilities and transform into Captain Marvel, and I’m certain that young girls will be especially thrilled to see a woman in such a powerful role. Thanos may have the Infinity Gauntlet, but with Carol Danvers fighting on the side of the Avengers, he’s toast.

Does “Captain Marvel” pack the gut-punch of “Avengers: Infinity War” or the pop cultural magnitude of “Black Panther”? It doesn’t, but the movie is, in true Marvel Studios form, a funny, action-packed, entertaining ride. Carol Danvers is an inspiring heroine, with or without her super powers, and I can’t wait to see how her story unfolds in years to come.