With a release date on International Women’s Day, Marvel set its first female-led superhero movie up for disappointment, advertising the film to be more powerful than it is. Following the success of DC Comics’ unstoppable “Wonder Woman,” “Captain Marvel” fell short of expectations, fumbling to keep the story cohesive and missing a lot of the necessities for an enjoyable superhero film.
Frustrated by only six years worth of memory and a lifetime of mystery, Vers (Brie Larson) uses her super-charged fiery fists to fight alongside the dominant alien race (the Kree) to protect her species from shapeshifters infesting other planets despite lackluster combat skills (the Skrulls). But after a mission falls apart, Vers switches her pursuit, locking her course on Earth to learn more about her past. S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) skeptically assists Vers on her rediscovery mission, and the pair uncover truths about the interplanetary galaxy and a pilot named Carol Danvers that completely change the game.
Opening at No. 1 at the box office with a weekend gross of over $153 million, lead actress Larson lit up theaters across the country. This arrival comes after one of the “Avengers: Infinity War” post-credits scene hinted at Captain Marvel’s appearance, however the film focuses on the superhero’s origin story. Captain Marvel will play a part in “Avengers: Endgame” as well.
Entering the theater, I hoped for a few key moments. A couple of funny jokes, an active plotline, maybe a slightly predictable plot twist and lively visuals. My expectations weren’t sky-high, but the quality was a flickering light bulb, on and off and on and off. One moment, I was engrossed in a feel-good superhero film, the next I was rolling my eyes and nodding off.
What happened? What’s the root of the issue? I’d sum it up to the writing and directing. Marvel handed a stellar cast to Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, a low-key directing duo, on a silver platter. With actors Larson, Jackson and Law, the film rolls over speed-bumps and sticks to its comedic, entertaining roots. And yet, the dialogue was clunky and obvious, pointing out every detail as if explaining the plot to elementary school students.
And the jokes, oh boy, the jokes. Perhaps funnier than the half-hearted fire-hand comments, a cat named Goose stole the show. When Jackson has more chemistry with a half-real half-computer generated feline than some of the cast, there’s a problem. The crew also would’ve done better if they had consulted a younger audience on comedy. Sometimes the older generations in the crowd guffawed at the strangest moments, leaving me to question the value of my humor.
The action didn’t pull through as well as it should have, either. Almost as anti-climactic as Ant-Man’s tiny boss battle, the film narrowly dodged high-power moments in exchange for soft, feel-good scenes. Alternatively, however, Larson walked the tightrope of powerful and down-to-earth like a trained professional, molding a character both cheeky and inspiring.
All things considered, the film is enjoyable. Squished between “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame,” Vers supported the drought in a lighthearted, obligatory origin story. I could also keep up with the plot, rough as it was, even without reading the dozens of comic books. In addition, Vers is a breath of fresh air, providing younger girls with a female role model without insecurities or a love interest.
If you have the time and money to watch “Captain Marvel,” by all means take those two and a half hours for a good time, but it isn’t a must-watch before the upcoming “Avengers: Endgame.” Without a firm Marvel base, the film would have toppled from a strong breeze. Families should also be aware that the film includes three minor uses of profanity.
Maybe this is the doorway for female superheroes. Or maybe I’ll be on my couch watching “Wonder Woman” for the tenth time on next year’s International Women’s Day.