'Captain Marvel' review: Proving the MCU is far from perfect
Photo courtesy of Marvel
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (or MCU for short) is responsible for some of the best and most energetic superhero films of the past decade, but even they are susceptible to a few missed swings. Their latest entry, “Captain Marvel”, is meant to be an epic origin story that ties all previous Marvel films together. The end result, however, is full of second-tier storytelling and questionable special effects —a movie more in line with lesser fare, like the first two “Thor” films.
Set in the 1990’s, “Captain Marvel” is a shallow take on the usual intergalactic warfare we’re used to from the comic assembly line. Our super heroine Carol Danvers, played by Brie Larson, spends most of the movie running around with amnesia caused by a military mission gone wrong. It’s a long cinematic slog of dead-ends and confusing plot threads before we see her in true form as the titular “Captain Marvel.” Part of this is due to pacing issues but the other has to do with good old-fashioned bad writing. It’s a true shame since co-directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (who, along with Geneva Robertson-Dworet, also had a hand in the screenplay) are known for smaller character-based films like “Half Nelson” and “Sugar”, which would suggest that the internal stuff should’ve been easy and the real struggle would’ve been handling a bigger budget. The end result turns out to be a lose-lose scenario for the duo since the film looks sloppy and is structured in a disorienting way that may alienate even the most ardent comic book fans.
But all is not lost with “Captain Marvel”, and those dim lights of hope come from the trio of actors who lead its cast. The aforementioned Brie Larson brings real charm to the lead role but there’s only so much she can do with wooden material. Hints of fun and personality are there but not enough to fully embrace her character’s journey. Jude Law seems to be collecting a paycheck but having fun while doing it. He plays an alien named Yon-Rogg and, with a name like that, you’d have to be a real douche to take yourself seriously in a movie like this. Finally there’s the legendary Samuel L. Jackson. He’s become a staple of Marvel films from the very beginning as the imposing and commanding leader Nick Fury but here we meet him before he became tough and grizzled. In this prequel he’s just another government agent who has stumbled upon an alien war threatening to destroy Earth. Jackson has fun with the role but the real magic trick is in the seamless special effects work done to make him look decades younger. It’s a de-aging process the latest Marvel films have used in short bursts on older actors like Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer, but here it has been applied to Jackson for most of his performance. The work is so solid most actors won’t believe a computer has aided his performance.
Rating: C+
“Captain Marvel” is now playing in theaters nationwide.
