Captain Marvel (2019)

I should probably preface this by saying I am a huge Marvel fan and the review is coming from a bias source, I probably would have enjoyed this film no matter what, but I do think I have some fair criticisms for it. So keep that in mind while reading

Coming out of Captain Marvel, I can’t help but feel disappointed. It truly could have been one of Marvel’s greatest films, but it is dragged down by one thing. The protagonist.

Before explaining why Carol Danvers doesn’t work as a protagonists I should probably go over what does work for the film. The supporting cast are all great. Samuel L. Jackson is fun and his moments with Brie Larson are some of her best bits in the movie, Ben Mendelssohn as Talos is great as he is both funny and heartfelt at the same time, and Lashana Lynch manages to single handily out act academy award winner Brie Larson in one scene. Genuinely the supporting cast are the best part of this film. Otherwise the action is engaging and the story is well paced.

But again this film could have been great if not for Brie Larson as Carol Danvers. The issue is she is not relatable and has no real character arc or growth. Within the first 10 or so minutes she manages to blow up an entire spaceship while she is tied up, how more powerful could she possibly get. At the end of the film when she is supposedly “unlocking her full potential” she just gets more glowy and quippy. That’s another issue, she is way to confident and sarcastic while on earth even though she thinks she has never been there.

I think if they had made her similar to Drax from Guardians, where she is an honourable warrior who does not understand these silly earth customs, that would have been fun and would also let her character develop. She would have become confident and quippy and not just already been like that. If her jokes fell flat at the beginning and she then learns and her jokes become fun, that would show character growth. Not becoming more glowy.

Again, Captain Marvel was a bit of a disappointment because Brie Larson just couldn’t stick the landing but I’m hoping by endgame they finally understand what they’re doing with her and can do the whole Thor thing of making her fun. Also don’t stick around for the second end credit scene, it really isn’t worth it.