In 1967, Marvel introduced the character Dr. Walter Lawson, aka Captain Marvel, in Marvel Super-Heroes #12. Created by Stan Lee and Gene Colan, the character was given his own series in 1968, but without much success. However, in Marvel Super-Heroes #13, a side character named Carol Danvers was introduced, who eventually became the superhero, Ms. Marvel. She was given her own series in 1977 and was considered socially progressive for its time. Over the years, she’s been rebranded and given new names, such as Binary in 1982 and Warbird in 1998. Eventually, Danvers would become the new Captain Marvel in Avenging Spider-Man #9 in 2012, and joined the main Avengers team. Of course, there was another Captain Marvel published by DC, but for obvious reasons, the character was renamed to Shazam. So, with that brief history out of the way, let’s look at the movie version of Captain Marvel.
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On the planet Hala, Starforce member Veers (Brie Larson) keeps having recurring dreams of a past life on Earth. However, she has no memory of this past life, and she keeps questioning what it all means. She is a member of the Kree, an alien race that is at war with the shapeshifting Skrulls. During a rescue mission, Veers is kidnapped by the Skrulls, who scan through her mind for information. She manages to escape into an escape pod that crash lands on Earth in 1995, specifically in Los Angeles. Her presence attracts the attention of S.H.I.E.L.D agents Coulson (Clark Gregg) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Now being pursued by S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Skrulls, Veers has to track down a Dr. Lawson before the Skrulls do. Over time, she starts to piece back her memories and soon learns that not all is as it seems.
That’s the basic setup we’re given, but trust me when I say that this movie plays with your expectations. Honestly, I’m shocked at the hate this movie’s getting because I thought it was pretty amazing. While it’s cliche to say every new MCU movie is the best one, this is easily one of the best. First off, major props to Brie Larson, who is funny, charming, instantly likeable, and can throw a punch or two. Plus, the chemistry between her and Samuel L. Jackson is great, as they have some good banter with each other. Speaking of Jackson, the CGI deaging used for him and Gregg is some of the better-looking CGI I’ve seen lately. The rest of the cast does a great job too, especially Annette Bening, Jude Law, and Ben Mendelsohn. Also, Goose the cat easily steals the whole show.
As with many great MCU movies, the action sequences are a ton of fun, enhanced by some great 90s music. Speaking of, I’m glad that this film didn’t force feed how this is set in the 90s. While there’s some fun 90s references here and there, the main focus is on the story and characters. Beyond the fun action and cute references, this is a very inspiring movie, and it has tons of heart. Our lead is always told to stay down and never fight back, but she keeps getting back up every time. Plus, what makes this stand out from other superhero origins is how different the structure and pacing are. It’s definitely unlike any of the other MCU movies, and I’m excited to see Captain Marvel return in Avengers: Endgame. Overall, Captain Marvel is an entertaining and heartfelt superhero movie and is easily one of the MCU’s best.
