I could go down the list of complaints about Captain Marvel coming from all corners of the internet basement, but why bother? Truth is, this is one of the best films associated with the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date, and I urge you to have a look for yourself. Like Black Panther, Captain Marvel has something to say for those seldom represented in movies of this kind. For that alone, it stands apart and is worth the price of admission. But that’s not all. It’s also fun as hell – and I can’t wait to see it again.
Films like Captain Marvel have built-in fan toxicity that comes pre-packaged the moment they’re announced. I have no desire to get into the mind of the average hater, but, as you can imagine, they are overwhelmingly male. I’ll let you do the math as to why they may dislike a strong female character who stands up for herself in a way that doesn’t involve oversexualization or the approval of her male counterparts. Of course, not everyone who dislikes Captain Marvel has issues with women or displays fragile tendencies, but I do find it odd that this kind of hate pops up every time a woman appears as the lead in a genre that has traditionally been the realm of hormonal boys. Gentlemen, the clubhouse has been destroyed and, in its place, stands one badass woman who isn’t going to take any shit. Deal with it.
Taking things further, Carol Danvers/Vers (Brie Larson) isn’t granted acceptance into the boys’ club after demonstrating she can play at their level (typically, a woman has to prove she is “man enough” to hang with the big boys). Instead, she obliterates the rules by the sheer force of power. Turns out, the only reason the rules ever applied to her in the first place is because she was unknowingly being held back by societal forces (an issue I know many women can relate to). The moment she realizes her true, uninhibited potential it’s lights out. She transcends. Her independence and lack of fear are evident in the eyes of her enemies and internet trolls alike.
I often find MCU films to be pretentious and gaudy (there are exceptions, of course), with the Avengers franchise being especially so. With everyone so serious all the time, it’s sometimes hard to remember that these films are based on comic books that are aimed at kids. Captain Marvel injects a sense of levity and fun that’s rare to these types of films. This is due, in part, the chemistry between Larson and Samuel L. Jackson (playing a younger version of his Nick Fury character). There is no better pairing in the world of comic book movies than these two. The time they spend on screen together is among the best the MCU, or DCEU has to offer. No joke.
In addition, Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos is a scene stealer that took me completely by surprise in the same way that Sean Connery did in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (if you know me, that’s saying a lot). I absolutely love these kinds of out-of-character roles for actors who’ve made careers out of familiar personas. At its heart, really, Captain Marvel has much more in common with ‘80s and ‘90s action films like Lethal Weapon and Die Hard than it does with any other MCU movie (there’s also a very clear Top Gun aesthetic going on in more than one way, and a few nods to 1978’s Superman). The pacing, humor, and action sequences can all be traced back the heyday of genre blockbusters, giving Captain Marvel an edge over its contemporaries (or at least making it unique within the franchise). It could be this difference in style that’s soured some well-meaning viewers, but for me, the change in tone and form is a welcomed shot in the arm for a genre with the potential to go stale at a moment’s notice.
Most of all, though, Captain Marvel is an important step in what I can only hope is continued forward motion. Representation is important, and I’m so glad that the first solo female MCU movie is one so well made and put together with so much thought (pay attention to all the other political allegory thrown in – some of it is nice and biting). Captain Marvel isn’t a film only meant to empower women and girls, but, hopefully, a film to help men and boys understand patriarchal systems and how they can break free of them as well. Lofty goals, I know, but art is often a catalyst for change, so let’s keep this momentum going.
James is a writer, record collector, wrestling nerd, and tabletop gamer living with his family in Asheville, North Carolina. He is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the North Carolina Film Critics Association, and contributes to The Daily Orca, Razorcake Magazine, Mountain Xpress, and Asheville Movies.