The movie Captain Marvel is a mess. It lacks character, action, and a decent story. There are many scenes that feel disconnected from one another. The main character is not developed and we don’t get much of a backstory about her powers. As a result, it feels like watching a brick, with nothing to hold it together. Here are some of the most noticeable problems. Let’s start with the bad.
The film has a less-than-subtle feminist agenda. The film’s focus on female empowerment is admirable, but its gender politics are childish. Its setting in 1995 is a problem. It’s a dated movie, and there’s no new perspective to provide it. Fans of “Buffy, The Vampire Slayer” will recognize a pivotal scene from the series’ finale.
The character’s origin story is also lacking. The first Captain Marvel movie, titled “Captain Marvel”, is about an Air Force pilot who accidentally ingested Kree DNA. In return, she was granted boring superpowers. Instead of fighting evil, she gained nothing else. As a result, her story has no motivation for being good. Because of this, Captain Marvel has a lackluster origin story. Its plot is a disjointed mess that lacks the tension of a good superhero movie.
While Captain Marvel is an admirable movie, the film largely fails to live up to the hype. It is one of the most anticipated female-led superhero movies since Black Panther, but it plays it safe and does not stand out as a great film. Brie Larson, meanwhile, does an excellent job as a sarcastic Captain Marvel. She delivers some killer one-liners, but the film is hamstrung by a convoluted amnesia plotline that makes it difficult to establish Carol’s identity.