Captain Marvel Movie Review

Captain Marvel is the first Marvel Cinematic Universe film to be led by a female lead. Its ’90s-set nostalgia is a nod to its retro roots, but what really keeps it relevant is the feminist message that resonates throughout the movie.

“Higher, further, faster” runs the guiding philosophy of Carol Danvers, who is an extraterrestrial Kree warrior in this space opera from directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (the pair have made indie dramas like Half Nelson and Mississippi Grind). The film’s plot hinges on that motto, as Danvers discovers she’s also a U.S. Air Force pilot with a mysterious connection to Earth and her long-lost sister, Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris).

There’s more than enough to keep the action-packed story moving along, but the focus is primarily on Danvers’ discovery of her origins, her connection to her sister, and her growing understanding of her role in the war between her people and the Skrulls. It’s all delivered with an understated wit that works in its own right, and the film’s ensemble cast — which includes Samuel L. Jackson, Jude Law, Annette Bening and Ben Mendelsohn — help make this a solid superhero adventure.

Brie Larson is excellent as Danvers, bringing her character’s strength to the screen and never allowing the film to become self-satisfied or narcissistic. Her fight scenes, meanwhile, are powerful and engaging without over-playing her powers or her emotions.

With her empowering female message in full force, Larson and the rest of the cast do a fine job of making this a superhero epic that’s both fun and heart-wrenching. That’s not to say it’s a perfect movie, but it is a worthy entry in the Marvel franchise, and it is likely to make a huge impact at the box office.