Captain Marvel (2019)

I was excited to go see the latest Marvel movie for a number of reasons.  One is that I always thought Captain Marvel would make a great film.  It is especially powerful since our protagonist is a women.  The one thing the Marvel universe has skipped over was having a women superhero, and that's pretty strange since the Marvel comic universe is littered with powerful and assertive women.  From the She Hulk to Sue Storm from the Fantastic Four, to Valkyrie of the Defenders.  There have been a number of lady super hero's that have rocked the comic book world.  It was about time that Marvel make one.

To be fair Marvel movies have had women in their films such as Black Widow in the Avengers, and Storm in the X-men franchise.  With the success of Wonder women from DC Marvel had to introduce one of their own women super hero's, and all I can say is about time.

Brie Larson does a great job as Mar-vel a noble hero warrior from the Kree home-world, or so we think in the beginning.  I will give no spoilers away but needless to say there is a twist that really works in this movie, and it sets up the up-coming film "The Avengers: Endgame".  All I'll say is stay for the credits and you won't be disappointed.

Now on to the review of this film.  First off I have to confess I am a fan and have been a fan of Marvel since I was 6 years old.  My gateway superhero was Spiderman, and the Fantastic Four.  From there it was Captain America, The Hulk, the X-men, and the Defenders who were my personal favorite because they were so odd, and cool.  Marvel Studios has been releasing their films to fuel the Marvel universe.  Each film advances the story and the universe.  New hero's, villains, and a more storylines are introduced in every film.

Captain Marvel introduces us to Mar-vel a "noble warrior hero" from the planet Kree.  As the story advances things are turned upside down, and what you thought was one thing is actually something else.  This film is a sort of prequel to the Marvel universe.  We are introduced to Mar-vel or Carol Danvers, and we are given her origin story.  Origin stories are lengthy, and hard to do well.  You have to assume that a lot of the audience doesn't know how Captain Marvel started, so the movie goes onto flesh out it's characters.  By doing this we become more vested in the character.  We have to care and when we find out why things are happening to our character we become more invested in the outcome.

Captain Marvel does this so well.  By the end you want payback, and we are given a show down that we root for our hero.  The effects are outstanding, and the de-aging of Samuel Jackson is amazing.  My son said to me I didn't even realize that it was a younger Sam Jackson.  We just bought it, and that is a compliment to the effects in this film.

Also there is humor in this film, and like all Marvel Studio films they have their light moments where we the audience laughs.  It's that wink-wink nudge, nudge feeling where you know the filmmakers and actors are having fun.

Captain Marvel is also setting up the hype machine for the next Avenger movie scheduled to release in late April.  Marvel Studios always does this well.  Last year it was Ant man and the Wasp.  This year it's Captain Marvel.  By April everyone will be primed to see "Endgame", and in the end it's all about selling tickets and creating that hype.  That shared experience among its audience and its fans.

Seeing it with my own boys makes it very special, and I feel Marvel Studios knows this.  It's like a handoff to another generation.  There's a special sentiment when seeing it through younger eyes.  That excitement of when you got the latest issue off the newsstand is palpable here.  Instead of it being in the printed form it's now a movie.  That excitement, and joy transcends generations, and it is what makes "Captain Marvel" such a fun filled adventure for the whole family.

If your not a fan the film also works as well.  The film is an origin story and if you know nothing about the Marvel Universe that is alright too.  It does help, but it's not necessary.  The story works either way, and at the end we are promised more adventures to rival the ones that we've already seen. What better way to leave a movie theater then waiting for the next story to unfurl.  It's like the serials back in the 50's that were played before the movie.  Every child wanted to know what happens next, and Marvel is in a way following the same formula, but on a much bigger scale.  Anyway you shake it you'll enjoy yourself.