MOVIE REVIEW: Captain Marvel

Welcome to the fourth post of our week-long look at inspiring women in honour of this Friday's International Women's Day. Today's subject is a real powerhouse: Captain Marvel!

The lead character in the new Marvel Universe film—called what else but Captain Marvel—has a lot of boxes to check in just two hours of screen time.

First, we have to get familiar with the character that many believe is the key to defeating Thanos and setting the universe right in the upcoming April blockbuster, Avengers: Endgame. There is also a bunch of time travelling, which allows us to meet early versions of Ronan The Accuser, S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Coulson, and Avengers founder Nick Fury (before his famous eyepatch and shaved head).

But above all? This character is here to set something right—Captain Marvel is the first female superhero to lead a Marvel movie. This is her story. How does she do?

Dare we say that she's...marvellous?

Pure energy

"Same time tomorrow?" Yon-Rogg and Vers fight a lot, but it's just for kicks. Right? (©Marvel Studios 2019)

Actor Brie Larson plays Vers (pronounced "Veers"), a Kree soldier who is caught between a long-standing war between her people and a race of shape-shifting aliens, The Skrulls. Vers is the newest member of Starforce, an elite Kree squad. She spends her days on the planet Hala training with Starforce commander, Yon-Rogg, and learning to control an incredible power that she has: the ability to fire blasts of radiant energy from her hands.

It's pretty rad.

What's not so rad? Vers can't really remember much of anything past the last few years. Nightmares include an attack or an explosion...as well as a strange person who seemed to once mean something to her. Who was she?

The Skrulls have their own plans for Vers. (©Marvel Studios 2019)

Before Vers can put any of these pieces together, she and the rest of Starforce are off to another world to try and rescue a Kree spy trapped among Skrulls. But her mission, and very identity, is about to take a real turn!

Funny and fierce

"You think that you can take me on, huh?" Vers' relationship with Nick Fury is at the centre of the movie. (©Marvel Studios 2019)

In a lot of ways, Captain Marvel isn't too different from many recent Marvel films. It's got plenty of humour—especially between Nick Fury and Vers. And it's full of interstellar travel, alien worlds, and eye-popping displays of impressive powers. It also continues to expand the world of these films, in this case helping to explain how the Avengers ever became an idea in the first place. In other words, it's the kind of well-made, super enjoyable, action movie we now expect from Marvel.

But Vers' struggle—and her relationship with air force test pilot Maria Rambeau—make the movie something more. The more our hero unpacks her real identity, the more she is reminded of how much she has had to prove herself as a woman. Once she realizes that the power that she has is actually greater than pretty much anyone's, what choices will she make? Whose side will she take?

"Don't mind my hair—I just forgot to use fabric softener this morning!" (©Marvel Studios 2019)

Captain Marvel doesn't feel as 'important' as either Black Panther or Wonder Woman did when they arrived. But you know what? That feels in tune with this character. After all, Vers doesn't come from a royal bloodline of kings or goddesses like those two do. She's just a daredevil at heart...of course, one who happens to have more energy in her body than a star. But in a lot of ways, she wants to cut loose and have fun. This movie lets her do just that! (She goes "Woohoo!" a lot, too!)

Besides, we suspect that she'll have plenty of time to get serious when Endgame—and Thanos—come knocking in a couple months.

Watch the trailer below!