Directors:
Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Lead
Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Jude Law, Annette Bening,
Lashana Lynch
Screenwriters:
Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Geneva Robertson-Dworet
Producer:
Kevin Feige
Editors:
Debbie Berman, Elliot Graham
Musical
Director: Pinar Toprak
Genre: Action,
Adventure, Sci-Fi
Cinematographer: Ben Davis
Distributor:
Walt Disney
Location:
California, USA
Running
Time: 2hr 4mins
Technical
Assessment: 4
Moral
Assessment: 3.5
Cinema
Rating: V13 – 13 and below with parental guidance
MTRCB
Rating: PG13
Vers (Brie
Larson) is a member of Starforce—an intergalactic Kree battle squad. She is mentored
by Yon-Rogg (Jude Law) who repeatedly reminds her not to let her emotions
affect her duties, specifically of the firing of powerful energy beams from her
hands. Their mission is to defeat the Skrulls, a species of shape-shifting
aliens led by Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) who's obsessed with probing Vers' memory
in hopes of getting information on one Dr. Wendy Lawson (Annette Bening) and
her work with a light-speed project. Incidentally, Vers interacts with that
woman, not as Lawson, but as the artificial intelligence generated leader of
the Kree, all while experiencing fleeting memories of a different life that's
foreign to her. Then everything comes clearer when she literally crashes into
Earth in the year 1995, meets an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury (Samuel L.
Jackson), and discovers that she once had a life on this planet. And her name
was Carol Danvers. She was an Air Force pilot where she worked alongside her
best friend, Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch), for Dr. Lawson. With the Skrulls
having followed her to Earth, Carol must then figure out the truth as to what's
really happening and use her powers to save the day.
Captain Marvel is both intriguing and interesting as Marvel
finally releases an on-screen super powerful hero that is both female and
feminine. Those who were not familiar with Captain Marvel backstory before
watching must surely be shocked to learn that the most powerful superhero of Marvel
is actually a woman. That handle alone makes the film a worthwhile watch. The
strategies implemented by the film’s producers such as hiring a woman as
co-director and getting an acclaimed actress instead of a blockbuster superstar
for its lead really worked well for the film’s success in communicating its
message across all audiences. The non-linear storytelling approach may be confusing
at first but everything becomes cohesive in the middle. The film does not dwell
too much on exposition and it worked pretty well as revelations become more
interesting as the story progresses. Lead actress Larson aptly balances out three
roles in three timelines--that of Vers, of Carol Danvers, and of Captain
Marvel. Law as Yon-Rogg provides perfect support. Mendelsohn as Skrull leader
Talos and a cat named Goose give the film a different flavor of balanced humor
and sentiment—along with the 90’s musical scoring. The fight scenes and the
computer graphics may not be that spectacular but the gem of the film lies on
its talented cast, and focused storytelling of Marvel’s “herstory”—clearly putting
more emphasis on the heart as more powerful than the mind.
Captain
Marvel is said to be a “girl-power” movie—and it really is. For most part of
the film, it is emphasized that Carol has been going through a lot of pains,
rejections and discriminations as a woman trying to fit in a man’s world. She is
always told to not let her emotions get in the way of what she wants to
accomplish. Women stereotyped as the “emotional” kind is tackled in the film
head-on—and is brutally deconstructed with the presence of the most powerful superhero
to date—Captain Marvel. Despite the many hardships and struggles to fit-in,
Carol’s determination paid off. The tenacity and strength of a woman’s heart is
clearly demonstrated in the film—making the seeming weakness of a woman being
emotional more of a strength than a weakness. Women bonding is also apparent in
the film with the presence of Carol’s best friend—a woman and a mother, who
once experienced discrimination as well for being one. The kind of bonding
women have creates a sense of trust and brings out the best in each other. Family
values are also depicted in the film as Talos leads his flock as a father
deeply concerned for his family’s safety and well-being. Still, the film inevitably
has scenes of violence about which young children must be guided while watching.
CINEMA deems the Captain Marvel as
appropriate for viewers 13 below with parental guidance.—RPJ
