Captain Marvel (2019) — Movie Review
The first female Marvel superhero movie, Captain Marvel (2019) is a movie that does not live up to the expectations of many people. This movie is action-filled, is humorous at points but lacks connections in several places. Keeping in mind the previous movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I was not very much impressed with this movie.
My Rating — 3/5
Is it worth watching?
Well, if you are a true Marvel fan, go watch this.
If you want to watch a movie because there is nothing better to do, Captain Marvel can be your choice.
For people who love action with a touch of humour and a strong storyline, you guys are going to love this one.
The story, in a nutshell, it is a watchable movie which is entertaining enough.
The Cast Did A Great Job
Well, who here doesn’t like Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, huh? The actors were all great and did the best they could. After not-so-great acting by Jude Law in The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018), I felt relieved in this one.
I’ll begin by rating the lead cast.
Brie Larson in and as Captain Marvel, Vers, Carol Danvers
The movie taught us that Marvel is actually Mar-Vell, named after the Kree scientist Mar-Vell. Remember 21 Jump Street? This pretty woman was in that one. She is beautiful, smart and a badass in the movie, just what a superhero is expected to be. Oh, she cracks pretty good jokes as well.
Her acting was good in the movie and I can understand if she was not the best version of herself in this one. Hey, she is supposed to be the star of the first female Marvel movie, give her some space!
She portrayed the character of a badass superhero really well, a woman who is determined to get back on her feet and someone who doesn’t like to be messed around with.
4/5
Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury
The 90s feel, amazing make-up and without the eye-patch, Nick Fury is a low-level bureaucrat who is a Level Three S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in this movie. I miss it when Samuel does not say his signature curse word when he is casting in an MCU movie. But, he portrayed the role of a young Nick Fury really well.
But the age, that gives him away as it does a lot of people. The man is 70 years old, for Christ’s sake. I could see that he got tired and probably that is the reason he was not shown a lot in action. He was digitally de-aged for this movie by 25 years! Anyway, there is no other man who can play Nick Fury better than Samuel L. Jackson, young or old.
3.5/5
Ben Mendelsohn as Talos
With all the makeup and digitalisation, it was quite hard to make out the human behind the Skrull leader. The acting was great. The sadness in the voice of losing his home and family, Ben connected the audience with the pain that Talos was going through.
I liked him in the role of Talos.
4/5
Jude Law as Yon-Rogg
Jude Law portrayed the character of Yon-Rogg in Captain Marvel. He is the commander of the Kree Starforce and mentor of Carol Danvers. Yon is a warrior who believes in the divine leadership of the Kree people by the Supreme Intelligence. He is confident, conservative and keeps the matter under the wraps unless really required.
Law played the part really well and could bring out the desire that Yon-Rogg was supposed to. I think that he was able to bring the character to life. But, he too got stuck in the age factor where there was combat involved.
3.5/5
Supporting Cast
Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson
Phil Coulson is a rookie S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in Captain Marvel. The movie introduces his character that goes on to develop in the MCU movies of the future timeline and the series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
In the brief role he had, it is quite difficult to judge him. But looked like the man hasn’t aged a single day, is the same calm and self-composed Phil that we are used to. For that only,
4/5
Annette Bening as the Supreme Intelligence, Mar-Vell and Dr Wendy Lawson
The Supreme Intelligence is an artificial intelligence that rules the Kree empire. Dr Wendy Lawson is actually Mar-Vell who is a Kree scientist. She came to Earth (C-53 in MCU) to develop a technology that would end wars. Her role is very brief in the movie that actually makes her a supporting cast.
It is hard for me to judge her performance in her small role. But, what she played, she did it well.
4/5
Lashana Lynch as Maria Rambeau
Maria is the best friend of Carol Danvers in the movie and is played wonderfully by Lashana. She was smart, assertive and reacted the way a best friend would when their presumed dead friend returns 6 years later shooting photon blasts out of their fists.
4/5
Cinematography
The cinematography was great. It really showed off the 90s feels that we see in older movies. There were songs that were really hit back in the day from artists like TLC and Salt-N-Pepa. There were government vehicles, the long black sedans that were characteristics of the 90s.
The locations were not too exotic as the story did not require any. The planets and outer space is something that Marvel Studios has become a master at over the years.
The fights, space chases and Captain Marvel glowing and shooting up in the sky was good. There was a scene where Carol destroys the warheads deployed by Ronan The Accuser on Earth as Captain Marvel. The warheads were launched by a gap of few seconds and she could turn back one and destroy all the warheads without actually touching them? And a weapon that is equivalent to a nuclear bomb is blown halfway in the sky and there are no tremors in the space or Earth?
The train chase was good, Nick driving through the New York traffic was interesting, the part where Captain Marvel breaks free from the Supreme Intelligence and the one where Captain Marvel shows off her powers to Ronan and signals “Back off” are some really great shots.
3.5/5
Movie Plot
The story was interesting, binding and ended well. It dipped into flashbacks and returned to the present without any disorientation from the movie’s story. It started well and ended well.
It got slow at some points where I wanted to scream “C’mon already!” and there were some points where I was like “Bring that back, I didn’t get that”.
A simple movie with some good twists, the story of the movie was really great. Hats off to the screenwriters.
4/5
Should you watch it?
It is not a waste of time. A good watch, it is not something I would like to watch over and over again. No harm in watching it once, give the female superheroes a chance as well.
I give this movie a 3 out of 5.
© Prakhar Bansal, 2019. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from the author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Prakhar Bansal with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
