Movie review: Brie Larson brings out Captain Marvel's humanity
This movie will do well at the box office regardless of its critical and entertainment value.
After all, we want to know how Captain Marvel is going save the day after receiving Nick Fury's distress signal at the end of Avengers: Infinity War.
Yes, you will get to find out more about that special intergalactic pager Fury used before he vaporised. And yes, another tease will be served up in a mid-credits scene.
But before we jump the gun, let's get to know who Captain Marvel really is. In fact, her superhero moniker is not even mentioned in the film.
So how did she become one of the most powerful and important heroes in the Marvel universe?
The female superhero takes flight - literally.
This origin story of Carol Danvers - a former US Air Force fighter pilot who becomes half-alien and a key member of Starforce, an elite Kree military team - has many wow moments.
Most of the funny and memorable ones are courtesy of Danvers and Fury.
CHEMISTRY
Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson's chemistry is excellent. The witty banter between them comes naturally, and their humour distracts you from the digital de-ageing of Jackson and Clark Gregg's Agent Coulson.
Danvers' rise to power sees her rediscover her humanity, and this is where Larson draws you in and wins you over.
Initially, I wasn't convinced that Larson could pull off the action hero bit. But the Oscar winner brings an equal amount of sass, vulnerability, strength and cheekiness.
She doesn't have the elegance and aura that Gal Gadot does in Wonder Woman, and her looks are rather plain too. But this fits fine as Danvers is one brawly fighter who doesn't follow rules and wants to show the boys how things get done.
The film definitely benefits from having a female director on board. Anna Boden may have stayed on the safe and tested path, but she grounds her lead in a relatable story.
Together, they have created a unique and independent female character, one who inspired the creation of the Avengers Initiative.
You believe that Danvers, the soldier and pilot, is Captain Marvel, a noble warrior hero.
SCORE: 4 TICKS
MOVIE: Captain Marvel
STARRING: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn, Annette Bening
DIRECTORS: Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
THE SKINNY: This origin story of Marvel's first female superhero charts how half-human half-alien Carol Danvers (Larson) becomes the most powerful being in the galaxy, and how Nick Fury (Jackson) lost his left eye.
RATING: PG13
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