Greetings to you, my dear readers!
As promised a few posts ago, I am now reviewing the latest Marvel movie that I've seen, which is Captain Marvel. (No, I've not seen Endgame to this point. At this point, I'm not sure if I'll be able to see it, due to some major stuff that's been happening around here lately.)
Prepare yourself for somewhat relevant GIFs from the film, indecision, and crazy commentary from yours truly.
Sooo....
via GIPHY
The Plot:
If you are looking at this review to see if the movie lines up at all with the comics, there I must disappoint you. First thing, I have actually never read the comics, so I wouldn't be able to draw comparisons. Second, from what I can see from Wikipedia, it really is a different storyline from the original comics....wayyyyy different.
With that being said, however, it was a pretty engaging plot that didn't give everything away at once. There was a good element of mystery and mind play, which I like in an action film. Some of the ending scenes could have used a little more "oomph" in my opinion.
What I Liked:
- The 90's humor. While I didn't exactly remember the 90s well (I was, of course, only a tiny child)....some things that were showed in the film I definitely remember. *cough* dial-up internet *cough* *cough* Blockbuster stores *cough* *cough CDs cough*
- The relationship between Vers and Ron-Yogg for about 70% of the film. While I was not quite to the shipping stage, I definitely enjoyed seeing their strong relationship.
- The friendship that developed between Nick Fury and Carol Danvers. The banter between them was wonderful.
- How subtle the feminism was. Granted, the feminism was still present and let's be honest, rather blatant (which I did NOT like in the least). However, compared to other adaptations, this one was much more respectful towards men and wasn't shoved down my throat as much.
- The mid-credits scene. Fabulous.
- The digital de-aging was interesting to say the least. It was so subtle that I didn't pick up on it until after I looked up some articles relating to Captain Marvel in preparation for this post. My guess is that, after the controversy of using digitially-constructed faces on younger actors as they did in Rogue One, Disney got smart and went for de-aging techniques instead. Though as my brother Matthew said to me afterwards that even with CGI being so realistic now, that there is always something "off" about it that sets it apart from reality.
via GIPHY
What I Disliked:
- How crappily the trailer set us up for the film. Really?! No wonder there was so much online trolling launched at this film. It was not Marvel's finest, that's for sure.
- The whole story arc and concept of the Skrulls. I cannot explain in detail without going into a hugely controversial political rant, so if anyone is interested in such a post (which will also include comments on my position of Vers/Ron-Yogg), please say so in the comments.
- How Nick Fury lost his eye. Talk about anti-climatic!!
- I'm very leery about the whole deus ex machina approach they took to Captain Marvel's powers at the end. It seemed almost a game to her - which it may well be, adrenaline will do that to you. As my brother Matthew said, "I could have done without the yelps of joy she had when she was destroying that starship." Which I fully agree with - that seemed just wrong somehow.
- Goose. Okay, to be fair, I did like Goose in the beginning/midde but by the end...she FREAKED ME OUT. Just saying, Flerkens are nightmarishly terrifying. And I think Goose is a terrible name for a cat (or Flerken for that matter) and would have even preferred Chewie (the original comic book name) over Goose.
Content:
For those who are bothered by shapeshifting, there is a fair bit of it in there. There is, of course, quite a lot of fisticuffs, violence and destruction - this is Marvel we're talking about here. As for lust, there really isn't anything (though the naked mannequin may raise some eyebrows). There wasn't really that much swearing in it either (h--- and a-- are the two that stick out the most) - though there were some rather crude chauvinistic remarks towards Carol at one point.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
via GIPHY
The Soundtrack:
I'm listening to it again in full on Spotify as I write this review, and I really appreciate the mood that it gives. Perfect use of techno accents among traditional cinema music. My favorite pieces are "Waking Up" and "Boarding the Train".
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Cast:
There is not much that I can say about the cast, except that they were pretty awesome in their roles. Samuel L. Jackson plays a wonderful snarky Fury, Clark Gregg plays a still lovable Coulson, and all the other actors I haven't really seen in other films. I'd heard about Jude Law, obviously, but hadn't really seen him act - I did like him as Ron-Yogg though.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐🟄
via GIPHY
Overall:
I would rate this movie 3 1/2 stars. My biggest takeaway from this movie is that it was a decent story, but soured by modern politics.
So, the big question is, would I buy this movie?
Well, considering that I've seen it 1 1/2 times, there is a slight possibility. Though I will say that it's not a film that I would repeatedly watch, and so I'm not sure that I would consider buying it or not.
via GIPHY
Well, that's the best answer I've got, Fury. Sorry.
And that's a wrap! What are some of your thoughts on Captain Marvel? Yay or Nay? Did your opinion of cats change after seeing this movie? Anyone ready to protest to Marvel? Chat with me in the comments!
Scribbingly yours,
Catherine
