Captain Marvel: Stupendous Work by Brie Larson

Brie Larson as Carol Danvers in Marvel’s 'Captain Marvel.' Courtesy of Disney.

'Captain Marvel' plays off of other superhero films I’ve seen, but it was a great starring vehicle for Brie Larson. It’s like Guardians of the Galaxy and Wonder Woman combined, and Larson still could stand on her own as a true superhero. With hilarious chemistry between Larson, Jude Law, and Samuel L. Jackson, colorful costume designs, and high-flying adventure, 'Captain Marvel' was a stupendous example of a powerful woman, while also creating hype for the forthcoming 'Avengers: Endgame.'

“Captain Marvel” takes place during 1995, when Carol Danvers crash lands in Earth following an attack by the alien shapeshifters, Skrulls. With the fate of the Earth in the balance, Danvers must team up with young Nick Fury (played by Jackson) to end the extraterrestrial war. Along the way, Danvers must figure out the story behind her powers, but most importantly, who she is.

Larson was the perfect fit for her role as Captain Marvel. Her training regimen in judo and boxing showed her to be a very capable fighter against evil. I could also feel that her character was a symbol of female empowerment, based on overcoming sexism in the military and being the one woman who can end a devastating war that no one else could.

Another good symbol of female empowerment came in the form of Lashana Lynch as Maria Rambeau, Danvers’ best friend before she disappeared. Lynch played a proud black female pilot at a time when that probably seemed impossible, and she was a dedicated single mother to her daughter, Monica, AKA “Lieutenant Trouble”, played by Akira and Azari Akbar at different ages. And just like Danvers, Maria was skilled for some high-flying, out-of-this-world adventure.

Jackson’s younger form of Nick Fury was humorous in his distrust for Danvers at first and how he reacts to finding the Skrulls shapeshifting and destroying the town. He showed he hasn’t lost his “macho man” behavior when it comes to taking the crooks down. He’s like Agent J from “Men in Black”, skeptical and suave.

Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury (left) and Brie Larson as Carol Danvers in 'Captain Marvel.' Courtesy of Disney.

I was also impressed with the performance of Jude Law as Yon-Rogg. It was amusing in how Yon-Rogg’s strict personality clashed with Danvers, as he wanted her to control her emotions and bring out the best of her powers. It looked like he trained well when he sparred with Danvers and was agile in his fights on and off Earth.

Jude Law as Yon-Rogg (center) in 'Captain Marvel.' Courtesy of Disney.

Much of the high-flying adventure reminded me of “Top Gun”, given how Danvers wanted to become the ultimate USAF pilot and flew into the danger zone. I think of “Captain Marvel” like Marvel’s retelling of DC’s “Wonder Woman”, but it was still a lovely story. Even in the face of certain doom, Captain Marvel broke a cycle of torture and used her strength to fight off alien terrorists.

In addition to the humor and flying, Captain Marvel’s red, blue, and yellow costume was spectacular. Wearing those colors looked like it was fighting with patriotism and elegance at the same time. Another good thing to note is the 1990s songs in the film’s soundtrack, namely “Celebrity Skin” by Hole.

Overall, “Captain Marvel” was stupendous work led by Brie Larson. No matter what comes off as familiar, it is a great combination of superhero film and female illumination. Perhaps if you see what Larson’s done, you might be more encouraged to do something heroic yourself. Having said all that, go see “Captain Marvel”.