CAPTAIN MARVEL
US, 2019, 122 minutes, Colour.
Brie Larson, Samuel L.Jackson, Ben Mendelson, Anette Benning, Djimon Hounsou, Jude Law, Lashana Lynch, Clark Gregg, Gemma Chan, Lee Pace, Akira Akbar.
Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Flick.
Prequel seems to be a keyword to appreciate Captain Marvel, where it is happening, when it is happening, why it is happening… However, all those millions of audiences who are very much at home in the Marvel Universe, they will know what is happening and be very pleased.
We have seen 20 big block buster movies with the range of super heroes for Marvel. And, we have seen them all lining up in the various Avengers movies to take their turn to do battle with the enemies. And, Captain Marvel will take her place in the forthcoming episode.
But, for those not as familiar as they might be, it may be a bit disconcerting to see Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury with two good eyes and no eyepatch (although this is explained). This story is about Nick Fury when he was much younger, not in command of SHIELD, but just one of the officers (and the same with Clark Gregg’s Coulson). (The notes tell us that each actor has been artificially modified to look 25 years younger.) Nick Fury is on the lookout for heroes who can guard earth, make peace within the galaxies, build SHIELD into an effective human weapons resource.
And, it is in this context, in the 1990s, that a former pilot who has had an accident and has had Kree DNA injected into her (causing her to forget her past), is being trained as a powerful warrior in the Kree Starforce. Her name is Carol Danvers and she is caught up in the galactic conflict with the Krees and the Skrulls attacking Earth. She is being trained by a warrior (Jude Law) to control her emotional energies (and later has to stand against him in conflict). Anette Benning turns up as Supreme Intelligence, wanting all-out control
However, in her contact with Earth, she is recruited by Nick Fury. And, consequently, there is an enormous amount of action, stunt work, special effects, booming sound editing as battles (and more battle) are done throughout the galaxies, echoes of Star Wars.
For those not immediately know, there is an enormous challenge to try to work out who is who and who is on whose side! This is particularly the case with the character played by Ben Mendelson, seemingly a smarmy villain, then with particular make up, a family, one of the goodies.
Interestingly, given the Hollywood focus on equality between men and women, on proportionate representation of different racial groups, Capt Marvel’s best friend is another pilot, strong character, African-American? though Lashana Lynch is a British actress).
So, Captain Marvel is what the fans have been waiting for, who the fans have been waiting for. And, with Brie Larson (who proved her acting abilities in Room and winning an Oscar) as Carol/Captain Marvel, a bright personality, a touch of humour, tough in battles, adept in technology, able to take her place in the Marvel Universe, anticipations will be well satisfied.
One of the features of this film is a cat. It has quite a number of comic moments as it tours around the universe, is patted by Nick Fury, but, for the many fans who wait until the end of the very long credits and hopes for something interesting and amusing at the tail end, they won’t be disappointed with a plot development that is core to the Avengers but provides a funny cat hairball moment!
1. Captain Marvel and her place in the Marvel universe? This narrative explaining her origins, recruited by Nick Fury? Her role in the future?
2. The visuals, Earth, the planets, the space vehicles? The plane, flight? Episodes on Earth? The musical score?
3. The production design, elaborate, the action sequences, the special effects?
4. The origins of Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers, as a pilot, the accident, the Kree DNA, her past friendships but not remembering her past? Part of the Starforce? The tutor and the training, the fights, his wanting her to control her emotions? Her being both human and with the superpowers, the illustration of her powers and capacities?
5. The character of Nick Fury, audiences knowing him from the past episodes, the injury to his eye, his eyepatch? This story from the 1990s, his not being the head of SHIELD, his relationship with Coulson, trying to build up SHIELD? Recruitment? His interest in Carol, knowledge of her? Making her acquaintance, the good-natured relationship? Flying the plane (heights and the cat)? Seeing her in action? The threat from the Skrulls, the pursuit of the shape shifting villain? Shootouts? His taking Carol to see her friend, the background of their work with the planes, the friend and her daughter, the daughter delighted to see Carol? Their working together? The dangers, the confrontations?
6. The Kree, at war with the Skrulls? The Supreme Intelligence, the role, interactions with Carol? The final confrontation Carol defeating her? The tutor, the training with the fights, controlling her emotions? The later confrontations with him, her defeating him? The other Kree authorities, serious, shadowy?
7. The exiled family, the shape shifting, the father and his role with SHIELD, seeming villain, his defeat, American accent? Australian accent when he is with his family, getting the help of Nick Fury and Carol? The dangers?
8. The war of the worlds and the overtones of Star Wars, the galactic battles?
9. Captain Marvel in action, her powers, with Fury, her finding her place in the Marvel Universe? Her becoming part of the Avengers?
10. The role of Nick Fury and SHIELD and the future?
11. And the importance of the cat and the cat containing the Tesseract?
