Captain Marvel (2019)

Directed by: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck | 124 minutes | action, adventure | Actors: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Jude Law, Annette Bening, Lashana Lynch, Clark Gregg, Rune Temte, Gemma Chan, Algenis Perez Soto, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Chuku Modu, Matthew Maher, Akira Akbar, Kenneth Mitchell, Stephen A. Chang, Pete Ploszek

Stand on it. With the eyes of most Marvel fans inevitably set on the apotheosis of the third phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the form of ‘Avengers: Endgame’, any intervening film can really only be labeled as a clumsy snack. However, it didn’t stop the studio from announcing the arrival of a brand new character in the closing minute of ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, essentially making an origin story inevitable. Not to mention the first lead role for a female superhero in a Marvel movie. Welcome Captain Marvel. And welcome controversy.

Where progress knocks on the door, there is always a club of conservative rabble-rousers to be found that thinks they have to vent their own frustration. It was a reason for RottenTomatoes to permanently ban ratings by movie audiences prior to the official premiere of a film. Without the public even a chance to see ‘Captain Marvel’, many keyboard terrorists and trolls felt it necessary to give the film the lowest score ever. In fact, every letter spent on these pathetic characters is one too many, but the controversy also shows once again that the world still has a long way to go in the field of representation in films. Because a superhero film that revolves around a female character turned out to be a reason for this group to show their most pathetic side. Especially because ‘Captain Marvel’ is a damn nice Marvel title, which also breathes much-needed new life into the superhero universe.

In ‘Captain Marvel’ we meet Carol Danvers (Oscar winner Brie Larson). Carol is part of the army of an alien race that is on the brink of a galactic war with another race. Under the supervision of Yon-Rogg (a particularly charismatic Jude Law), they embark on a mission to eliminate some of the rebel leaders. Unsurprisingly, this mission fails miserably, leaving Carol first in the hands of the enemy camp, led by the apparently evil Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), before attempting an escape and heading for Earth.

There, after a few wanderings, she comes into contact with a young Nick Fury (because ‘Captain Marvel’ is set in the 1990s, interpreter Samuel L. Jackson had to be ‘made’ considerably younger). Since Carol suspects she has more to do with the Earth than initially thought, and also suffers from amnesia, she and Fury go in search of her own history and the mysterious Dr. Wendy Lawson (the always wonderful Annette Bening) .

Although the script (of course) never really deviates from the usual Marvel paths, ‘Captain Marvel’ feels like a breath of fresh air through the here and there a bit jaded universe. That’s partly because “Captain Marvel” isn’t very persistent in casting new lines on potential sequels (which previous Marvel movies have choked on more than once). The makers also never take the whole thing too seriously, so fortunately there is more than enough room for a touch of self-mockery and humorous asides.

But as befits a good Marvel film, it is mainly the actors who make the difference. Especially in the scenes between Larson and Jackson, the chemistry splashes off the screen and the film also goes well for comic road and space film. In addition, ‘Captain Marvel’ once again has a selection of charismatic top actors (Annette Bening! Jude Law! Ben Mendelsohn!) in the supporting roles to make you happy. And despite the fact that Marvel will have to make a lot of selection in characters in the coming years, Samuel L. Jackson can continue to take on the role of Nick Fury for some time to come. However, it cannot take away that all proven top actors are secretly played off the screen by another mammal.

The directors have cleverly succeeded in finding a pleasant change between a serious origin story and fresh humor. What helps is one of the finest ensembles in recent years and a tasty nineties sauce. Hopefully it is an example of the course that Marvel will take in the coming years, now that ‘oldies’ like Thor, Iron Man and Captain America will probably exchange their superhero suits for the eternal. Although the ‘MCU lines’ are never completely let go, ‘Captain Marvel’ is fortunately much more than a mandatory snack or easy warm-up for ‘Avengers: Endgame’. And with that a big middle finger to those sad keyboard terrorists.