Captain Marvel
Doomsday: T-Minus 18 Weeks
Welcome to week 22 of the 39 week countdown to Avengers: Doomsday. I’m watching the MCU films in order of release, one per week, in the buildup to December 17, when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters. This countdown will culminate the following day, with my thoughts on that film.
The final scene of Avengers: Infinity War depicts Nick Fury, in his dying act, triggering a pager. Who was he contacting? Clearly someone he felt capable of saving the planet. The last thing we saw before the screen went black was Captain Marvel’s symbol. However, as Captain Marvel had never been seen, or even mentioned, in an MCU film to that point, we needed some sort of backstory. Marvel provided just that the following year, with a fantastic origin story for a fascinating character.
Audiences were rabid to see the conclusion of the Thanos saga when Captain Marvel hit theaters, and there was some concern that the movie might suffer at the box office because of that fact. The worries were unfounded, as the film ended up generating over a billion dollars in ticket sales. That money was well-deserved, as this is one of the best of the MCU movies.
The film is set in 1995, which allows for a lot of fun with retro imagery and styles, but thankfully the film never goes overboard in that regard. It’s just there, in the technology, fashion, and music of the day. Each time I’ve watched, I’ve been aware that the film is period-accurate, but I’ve never felt like anything jarring was being done to shake me by the shoulders and say “it’s the ‘90s, get it??” Captain Marvel never takes the Stranger Things route of relying on nostalgia to do the heavy lifting.
The reason it takes place in the ‘90s is to introduce us to the first superhero Nick Fury met, and the inspiration for his Avengers Initiative. Captain Marvel’s arrival on earth heralded the coming of alien super-beings, and prompted Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. to think ahead, and prepare for the next alien invasion. There’s a fabulous exchange at the very end of the film that elaborates on this idea.
Nick Fury: We have no idea what other intergalactic threats are out there. And our one woman security force had a prior commitment on the other side of the universe. S.H.I.E.L.D. alone can’t protect us. We need to find more.
Agent Coulson: More weapons?
Nick Fury: More heroes.
Agent Coulson: You think you can find others like her?
Nick Fury: We found her and we weren’t even looking.
Like most of the MCU films to this point, it’s unlike anything else in the franchise. This time we’re dealing with a war being waged in space. Our hero turns out to be one of the bad guys, though like any good soldier, she believes she’s on the right side of things. The audience is also lulled into that belief, partly because of the way the story unfolds, but also because the film pulls a fast one on comic book fans. I’ll spoil some stuff now, so be forewarned.
In the comic books, the Skrulls have been evil since almost the beginning of the Marvel saga. The Skrulls debuted in Fantastic Four #2, which is the second Silver Age comic Marvel made, and since then they’ve been the baddies, waging a genocidal war against the noble Kree. The movie leads one to believe that’s the case here, too, only to switch it up on us in the final reel. It turns out the Skrulls are the noble ones, and the Kree are slaughtering them. Who knew?
As the audience becomes aware of the true nature of the conflict, so too does Captain Marvel, and she switches sides, and becomes the protector of both the Skrull and the Earth, which has found itself in the Kree’s crosshairs.
How Good Is It?
It’s really, really good. It’s fun. It’s funny. Brie Larson is an actress I only know from this film, so I can’t vouch for her abilities in other roles, but she’s perfect for this character. She nails the confused amnesiac aspect of the role, while letting some personality bubble out at appropriate times. She may not remember who she is, but she’s still Carol Danvers, and she exhibits a sarcastic wit when the moment calls for it.
The special effects are top notch as well. The glowing plasma that Captain Marvels powers emit look terrific, and it’s captivating to watch her in action. There’s a set piece on a train that is breathtaking, and it includes one of Stan Lee’s best cameos to date. Sadly, he passed away before the film was released, and the opening Marvel fanfare moment is dedicated to him.
I didn’t recognize all the music in the movie, but I did hear plenty of ‘90s favorites. Most of them were background-y, which was nice. Too often films rely on what’s now known as a “needle drop” to achieve some sort of fake substance, and I’m glad the filmmakers didn’t try to exploit that cheat code.
What Did Giacomo Think?
“I like the Flerken!”
My Watch History
I watched this when it was in theaters, but I don’t have my ticket stub handy, so I can’t tell you when or where. Letterboxd reminds me that I’ve watched it three times since: in 2023, 2024, and this morning.
How Did I Watch?
I watched a 4k Blu-ray of this.
You can click the image below to buy yourself a copy, but the link will take you to the 4k version. You can always click to the cheaper, regular Blu-ray if you want the same one I have. (I get nothing if you do, so this isn’t a ploy to make money.)
Best Scene in the Movie
You may have asked yourself a moment ago, what’s a Flerken? Here’s your answer! Goose appears to be a normal cat, but keep watching…
To quote Nick Fury, Mother-Flerken!
Will This Tie Into Doomsday?
I don’t think so. Is Captain Marvel even in Avengers: Doomsday? We don’t know yet. They say no, but, well, they say a lot. It can’t hurt to watch the movie just in case, so you know her powers and backstory. Besides, it’s a great movie, so watch just for the enjoyment factor!
How May Stars Does It Get?
While contemplating this project my biggest question was whether or not I should rate the films. I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m terrible at assigning films a score. I either like ‘em or I don’t. However, I know readers like ratings, so I’ve come up with something close. I’m going to rank the films as I go along. This isn’t as easy as it sounds, and with each week it grows more difficult.
The Updated Ranking
The Avengers
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Avengers: Infinity War
Thor: Ragnarok
Guardians of the Galaxy
Captain America: Civil War
Ant-Man
Iron Man 2
Iron Man
Captain Marvel
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Iron Man 3
Black Panther
Thor
Doctor Strange
Captain America: The First Avenger
The Incredible Hulk
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Thor: The Dark World
What’s Next
Next week I’ll write about the 22nd installment in the MCU, Avengers: Endgame.