Captain Marvel is a prequel film to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and explores the origin story of Air Force pilot Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Captain Marvel.  Brie Larson (Room) plays Carol, as she tries to uncover her forgotten past, and save Earth from an alien war.  Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction) reprises his role as Nick Fury from previous MCU films, and Ben Mendelsohn (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) also stars.  Captain Marvel was directed by Anna Boden (Half Nelson) and Ryan Fleck (Half Nelson).

It’s been nearly a year since Avengers: Infinity War hit theaters, and other than the post-credit scene from Ant-Man and the Wasp, there has been very little information given as to what Marvel Studios has in store next.  With a little less than two months until the release of Avengers: Endgame, fans are hoping Captain Marvel will give us hints of what is to come, not only in Endgame, but with the entire cinematic universe.  Additionally, Captain Marvel is the first Marvel Studios film with a female protagonist and the first female director.  Needless to say, the hype coming into this film could not be greater.

Strategically set in 1995, Captain Marvel avoids having to answer too many of the difficult questions posed at the end of Infinity War, while still introducing a character who will (I presume) play a crucial role in Endgame.  Carol Danvers has a complex back-story, but once the seeds for her character are planted, Brie Larson’s performance makes her likeable and surprisingly down-to-earth.  Compared to some of the other Avengers, Carol isn’t quite as eccentric, which works to the overall advantage of this film. She begins the film with an assured sense of confidence that grows into true power as the events of the story unfold.

The driving force behind this story is an ongoing galactic war between the Kree and the Skrulls, alien races mentioned in the comics.  Captain Marvel does an excellent job of keeping the science-fiction elements interesting by juxtaposing them with Los Angeles in the mid-90’s.  The setting adds a layer of grit to the otherwise sleek spacecraft and costumes, keeping the film grounded. Some obvious references in the film, including a Blockbuster Video and RadioShack, make earth seem especially quaint when compared to the invading horde of alien ships.

In order for any superhero film to succeed in creating tension, the stakes must be sufficiently high in order to test the hero to their physical limits.  This is especially true with a film like Captain Marvel, given that we know Carol and Nick survive going into the film.  Danvers’ powers seem almost too unstoppable, and the end result was almost never in doubt.  The script itself was funny and light at times, but predictable nonetheless. As for the explanation behind Nick Fury’s eyepatch, that could have been excluded entirely.

For a film tasked with portraying the early stages of the most lucrative Hollywood franchise, Captain Marvel adequately lays the groundwork for the MCU.  It can’t help but throw in enough not-so-subtle references to keep audiences whispering “Hey that’s the ______ from _____” to their neighbors, but for the most part is a rewarding prequel that will give fans a lot to be excited about.  Captain Marvel wasn’t quite able to live up to my expectations, but I do hope we get to see more of Carol Danvers on the big screen in the near future.

Reel Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Captain Marvel opens in cinemas on March 8.