The movie that fans of the MCU and Marvel comics have been anticipating for a long time has finally hit theaters. With an opening weekend box office take of almost $160 million in the US and already closing in on half a billion dollars at the international box office, Captain Marvel is as powerful as its main character. And the excitement is well deserved.
Let me say first that Captain Marvel is one of my top three comic characters, so my level of excitement for this movie was higher than even the average MCU fan. However, because I’m that vested in the character, there was also a touch of hesitation because I really wanted the character to be done the right way. Having seen the movie twice (so far), I can honestly say I am one very satisfied fan.
Generally speaking, Captain Marvel is close to the feel of Phase 1 MCU efforts like Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor. It works really well as an introduction for the character and origin story. But because it involves some characters we already know (especially Nick Fury and Phil Coulson), it gives us more background for what we already know is coming in films set in the current timeline. Honestly, it’s kind of nice to see a younger Fury who’s more lighthearted and doesn’t have the weight of the world (or universe) on his shoulders yet. And the movie never feels like it’s just a set up for Avengers: Endgame, even though part of the point is to let audiences know why Captain Marvel is the hero Fury called when the Decimation took place.
When it comes to changes that were made from the comicbook version of the character, they were well thought through and worked in the context of the plot and the greater MCU. Even in the comics there are a couple of versions of how Carol Danvers got her powers, so making that change in the movie wasn’t a big deal. And certain elements were a combination of various comic storylines, whether it was specific plot points, Carol’s powers or how some characters were represented. But there are still plenty of things for fans of the comics to squee over, from the Easter egg costume colors to the helmet mohawk to going binary to seeing Goose go full Flerken!
Obviously, Marvel fans will flock to this film and, really, for anyone following the MCU it’s a must see. A mid-credits scene connects Captain Marvel directly to current events and it’s important to see that she is actually the strongest hero in the entire MCU – and Thanos is in serious trouble. Besides that though, this is a fantastic film for women of all ages to get a dose of true “girl power” and inspiration, not only from seeing Carol’s heroics, but also from the determination we see throughout her life, as well as the subplot involving fellow pilot Maria Rambeau and her daughter. This truly is a marvelous film!