2: captain marvel

“I’ve been fighting with one arm tied behind my back, but what happens when I’m finally set free?” 

— Carol Danvers

Main takeaways:

• Aly: I thought this movie was pretty good. The story and plot were well done – I liked the setting in the late 20th century and the music that accompanied it was really good. The movie was meant to be groundbreaking, as it’s the first time a woman has played a superhero. However, I felt that the female empowerment aspects of this movie occasionally felt forced. I loved the idea of showing young girls that they can do anything – I just feel as though specific occasions in the film felt synthetically feminist. Overall, I think the movie was a great step forward in representing women in superhero movies, but I think coming movies such as Black Widow will be even more forward in their portrayal of representation. 
• Ally: This was my first time seeing this movie, and I liked it. I love that it’s a female-driven movie, which opens the door for future superhero movies with female leads, like Black Widow, which you can probably guess is a movie that I’m really looking forward to. The plot of Captain Marvel is complex and engaging, so I really enjoyed watching it. I also loved seeing a younger Nick Fury and getting to see more of his humor and personality. Having seen Endgame before, I knew Captain Marvel was a powerful character, but I feel like I understand the character more now and can appreciate how strong she is. The supporting cast is awesome, and there was a good balance of humor and action in the movie, even if some scenes were a little slow. Also, this movie is important for the MCU as a whole because it introduces the Kree and the Skrulls, the latter of which show up again in the post credit scene of Spiderman: Far From Home. Also, the Tesseract makes another appearance in this movie, which has implications for further movies. 

Favorite scene:

• Aly: My favorite scene was when Captain Marvel challenges the Supreme Intelligence near the end of the film. She has a great quote in there – “I’ve been fighting with one arm tied behind my back, but what happens when I’m finally set free?” It’s a classic. She’s challenging the standards of respect set by the people she used to work for, both metaphorically and symbolically, in this scene, and I think it’s pivotal to the story. She’s fighting the form the Supreme Intelligence takes in her mind – her former boss and mentor, who also turned out the one who turned her against her own people (for the right reasons). I love the way it all comes full circle.  plus, it’s just an awesome moment overall.
• Ally: I like the scene when Carol Danvers first lands on Earth and ends up in a convenience store. This scene was super funny, and it made me like the character more as a person rather than just a superhero, because I already knew she was extremely powerful. Also, this is where we get to see Nick Fury for the first time, who is obviously a beloved character. This is the first step for Carol in discovering her past, so it’s important to the film as a whole.

Favorite / least favorite character:

• Aly: By far the best character was Goose. This cat/extraterrestrial being made the whole movie. He saved the day by eating and hiding the tesseract, he stuck by Carol even when she didn’t remember him, and he and Nick became very close. Even though he is the cause of Nick’s eyepatch, he got some pretty cool (and character-defining) scars from it. My least favorite character is Yon-Rogg, but he’s the obvious least favorite. I think my other least favorite character(s) would be any person that Talos simulated. Even though he ended up being a good guy, the snide way he acted towards everyone else while trying to pass as a human just rubbed me the wrong way. Of course, he was justified in being rude, as a lot of his people have been killed by the Kree, but still. I would have appreciated maybe a little more kindness, just so it was more enjoyable to watch.
• Ally: I appreciated Yon-Rogg as a villain, but that’s mostly because I love Jude Law. He was deliciously horrible, making him my least favorite character, but at the same time I think he was a strong part of the film. Also, the twist that the Kree are evil and the Skrulls are actually good people is a common trope in movies, but I think it was well played in this film. My favorite character was obviously Goose, but mostly in tandem with Nick Fury. They were the dynamic duo which stole the movie in my opinion, and I loved getting to see the way Nick Fury got his infamous eye patch. 

Ranking (out of 10):

• Aly: I would give this movie a 7.5/10. I think that the story was great, but they could have found a more natural and authentic way to promote feminism in the film.
• Ally: I would give the movie a 8/10. I think it was well paced and had a good (if slightly overwhelming at times) message. Captain Marvel has never been one of my favorite characters, but I have a greater appreciation for her now.