Captain Marvel ★★★
THE 21st Marvel Cinematic Universe entry, Captain Marvel, is an engaging romp thanks to good performances and touches of humour.
It cements the widespread view that the more humour in a super-hero film the better, i.e. Thor: Ragnarok and Guardians of the Galaxy I and II.
The introduction of a strong female lead, played formidably by Brie Larson, provides a welcome change from Marvel’s typical testosterone-fuelled fare led by Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Hulk.
And it’s great to see Australia’s Ben Mendelsohn dominating a big-budget commercial movie after recent attempts with Ready Player One, Rogue One and Robin Hood.
Captain Marvel’s co-directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck worked with Mendelsohn previously on Mississippi Grind in 2015 and with the alien Talos they give him the opportunity to shine which he grabs with both hands.
The best thing about Captain Marvel is the casting with Larson, Samuel L Jackson and Mendelsohn not just commanding the screen individually but also working off each other well.
The story is the usual standard fare but told in a fairly uncomplicated manner and incorporating a nice character twist halfway.
Setting it in the 1990s is required for its place in the Marvel timeline but, apart from a couple of decent song choices, doesn’t add much dimension to the story.
The film starts in the future amidst an intergalactic war between two civilisations – the Kree and the Skrulls.
Larson’s character, Vers, is a soldier under the command of Yon-Rogg, played by Jude Law. She is haunted by visions of life on another planet.
During a rescue mission Vers is captured by the Skrulls, led by Talos, but escapes and crash lands on Earth in California circa 1995.
With her super-human powers she quickly comes to the attention of secret government agency SHIELD led by Nick Fury (Jackson).
With Talos and his men in pursuit and Vers’ visions becoming more frequent and vivid, she and Fury form a wary alliance to discover the secrets of her past.
It’s hard to go further with the story without spoiling but suffice to say there is of course the usual climactic battle.
Before that, however, there is an extended second act during which most of the film’s humour dominates. The addition of a cat called Goose is a lot of fun and the catalyst for some of the most entertaining scenes.
As usual for Marvel, the effects are good, particularly the de-aging technology employed for Nick Fury; much better than the amateurish similar work in DC’s Aquaman.
Not the best Marvel entry, but a solidly entertaining one.
I think we will see Mendelsohn’s Talos – and maybe even Goose – again.