Captain Marvel is the sort of action movie that goes exactly where you think it's going to go with no nuance and little artistry. It holds your hand. Characters tell you exactly what they are thinking and what they are doing in each scene. The plot is in your face. When there is a plot point or a motivation that could be a grey area a character jumps in and spells it out for you. While I get that a lot of people want this sort of lack of ambiguity, it bores me. I remember the reaction to Doctor Strange (a film I feel is very much in the vein of Captain Marvel) and how people called it mesmerizing because of the visuals yet for me the plot was so linear and paint-by-numbers I couldn't be dazzled by the effects. I felt similar here. There is a mystery about mistaken identity and yet the film is so obvious throughout. I felt it was a missed opportunity to make a film that keeps us guessing.
I think, for me the biggest disappointment here is tied to the nature of the plot. It is focused on stolen identities, self-discovery, doppelgangers, not knowing who to trust. Yet the film doesn't exploit this to tell a mindbending story leaving it's audience wondering "what are we seeing," or "can we trust what we've just seen." The film goes to great lengths to actually do the opposite, spell everything out for us, make sure no one is wondering about anything and that we get everything handed to us. I understand that for most movie audiences this is desirable. But it is just not what I prefer. And here, in the face of a plot and character that just screamed out for this potential, I found it to be a waste.
And then there is the signature Marvel humour. Once again so much of the dramatic moments were undercut by the need to throw in jokes. I know. I know. The fans dig it. Great. But I just got frustrated as action sequences would loose any sense of risk due to the way the film eased this through humour. Once of the big battle scenes at the end is all for laughs and I never felt the stakes were high. But this was especially brought home for me near the end when there was, what I felt, was going to be a redeeming moment for the film. Captain Marvel faces her enemy, a man, who is basically mansplaning to her, accusing her of giving in to her emotions, a scenario so common and so prevalent that once again the film had a perfect opportunity to do something great. It was a perfect moment for the film to stand for something. And the film ends it with a joke. I thought this was a pivotal moment which could have had a real impact. But these films aren't about impact. They are about mass appeal. And a joke is easier to digest for the mass audience. It still drove the point home but for me it felt more hollow, less bold.
I will give the film credit for creating a true 90s feel. While style can overrun substance I felt they found the right balance of making this feel like a 90s film and capturing the esthetic of this without taking away from the story. Perhaps the soundtrack was a bit over the top. It often felt like the songs were wedged in there to scream "hey remember the hits of the 90s" but other than that the look and feel of the film had a strong yet subtle 90s air.
I know this will be a popular film cause it gives audiences what they want. I guess I just want something more.
Captain Marvel
Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Jude Law, Annette Benning, Lashanna Lynch, Djimon Hounsou, Clark Gregg, Lee Pace
Writers/Directors: Anna Bowden, Ryan Fleck
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