Let's cut to the chase. Captain Marvel is an incredibly fun ride and an essential component of the Avengers saga.
She's not what you think she is... she's better!
In case you forgot the gasps you heard from the nerds surrounding you as you watched the post credit scenes from Avengers: Infinity War, that film ends with Nick Fury frantically engaging a tricked out 1990s beeper as he turns to dust. When the super fans saw the star and blue and red emblem that filled the pager's screen, they were so giddy that they actually forgot about the Hot Pockets waiting for them at home. I was one of those geeks. As soon as I saw it, I pumped my fist and exclaimed:
Captain Marvel!
By the end of Infinity War, Thanos has become the most powerful villain anyone has ever seen. Its not everyday one being ends the existence of 5 trillion living creatures. And yet for some reason, Captain Marvel's insignia is supposed to give us hope that all is not lost. Perhaps Thanos can be defeated after all.
The creators of Captain Marvel had one job: they needed to give us hope that Thanos' victory is not a forgone conclusion. They needed to explain to the masses why geeks like me were so psyched. They had to let everyone know that perhaps Thanos should be worried that his genocide might actually fail because...
Captain Marvel is a freaking bad ass!
That sounds like a such a simple job, and yet countless creative teams have failed to shoot the proverbial fish in a barrel (I'm looking at you The Last Jedi). Luckily for Marvel fans, the writing/directing team of Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck not only did their main job, but provided a ton of entertainment and an actual story. By the end of this film, everyone knows that Thanos should be shaking in his boots.
Because this is an origin story, it does not quite reach the level of my two favorite Marvel movies (Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor Ragnorok). Origin stories always seem to suffer from the required middle act that explains enough about the characters so you care about them later in the series. These middle acts typically slow down the pace and take up valuable "blowing stuff up real good" time. Although a bit less fun, these pieces are essential elements of the overall story.
This "slow" part may be where Captain Marvel truly excels. The story of Carol Danvers is a fascinating one. The characters she meets are interesting and fun. I was a little worried when the creators began telling Danvers' origin in a non-linear fashion. Because there were many children and non-comic book readers in the audience (including my own 11 year old daughter MJ), I was concerned that the twists, turns, time leaps, and fragmented memories would be too difficult to follow. I found myself lamenting, "Man I wish they just told this story from begging to end. This is too confusing." And then it hit me. This technique was brilliant and essential. Carol Danvers fighting to remember her past is a HUGE piece of the story. The audience needed to struggle right along with her. This makes it all the more satisfying when the pieces finally come together in spectacular fashion (and believe me it is spectacular).
Once again, the producers hit a home run with the casting. Although I like Brie Larson and think she is a very talented actress, I was a bit unsure of her ability to pull this off. To be fair, I had even bigger worries when I heard Chris Evans would be playing Captain America 8 years ago. I cannot believe how wrong I was on both counts. Brie Larson is perfect in this role. She is smart, funny, cocky and tough... just like Captain Marvel. She handles the physical aspects of the role well and did a fine job acting along side a cat to whom she is terribly allergic (had to throw this one in there for my fellow allergy sufferers).
Samuel Jackson has been, is, and always will be the perfect Nick Fury. This movie is no exception. In fact, young Nick Fury is now my son's favorite Marvel character. He especially loved that Fury did not have to be serious and was quite funny. While Ben Mendelsohn Jude Law, and Annete Bening are good enough actors to make you forget you are watching a movie featuring people running around in rubber suits and blowing things up half the time, Lashana Lynch was especially noteworthy. She portrays Danvers' best friend, Maria Rambeau and mother to the spunky Monica Rambeau (whose character is the same age as my daughter).
Giphy
As has become the norm in every Marvel movie, the effects are fantastic. I was lucky enough to see it in a Dolby Theater. The sound and visuals blew me away. It was well worth the extra money to see it in the highest quality theater. Speaking of sound, the soundtrack is chock-full of some really cool 90s music.
The fact that the movie took place in the 1990s also allowed the creators to have some fun and include Blockbuster Video and Dial-up internet jokes. Although not as funny as Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor: Ragnorok, or Ant-Man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel included just enough humor to avoid the appearance that the movie was taking itself too seriously (rubber suits and explosions... remember). My entire family found themselves laughing out loud on several occasions. Although not all belly laughs, none of the jokes were duds either.
But of course none of what I have written would matter if the movie did not deliver the incredible action sequences we have grown to expect from Marvel. Captain Marvel delivered on this promise... and then some. This film follows the typical formula of an opening action scene, a middle sprinkled with a few battles in between story development all leading to a spectacular final battle. While the opening and middle action sequences are good, the final battle is simply marvelous! I honestly could not believe what Captain Marvel (and the special effects team) were doing to those poor enemies. You will have to see it to believe it.
Is the movie perfect? No. Are there a few plot holes? Of course. Is it fun? Absolutely!
Before I sign off, I have a couple of tips for you. First, get to the theater early. You don't want to miss the Marvel title sequence. I guarantee you that it will make you want to exclaim, "Excelsior"! Second, you may want to stay until the very end of the credits. There are two post-credit scenes. The first is essential for the story. The second one is fun.
Geeky Dad's Movie Guide
Number of times I fell asleep: 0 (I would have stayed and watched it again!)
Number of eye rolls: 0
Number of face palms: 0
Number of times I checked my phone: 0
Number of times I said "That's ridiculous": 0
Did my children like it: Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!! (It is my daughter's new favorite.)
Would I see it without my kids: Only about 4 times.
Full price/Matinee/Rental/Free/Not worth the time: See it on the big screen in the highest quality theater you can. It is worth the extra money.