'Captain Marvel' brings a new voice to the MCU

On March 8, International Women’s Day, Marvel Studios released their newest action-packed superhero flick.

“Captain Marvel” is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) first female superhero to fly onto the scene, and her movie was a thrilling jaunt into 90s nostalgia. The movie proved itself to be a fun, fast-paced adventure.

The movie kicks off with Vers (Brie Larson) on a mission with her fellow Kree warriors to fight the Skrulls, an enemy alien race. She is quickly captured by their leader, Talos (Ben Mendelsohn). During her interrogation, she glimpses her past life as pilot Carol Danvers. When Vers escapes, she ends up stranded on Earth in 1995 with a new goal: to find a scientist from whom the Skrulls are trying to steal lightspeed technology. With Nick Fury’s (Samuel L. Jackson) help, she must learn to manage her powers and save the world.

Larson is a stunning actress, and she bears the brunt of the impressive acting in the movie. Her first appearance in the MCU was a spectacular showing of her charismatic work. Jackson pulled off another fantastic appearance, and he and Larson created many of the movie’s funniest and most authentic moments. Another notable actress is Lashana Lynch, who did an amazing job of deftly humanizing Danvers’ old friend Maria Rambeau. Lynch managed to make a side character into a well-rounded, interesting individual who deserved more screen-time than she was given.

The movie has the MCU’s usual, punchy comedy, which helps to lighten up the heavier scenes. The movie tackles some deep questions of identity, and you certainly need a dose of sarcastic humor at certain points to balance out these moments. While Larson is occasionally awkward in her delivery, the majority of her jokes land well.

Marvel Studios is known for its colorful light shows in movies, and “Captain Marvel” did not disappoint. Even though the film is based in 1995 and has its fair share of retro arcade games and dive bars, Marvel managed to incorporate its usual flair for the visual. It was rife with glorious explosions, beautiful panoramic shots of outer space, and gorgeous lighting and atmospheric elements.

One of the best aspects of the movie was its wonderful soundtrack. Like “Guardians of the Galaxy,” Marvel Studios chose to include time-period-appropriate tunes in “Captain Marvel.” This means that we are graced with the glorious sounds of bands like No Doubt, Nirvana and R.E.M.

What makes the film special is it’s treatment of Danvers. She cracks hurtful jokes, acts painfully arrogant and makes mistakes. However, Danvers is given the space to redeem herself and show that she is “only human.” The film’s empowering message of creating our own identities instead of searching for approval goes out to everyone, not just women.

Overall, don’t expect anything that breaks the traditional superhero mold in “Captain Marvel.” The MCU is sticking with the formula that works for them: colorful, vibrant films with plenty of action and wisecracking. However, the conventional format doesn’t hurt the quality of “Captain Marvel,” and it sends out an incredibly important message.

Score: 8/10