Captain Marvel
2019 · Directed by Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden
Original language: English
- action
- adventure
- science fiction
The story
The story follows Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated 1990s surfaces give this film a sun-washed, slightly retro palette: Los Angeles freeways in hard afternoon glare, dim Blockbuster-era interiors lit by CRT glow, and deep space rendered in glossy digital blues and oranges. The camera stays brisk and conventional, with clean coverage, punchy wide shots of dogfights and crashes, and a pop-rock soundtrack from the period sitting alongside a bombastic orchestral score during the action. Fight sequences are energetic and bright rather than grim, with plenty of comic banter and a steady sense of fun. Its vibe is upbeat, nostalgic and buoyant, suited to a Saturday afternoon, a group watch, or an easy comfort rewatch. The pacing is brisk, the emotional register earnest and warm, and the central arc follows a stubborn, self-doubting woman learning to trust her own strength. Violence is frequent but largely bloodless, with explosions, gunfire and hand-to-hand combat, and some peril and sci-fi menace. It is made for people who enjoy big, colourful superhero spectacle with a light, hopeful heart.
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