Why I WANTED to See Captain Marvel

I was recently able to go see Captain Marvel on the big screen. For those who don’t know, there’s been a lot of media going around about the newest heroine. According to Brie Larson, Captain Marvel herself, I was not the target audience. This…upset people. So, with all the hype and all the backlash, I wanted to list out the reasons why I wanted to see Captain Marvel in the first place.

Avengers Continuity

Whether you want to see Captain Marvel or not, it’s no secret that she is going to be in Avengers Endgame. And, if rumors are true, she’s going to be a pretty big part of the next film. While it was unlikely that an origin story like this is going to show needed information for any future film, it is likely that it will create connections between existing stories. So what viewers can expect from Captain Marvel is to learn significant, but not crucial information that connects to the greater Marvel Cinimatic Universe (MCU).

There is likely to be a connection to her role beyond Avengers Endgame. Since Endgame closes many of the storylines begun in the original MCU, Captain Marvel will set up her role in the greater universe after the Age of Avengers comes to an end.

Samuel L. Jackson

Who doesn’t love Samuel L. Jackson? Half the reason I enjoy the MCU movies is to see the short, but nearly confirmed cameo Nick Fury makes in every Marvel film. His ppresenceis almost as expected as a cameo from the late Stan Lee, God rest him. With Jackson taking on a larger role in this film, it was hard to not want to see it. More screen time would allow Jackson to explore Fury’s character even more. This would provide additional character insights, a nuanced performance, and an opportunity for fans to get to know him, Fury, better.

And I mean, what movie doesn’t get better with Jackson in it? Answer? They all get better.

And to a Lesser Extent…Jude Law

Now, Jude Law is not my favorite actor. In fact, the first movie that comes to mind when I am thinking about the British actor is I Heart Huckabees. He’s just not a star that I tend to follow. But whenever he pops up in a film that I am seeing, I know that his performance is going to be good. For me, he’s one of those actors who that I am pleasantly surprised to find out is in the movie. So when I look at the cast of the film, I get a little smile and say, “Oh, it’s that guy.”

Because of Brie Larson

I need to be clear here: there are two reasons Brie Larson drew me to Captain Marvel. I can’t say that I’ve seen much of her work. I remember enjoying Scott Pilgram vs. The World but I don’t recall her roll in it. That also goes for her time on Community, The League, or really any other film or TV project she’s been a part of. So when I heard she would be playing the role of Captain Marvel, a character I didn’t know much about, I didn’t think twice about it. I assumed she would do a fine job.

As the film grew closer to its launch date, and rumors and opinions spread about the impact of the film, how it’s meant to push an agenda, and so on, I wanted to see it even more. What was all this buzz about? Was Captain Marvel really a movie for feminists, by feminists? I had to see this for myself.

So what were my overall thoughts of the film?

In short, Captain Marvel is a movie about a female hero who learns the true extent of her powers. It follows the same pattern all Marvel movies follow when it comes to origin stories. It provides enough context to warrant a sequel and connects effectively enough to the existing universe without retconning anything. It has moments of awkward dialogue and pushes the bounds of believability, even for a superhero movie. But overall, it was a fun movie. I didn’t feel alienated and I felt connected enough to the main character that the 2 hours and 4 minutes run time seemed to fly by.

I am looking forward to seeing the movie again this weekend to see how well it holds up to the scrutiny of additional viewings. What did you think about Captain Marvel? Leave a comment in the section below.