A young Kree soldier—Vers (Brie Larson)—wakes up her mentor, Yon-Rogg (Jude Law), to practice fighting. She is running away from her nightmares: an explosion, a mysterious woman, an enemy Skrull. Her fists clench, pulse, and power up with Photon energy. Yon-Rogg tells her to control her emotions. She does, and her powers fade away.
He throws her to the ground. She loses.
Finding one’s strength is crucial in Captain Marvel, but it isn’t easy, especially for its amnesiac hero. Vers only remembers being a soldier locked in the war between Kree and Skrull, two alien races out for each other’s blood. While the shape-shifting Skrulls seek to invade planets, the Krees hunt the Skrulls throughout the galaxy. However, when Vers is separated from her fellow Kree soldiers, kidnapped by Skrulls, and escapes by crashing into Planet C-53 (also known as Earth), she soon learns this isn’t her first time in this strange place. Teaming up with S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), she goes in search of what the Skrulls are after. Instead, she finds the truth behind the war she has been fighting and discovers who she really is.
The Skrulls, in particular, stand out strikingly: with their ability to assume any form, they are one of the most dangerous alien species ever to terrorize a Marvel movie. No one is safe, not even the seemingly invincible Fury. While chasing down a runaway Skrull, Fury drives alongside his trust companion Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg). However, as he lets his guard down, his phone rings: it’s the real Coulson, back in the Blockbuster they were in, asking where he is. The “Coulson” next to him growls and morphs into a green figure—a Skrull. The Skrulls lure others into a false sense of safety, surprising us in an unexpected game of who’s who.
For Vers, the quest to discover her identity is haunting, as she sees flashes from another life with every step she takes on Planet C-53. Is she Kree warrior Vers or pilot Carol Danvers? Is she the girl falling from her race car or the woman singing at a karaoke bar? Is she alien, human, or something else entirely?
Captain Marvel shines brightest when Vers wrestles with these questions, as Larson’s performance effortlessly shifts from witty soldier to troubled warrior to rogue hero. Learning her past may not always be easy, but Vers—or Carol, as she finds out—sets herself free with it. She becomes more than a soldier blindly following orders. She picks her own battles. She forges her own identity. There is strength in the truth, and Carol uses it to become who she wants to be.
Carol’s humanity is undeniable, despite all of her Kree training urging her to push her emotions and empathy aside. She jokes around with Fury. She cries in despair but finds comfort in reuniting with her long-time best friend, Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch). She lets 11-year-old Monica Rambeau (Akira Akbar) change the colors of her supersuit so that she can match Monica’s T-shirt. Carol may be joining the ranks of kickass heroes, but these small moments make her someone interesting to watch, someone to cheer for. Her Kree side makes her a warrior, but she truly captivates when she is vulnerable and genuine.
The film recognizes at every moment that Carol is the hero of Marvel’s first female-led movie since Marvel Studios launched its cinematic universe with Iron Man more than a decade ago. Her womanhood informs her experiences: at one point, a biker tells her to “smile” (she steals his bike and rides off into the desert). However, she does not allow her gender to limit her, as she holds her own, never backing down, and demolishing her enemies in battle, even when an entire army of Skrulls is chasing after her.
Larson is breathtaking, and so is the supporting cast. Maria is an expert pilot, easily flying an unknown aircraft and saving countless lives. Carol’s previous mentor, Dr. Wendy Lawson (Annette Bening), not only seeks to end the Kree-Skrull war but uses her program to give other women a chance to fly. Minn-Erva (Gemma Chan), with her sharp-shooting skills and arrogant humor, is easily the most memorable of Carol’s Kree team members. Even the preteen Monica is incredible, her energetic attitude and clever remarks making her a stand out. There is no damsel-in-distress in Captain Marvel. Instead, a variety of women each embrace their own journeys and abilities.
“I’ve been fighting with one hand tied behind my back. What happens when I’m set free?” Carol asks as she lets go of all of her restraints, finally becoming who she was always meant to be: a powerful hero, a compelling character, the galaxy’s one-woman defense. She embraces her powers, lights up in flames, and flies across the sky, soaring “higher, further, faster,” and becoming a welcome addition to the team of Marvel heroes. It may have been a long wait for Marvel to get to this point, but it was worth it.
