Captain Marvel

[avrelia]

I watched Captain Marvel last Sunday and I liked it quite a lot. It’s not the best movie ever, not the best Marvel movie, but I thought it was a good fun movie, and that’s perfectly normal. It shouldn’t be under a pressure to be perfect. As its heroine, Carol, realizes – with regards to herself. She is definitely not a perfect being, but I felt that one of her main traits - having one passion and following it – contributes to her positives and negatives both. She is often called boring, as if it’s bad thing. Doctor Strange and Bruce Banner are even more boring, really. Carol just wants to fly. I get it, and I kind of envy her in that.

I also felt that it’s a very Buffy movie – from the relationship between Carol and her powers that she had all along, to the control over the emotions narrative, and even the softball girl and that No Doubt song felt like callbacks to Buffy.

I have a new OTP: Caro/flying.

I felt that the movie was expected to be everything for everyone: be super feminist and progressive without offending anyone, to be a cinematic masterpiece and earn a shitload of money, introduce a unknown character and be an integral part of MCU at a very charged moment, be funny, emotional, smart, have exciting fight scenes, but all in moderation, in other words, to be a perfect woman. And I love that the move – just as Carol – says “I don’t have to prove you anything, I am off to have adventures.”

We can actually exchange Carol for male character and have the similar adventures, but with Carol it adds several layers of meaning as something most of us experienced “while female”.

I am also surprised to learn that one of the major criticism is that Carol is unemotional and wooden. I didn’t notice that at all. Her joy at having her powers is so palpable and infectious.

Comments

[elisi]

This might be my favourite review that I have seen. Thank you. <3

[avrelia]

Glad you like it!

[molly_may]

I liked it too! I don't know how anyone could watch the camaraderie between Carol and Fury or the friendship between Carol and Maria and come to the conclusion that she's unemotional. I loved the joy she took in flying and in her powers too. It's not a perfect movie, but if I had seen it as a 10 year old, between Carol and her powers and Goose the cat, I would have been beside myself with glee.

[avrelia]

my kids loved the movie very much, and yes, it would be nice to watch it when I was Daniel's age.

I hardly ever need super exciting fight scenes - they are usually fun to watch only the first time, but the character interactions are great always.

There is such a painful narrative - both in fiction and in our reaction to it about woman's emotions - just the right amount, just the right emotions - procrustean bed if there ever was one. I've got a very clear idea of Carol's personality through writing and Brie's performance, and I think it was good.

[eglantiere]

she has such perfect deadpan delivery! and a great feeling of gravitas, too. i agree with there being too much pressure on that movie, to be everything for everyone, and i'm glad it absolutely managed to be something on its own, standing strong.

[avrelia]

yes, and such physical joy in her powers, it was great to watch.