“Higher. Further. Faster.” On International Women’s Day Marvel did more to advance their treatment of women in 124 minutes than they have in 11 years of production.
“Higher. Further. Faster.” On International Women’s Day Marvel did more to advance their treatment of women in 124 minutes than they have in 11 years of production.
“Captain Marvel” is a story of identity, and friendship but most importantly empowerment.
From the get-go Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) is a strong, bad-ass woman – who would most definitely take no shit… from anyone. She struggles with her own identity, as she doesn’t remember her past, but it never holds her back.
Carol takes her own path to discover her truth, with minimal help from anyone else. She is the hero; there’s no lover tropes, there’s no man to save the day, it’s just Carol and Goose the cat.
Not only does Carol save the planet but she is joined by several other powerful women. Her best friend Maria (Lashana Lynch) is an Air Force pilot who never let sexism hold her back, and her [Maria’s] daughter Monica (Akira Akbar) is a beautiful, kind and independent young black girl. Meanwhile her hero is her female mentor Dr. Wendy Lawson (Annette Bening).
Carol is a complex character but she is funny and incredibly witty, one of her best moments is when she steals a motorbike from a man who tells her to smile. She has a habit of shutting down men who try to belittle her, and it is quite simply glorious.
Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) return and provide some great laughs, Fury’s scenes with Goose in particular are hilarious.
Not only does the film feature some bad-ass ladies it was also created by some. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck direct, while the writing credits go to: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Nicole Perlman, and Meg LeFauve.
Alongside the amazing cast and characters are some spectacular special effects and a delightfully powerful nineties soundtrack, featuring the likes of Elastica, Nirvana and No Doubt. The use of No Doubt’s “Just a Girl” is especially clever and surprisingly emotive.
Importantly though “Captain Marvel” links intricately with every other film in the MCU, she was the beginning and it looks like she could be the end, after all Fury has her on speed dial…
There are two post-credit scenes in the movie, the first is vital to see as it sets up “Avengers: End Game” and the second – in true MCU fashion – is more humorous.
For a film set in the twentieth century it has a poignant message of acceptance that we still need in 2019. “Captain Marvel” is for everyone but especially the women and girls who for so long have seen – mainly – men saving the world. She is empowering for little girls worldwide, it shows them they can be whatever they want, teaches them to take no nonsense from anyone and be unapologetically yourself.
Carol Danvers is so much more than hero though, she is a role model, an inspiration and most importantly she is hope. Hope that one day women will be treated as well as men are, hope that we can release female superhero films that don’t have such negative backlash as she has.
This film is for the little girls that need some of that hope, or some guidance – you can do it, you can achieve and be whoever or whatever you want.
Captain Marvel is more than a hero, she is the revolution.
Edit: Since this review was written “Captain Marvel” has become the second highest grossing film of 2019 worldwide, the highest weekend in the United States this year and the sixth biggest global launch of all time. “Higher, further, faster” indeed.