Opinion: Captain Marvel gives message of equality, empowerment

Last year, Marvel Studios took the world by storm with “Avengers: Infinity War.” In their battle to fight Thanos, all of Earth’s strongest superheroes came together to protect the earth. Sadly, this was a battle they could not win. Thanos collected all the infinity stones. With one snap of his fingers, he wiped out half of all living creatures in the universe. As humanity was disappearing, Nick Fury, the lead operative of S.H.I.E.L.D played by Samuel L. Jackson, sent a distress signal to what he believes to be their last hope. Marvel Studios has one thing to do before uniting Captain Marvel with the other Avengers. Carol Danvers must tell her story: the woman behind Captain Marvel.

The Summary

In the far-off galaxy on the planet Hala lies the civilization of the Kree, an advanced military race of aliens. The Kree are in a lifelong battle against the Skrull, shape-shifting alien life forms invading other planets. Vers, a Kree warrior in training played by Brie Larson, struggles to keep up with her peers. After a rescue mission gone wrong, Vers crash lands on Planet C-53 (Earth). This puts the planet in the middle of the battle. Now Vers must ally with a young Nick Fury to defend the Earth from invasion. Dreams, however, plague Vers along the way. She envisions herself living a life on this planet. As she plans to defend the Earth, she sets out to find out who she is and her purpose.

Tributes and Creativity in “Captain Marvel”

“Captain Marvel” is the first film Marvel studios has made since “Avengers: Infinity War.” Considering this, it is no surprise that “Captain Marvel” is a tribute to many things. For starters, the film pays homage to its creator Stan Lee, who passed away last November. For years, Lee has created some of the most iconic superheroes of all time. I love how the film started with a small tribute to the creator, using the company logo to show pictures of Stan Lee, followed by a message of thanks for all he has done.

“Captain Marvel” was also a model for empowerment. We see the men working with the main character abuse her throughout the film. The men shape her into what they want her to become instead of what she can become. They tell her she will not succeed because she is weak and too emotional. Many of us hear stories of programs endorsing equality. Consequently, I thought this message was like a news story with a lot of action, drama and explosions.

A Message from Earth’s Mightiest Hero

Many Marvel films express the distinction between good and evil. Sometimes the characters we perceive as good turn out to be bad and vice versa. That’s exactly what the main character sees at the climax. Then, she realizes the aliens are only trying to survive the wrath of her allies. This emphasizes that nobody is evil simply based on differences. However, those who believe in the idea are the real enemies of our world.

My Musings

Outside its messages of equality, the overall plot was weak. The main character struggled with identity, but there have been so many films using that plot in recent movies.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, each film is like a piece of a puzzle. “Captain Marvel” was the piece many fans were looking for after the shock of “Infinity War.” It gave audiences what they need to know about the superhero and how she can help other heroes in the future.

On a technical aspect, “Captain Marvel” receives praise for its visual effects. I found it eye-opening seeing the design of Hala and how the main character used her powers. The cinematography needed improvement. Whenever the main character was fighting, the scenes went by too quickly. Also, the camera was shaky throughout, making it hard to keep up. For the acting, I applaud Larson for becoming the character. I thought she played the part well with her dramatic acting and witty comedic style with Jackson.

Conclusions about “Captain Marvel”

“Captain Marvel” had its ups and downs. Nevertheless, it satisfies the average Marvel fan by filling them in on what they need to know. The story itself felt more like a news story endorsing equality. Along with bad cinematography to boot, it looked like a mess. Moreover, I was more entertained by the acting of Larson and Jackson and the visual effects made the film an absolute spectacle. The rating I am giving “Captain Marvel” is 7 out of 10. I would recommend this to dedicated Marvel fans everywhere.

Edited by Grace Goodacre and Kaitlin Flippo

Featured image by Pixabay, courtesy of Pexels