(explosion)
(explosion)

(impacting)
(impacting)

- [Jacki] The MCU's newest hero, Captain Marvel,
- [Jacki] The MCU's newest hero, Captain Marvel,

has entered the fray literally swinging
has entered the fray literally swinging

with a cosmic-flavored origin story
with a cosmic-flavored origin story

that feels like a much-needed fresh approach
that feels like a much-needed fresh approach

to the classic Marvel Phase I formula.
to the classic Marvel Phase I formula.

With a soundtrack packed full of vintage '90s earworms
With a soundtrack packed full of vintage '90s earworms

and a delightfully un-self-conscious sense of humor,
and a delightfully un-self-conscious sense of humor,

Captain Marvel pulls off a satisfying introduction
Captain Marvel pulls off a satisfying introduction

to the hero who may be our Avengers: Endgame trump card.
to the hero who may be our Avengers: Endgame trump card.

(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)

- You have to let go of the past.
- You have to let go of the past.

- I don't remember my past.
- I don't remember my past.

- [Jacki] The bulk of Captain Marvel's runtime
- [Jacki] The bulk of Captain Marvel's runtime

is focused on Carol Danvers trying to figure out
is focused on Carol Danvers trying to figure out

just who and what she is.
just who and what she is.

She's been living among the alien Kree for years
She's been living among the alien Kree for years

and has earned herself a position on an elite commando unit
and has earned herself a position on an elite commando unit

with only fleeting memories of her life before it.
with only fleeting memories of her life before it.

Carol's quest for answers to her past
Carol's quest for answers to her past

leads her to Earth in 1995,
leads her to Earth in 1995,

where she's forced to work alongside
where she's forced to work alongside

newly-minted SHIELD agent Nick Fury to uncover the truth.
newly-minted SHIELD agent Nick Fury to uncover the truth.

Toss some shapeshifting aliens called Skrulls
Toss some shapeshifting aliens called Skrulls

and an intergalactic conspiracy into the mix,
and an intergalactic conspiracy into the mix,

and you'd got yourself a proper superheroic party.
and you'd got yourself a proper superheroic party.

The movie keeps the memory loss tropes to a minimum.
The movie keeps the memory loss tropes to a minimum.

Carol never feels properly lost or floundering,
Carol never feels properly lost or floundering,

just frustrated that she's up against a problem
just frustrated that she's up against a problem

she can't use her powers to punch her way out of,
she can't use her powers to punch her way out of,

though she certainly gives the impression
though she certainly gives the impression

that if she could brute force her own memories
that if she could brute force her own memories

into the proper order, she definitely would,
into the proper order, she definitely would,

which is absolutely delightful.
which is absolutely delightful.

But it is Carol's struggle against forces
But it is Carol's struggle against forces

that want to delegitimize her,
that want to delegitimize her,

including her condescending, manipulative commander Yon-Rogg
including her condescending, manipulative commander Yon-Rogg

that becomes the recurring theme of Captain Marvel.
that becomes the recurring theme of Captain Marvel.

Everywhere she turns, Carol is facing down someone
Everywhere she turns, Carol is facing down someone

who doesn't think she's worthy of the power she has
who doesn't think she's worthy of the power she has

or doesn't think she belongs in the position she's in.
or doesn't think she belongs in the position she's in.

And yet, again and again,
And yet, again and again,

Carol finds a way to prove them wrong
Carol finds a way to prove them wrong

and keep fighting regardless.
and keep fighting regardless.

Brie Larson's performance and chemistry
Brie Larson's performance and chemistry

with Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury is the obvious highlight
with Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury is the obvious highlight

in a strong supporting cast.
in a strong supporting cast.

She manages to capture a fiery but playful sense of humor
She manages to capture a fiery but playful sense of humor

in her character that deftly avoids the tropes
in her character that deftly avoids the tropes

associated with naive, superpowered outsiders
associated with naive, superpowered outsiders

making first contact with humans.
making first contact with humans.

Carol Danvers is as unapologetically brash and bold
Carol Danvers is as unapologetically brash and bold

as a hero could be, even when it gets her into trouble
as a hero could be, even when it gets her into trouble

and it's oh so satisfying.
and it's oh so satisfying.

On the flip side, Carol's dynamic with her human friend,
On the flip side, Carol's dynamic with her human friend,

Maria Rambeau, provides the emotional core.
Maria Rambeau, provides the emotional core.

Lashana Lynch manages to ground the movie
Lashana Lynch manages to ground the movie

with a serious and poignant throughline
with a serious and poignant throughline

and perfect counterbalance to Carol's heroics
and perfect counterbalance to Carol's heroics

and her sometimes slapstick buddy cop relationship
and her sometimes slapstick buddy cop relationship

with Fury.
with Fury.

Ben Mendelsohn's Skrull commander Talos will be a surprise
Ben Mendelsohn's Skrull commander Talos will be a surprise

to Marvel Comics diehards, but a welcome one.
to Marvel Comics diehards, but a welcome one.

He's a far cry from a traditional MCU antagonist,
He's a far cry from a traditional MCU antagonist,

but what he lacks in deviousness,
but what he lacks in deviousness,

he makes up for in a genuinely charming sense of humor,
he makes up for in a genuinely charming sense of humor,

and his motivations stem from complicated,
and his motivations stem from complicated,

surprisingly nuanced places
surprisingly nuanced places

that give him a real depth of character.
that give him a real depth of character.

- [Nick] Prove you're not a Skrull.
- [Nick] Prove you're not a Skrull.

- [Jacki] Like the impeccably executed de-aging
- [Jacki] Like the impeccably executed de-aging

of Sam Jackson, the visual effects
of Sam Jackson, the visual effects

that accompany the Skrulls
that accompany the Skrulls

and their shapeshifting transformations
and their shapeshifting transformations

are all incredibly well-done,
are all incredibly well-done,

with animation that blends seamlessly in
with animation that blends seamlessly in

with the practical effects.
with the practical effects.

Meanwhile, the Kree have their own style and aesthetic
Meanwhile, the Kree have their own style and aesthetic

that set them apart from both the Skrulls and the humans.
that set them apart from both the Skrulls and the humans.

The action scenes are playful and engaging to watch,
The action scenes are playful and engaging to watch,

with Larson's physicality and choreography
with Larson's physicality and choreography

really taking center stage during every fight.
really taking center stage during every fight.

Thankfully, for as high concept and cosmic
Thankfully, for as high concept and cosmic

as Ben Mendelsohn's story engines are,
as Ben Mendelsohn's story engines are,

the plot itself doesn't try to reinvent the wheel.
the plot itself doesn't try to reinvent the wheel.

Instead, it relies pretty heavily
Instead, it relies pretty heavily

on the greatest hits of Phase I movies
on the greatest hits of Phase I movies

like Iron Man and Thor.
like Iron Man and Thor.

The Phase I nostalgia does seem a bit jarring though.
The Phase I nostalgia does seem a bit jarring though.

It's strange to feel the MCU suddenly pivot back
It's strange to feel the MCU suddenly pivot back

to the pure origin story routine
to the pure origin story routine

after the last two years have been so experimental,
after the last two years have been so experimental,

and it's hard not to walk away
and it's hard not to walk away

wishing that Carol's introduction
wishing that Carol's introduction

had been built into a previous movie
had been built into a previous movie

to help add a bit more narrative weight.
to help add a bit more narrative weight.

All in all though, the end result is fun and thrilling,
All in all though, the end result is fun and thrilling,

even if it's not always the most surprising.
even if it's not always the most surprising.

- I'm not gonna fight your war.
- I'm not gonna fight your war.

I'm gonna end it.
I'm gonna end it.

- [Jacki] Captain Marvel manages to take the best ideas
- [Jacki] Captain Marvel manages to take the best ideas

of early MCU origin stories and use them to form something
of early MCU origin stories and use them to form something

that feels both familiar and fresh.
that feels both familiar and fresh.

It can be a bit on-the-nose at times
It can be a bit on-the-nose at times

and occasionally has to fast-track its exposition
and occasionally has to fast-track its exposition

in a way that can feel slightly clunky.
in a way that can feel slightly clunky.

But what it lacks in grace, it makes up for in charm.
But what it lacks in grace, it makes up for in charm.

Brie Larson's stellar performance gives Carol Danvers
Brie Larson's stellar performance gives Carol Danvers

a vibrant and joyful life that will fit
a vibrant and joyful life that will fit

right into the future of the MCU,
right into the future of the MCU,

whatever that future may hold.
whatever that future may hold.

(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)

For more movie reviews, check out what we thought of
For more movie reviews, check out what we thought of

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

and Alita: Battle Angel.
and Alita: Battle Angel.

And as always, be sure to follow and subscribe to IGN
And as always, be sure to follow and subscribe to IGN

wherever you like to watch.
wherever you like to watch.