Movie: Captain Marvel

[lizbee]

I saw it last night, at the new cinema at Docklands, where the seats recline and the candy bar sells rosé in a can. AND IT WAS GREAT.

Like, okay, expectation management: it's no Black Panther. It's a big, fun popcorn movie. It's here to chew gum and punch bad guys with glowing fits, and it's all out of gum. But it achieves exactly what it sets out to do.

I'm not gonna get carried away recapping the plot, but here are some things I loved:

• the complete lack of on-screen romance, combined with Carol's scorching chemistry with Jude Law and -- don't laugh -- Samuel L. Jackson
• like, Carol and Fury just click?
• I'm not engaged enough with the MCU to read fic, but if I were, I would be here for all the Carol/Yon-Rogg mentor/protege-turned-foe-yay AND the Carol/Fury FWB-with-adventures
• Carol's friendship with Maria Rambeau just felt so real and strong
• the soundtrack was GREAT, although not as extensive as Guardians of the Galaxy
• EVERY SINGLE THING ABOUT GOOSE THE CAT WAS AMAZING
• not least how they really captured Harvey's personality
• I can't believe he didn't tell me he was in a Marvel movie
• I thought that Ben Mendelsohn had achieved Peak Mendo in Rogue One, but it turns out he had not yet even begun to Mendo
• thank you, Taika Waititi, for establishing that some aliens in the MCU have Antipodean accents
• IDK, I just had fun
• I know she already has a franchise, but the MCU could do worse than Sonequa Martin-Green for the grown-up Monica, I'm just sayin'
• Gemma Chan was sadly underused, but I kind of expected that

ALSO there's a lot of criticism of the movie for being US Air Force propaganda -- unlike, you know, any other movie that depicts the US military -- so I went in bracing myself for something jingoistic and ... you know, Top Gun-esque. But it actually portrays the USAF as sexist, untrustworthy, and not deserving of the loyalty Carol and Maria give it. Like, it's subtle, but overt enough that I'm impressed they didn't lose support -- remember that time the US military pulled out of Avengers because it wasn't clear where SHIELD sat in the chain of command?

(Another criticism I found odd: I read a review which was overall positive, but said the film's structure was weak because the characterisation doesn't start until two-thirds in. That ... is not the movie I saw.)

ANYWAY, THAT WAS FUN.

I'm a tiny bit weary of female superheroes whose strength is concealed from them by outside forces? Like, "a woman is more powerful than she realises" is an amazing trope, and still very relevant, I just want some variety. But I think it doesn't help that I'm also watching The Umbrella Academy, where the only two female regulars are disconnected from their power in different ways. I shouldn't take my irritation with TUA out on Captain Marvel, is what I'm saying. It executed the trope really well, and I was quite teary when Carol realised how strong she is.