Captain Marvel looks and sounds incredible in this 4k release. No MCU collection will be complete without it!
“Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel takes you on a spectacular adventure from the 1990’s, tracing the path of Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) as she becomes one of the most powerful heroes in the universe. When a galactic war reaches Earth, she meets young agent Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) at the center of a maelstrom, leading to her ultimate destiny as an Avenger!”
Captain Marvel had the unfortunate task of being released in between Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, one of the biggest cliffhanger endings in a film that I can recall in recent years. With people obsessed who survived Thanos’ snap, to me, it seemed that Captain Marvel only got in the way of the epic conclusion we’ve all finally got to witness.
The film is set in the 90’s, heavy on nostalgia as Carol Danvers crashes on Earth straight into a Blockbuster Video. Nostalgia is a big money-maker these days, and while some films tend to overdo it and bash you over the head with the era you’re supposed to be in (i.e. Bumblebee) I never felt that Captain Marvel went too far over the line. You’ll find your typical 90’s-themed music accompanying many of the scenes, as well as your comedic moments – like when they are all waiting for an audio file to load. These moments are amusing, but relying on them too heavily just dilutes the plot.
One of the best things to come from the film talking place in the 90’s is seeing a young Nick Fury and the opportunity to use de-aging technology on a wide-scale on a main character. De-aging with special effects has come a long way since it’s been utilized in film. Although it’s been around for quite a while, X-Men: The Last Stand, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, I remember Tron: Legacy was the film where I was astonished at how good it looked. You could still tell that it was CG, something just didn’t feel quite natural while Jeff Bridges was speaking, but it was such a short sequence that it didn’t matter all that much. Fast forward to Captain Marvel where Samuel L. Jackson is one of the main characters. This looked incredible, as natural as real life, and a stepping stone that could unlock endless possibilities for film in the future.
Now, I’ve always been a big fan of Brie Larson. She’s a wonderful actress and I usually make it a point to seek out anything she’s involved in. Where the negativity from certain people about the casting choice came from I’m not sure, but she’s more than capable of handling anything this role could have thrown at her, and she does, providing a smug, sarcastic yet honorable portrayal as Carol Danvers. Her fight choreography was great, and the issue of male vs. female protagonist which seemed to poison social media never even crossed my mind while watching this. Gender equality is a completely different issue that I won’t let myself be sidetracked by, but it’s a sad thing that it’s still an issue in 2019. The supporting cast is excellent, with Brie Larson/Samuel L. Jackson duo providing my favorite moments of the film. Ben Mendelsohn is another great addition to the MCU, bringing that quirky alien humor to the story. Annette Benning is unfortunately underutilized in my opinion. Although we may see her again in future films, her role as Mar-Vell was all too short. Jude Law is decent as Yon-Rogg, I had issue with his character more-so that his acting. The best character in the film though? Hands down, you guessed it: Goose. Understandably changing the name from ‘Chewie’ in the comics, Goose is a pivotal character in the MCU in more ways than one, and it’s so fun watching every scene he’s in. I’m really hoping we get to see more of him and his species in future films.
While I enjoyed the film as a whole, there were issues with it that prevented me from leaving me in awe like some of the MCU films before it. Perhaps it’s because it follows Avengers: Infinity War, but my main issue being her power makes her the strongest hero we’ve seen yet. With someone basically indestructible, there is no risk and no reason to ever doubt she’ll succeed. This is still a film of her discovering herself and her true potential, so it’s not as big of an issue, but the fact is still there that she’s the one Nick Fury turned to in his last seconds of existence. I felt the same way when she shows up in Avengers: Endgame. She’s so powerful they have to invent reasons for her not being there or else there would never be any conflict in any movie. My other issue with the film was the shift in antagonists. While this won’t come as a complete surprise to anyone familiar with the comics, the shift makes it feel as though neither the Kree or the Skrulls are explored to their fullest potentials.
Video
Captain Marvel is presented in 4k 2160p Ultra High Definition Widescreen 2.39:1 featuring HDR. The film looks stunning, as the brilliant brights of the HDR present a beautiful array of deep, rich colors. It’s a very colorful film, looking it’s best in HDR.
Audio
The audio is presented in Dolby Atmos. Marvel films are some of the best sounding action films in my experience, and Captain Marvel is no exception. Providing some powerful sound, the track is well balanced, with the surround and atmos effects particularly impressive.
Special Features
There are some great extras on this set, all worth taking a look at.
- Becoming a Super Hero
- Big Hero Moment
- The Origin of Nick Fury
- The Dream Team
- The Skrulls and the Kree
- Hiss-Sterical Cat-Titude
- Deleted Scenes
- Gag Reel
- Audio Commentary with Co-Writers/Directors Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck
Captain Marvel may not reach the epic levels of the MCU films directly before and after, but it still provides great entertainment, humor and wonder, all of which the MCU is known for bringing to the table. If nothing else, it brings an element to the MCU which I can’t predict. With the character being so powerful, there will have to be some interesting things happen going forward into the next phase in order to provide stability. Need more Goose!
