"I'm not what you think I am."
Captain Marvel
MARVEL
[March 08th, 2019]
Trailer(s) Effectiveness = 95% for effectively introducing the narrative and Carol's personal journey to find her true self.
This is the studio's first attempt for a female-led superhero film have Brie Larson as the saviour of Marvel Cinematic Universe, Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel. Having the Kree-Skrull war as the main storyline while taking place in the 90's is the perfect narrative structure as we see she came to be while being in the far space with Agents of SHIELD's directors just at the eve of their careers. The first teaser is perfect by introducing the throwback timeline while letting us know who she was before being the leader of Star Force, and then how her journey back here will turn her into the titled character that we sought her to be. The surprising criticism on her lack of expressions throughout the trailer can be blamed upon the how it is cut or just her getting her mind wiped and turn into a mindless soldier ... or just how this type of criticism isn't present for other Marvel films shows the harsh partial judgement of some of the online community. Heck, her punching an old woman isn't talked as much as this! The visuals are a bit muted compared to some of its predecessors but I'm sure we will see more of the Kree world and her space adventures in the next trailer to offset that but I am in with her learning the truth and turn for the better with digitally de-aged Nick Fury and Phil Coulson and her finally unleashing her full power at the end there just sold it for me!
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Chance of Success = 95% with the highest intrigue post-Infinity War and potential with the cast and the setting on Earth and in space.
I want to put this chronologically but it might be a bit confusing so I will follow the trailer since I know this will be an unconventional origin film for the studio. I do believe this will be the opening of the feature itself as she appears to escape an explosion (of a ship in an escape pod) and crashes into ...
... a Blockbuster Video store, smartly confirming us of the timeline she is currently in.
Just like it is told in the narrative, her look of bewilderment here letting us know she is not familiar with this world and all these people that looks just like her. She does not know currently where she is and she is forced to learn on her feet by landing straight in the thick of it.
Ten years, huh? The colours of course represents the main protagonist's, seeing next out of her soldier suit and in a casual wear although that SHIELD hat letting us know who gets to her right after that, whether she calls them out of her own volition or just local agent (Fury himself?) making contact with extraterrestrial elements. By the way, they sure like to label everything as a supposed covert organization. They know it themselves since they always make jabs on it in the show.
This is the shot that has been in a lot of conversation, as we see an alien (a Skrull?) on an autopsy table being dissected after appearing to be in a fatal encounter with the young Nick Fury seen here at the left brandishing a high tech alien gun with apparently Phil Coulson at the right looking on. This is what people have surmised to be the encounter that cost the former his left eye (if that ice pack over his eye is to be believed), and possibly being the first instance for both agents to be directly in contact with aliens, this will led both down the road to lead the Earth against forces from outer space.
This might be that aforementioned encounter and whether Carol was in control of the massive space ship (those lined up squares can be the windows which can tell us the scale ... or not) or not, you can safely assume this is the source of the explosion at the start and if she cause it or is shot down by that assumed SHIELD ship aka Quinjet, she is forced to crash down whether she likes it or not.
This is one interesting sequence ever since that leaked set pictures and if this is right after that landing or that scene of her looking puzzled of the people in the subway, we know she is unleashing that power beam towards a known adversary. Is it that grandma that she punches later in the trailer or someone who follows her after that landing? This is out in open though and hopefully no one else sees this.
One person that she can depend on to oversee her to learn of her origin is none other than Nick Fury in his early days of the SHIELD, helping someone in need in hopes that it will be repaid in the future, *wink wink *. The de-aging technology has gone leaps and bounds ever since its inception and while having an actor that barely aging himself in Samuel L. Jackson certainly helps and a decent practical make up works, the special FX will do what the impossible can't by turning the clock quite convincingly.
This might be a little road trip reminisce of Thor and Hulk of Ragnarok and I would love to see this little relationship blossom and how they would be fast friends by the end and how that pager will be the symbol of their ties. Breaking off of that mind wipe, you can see she begins to be her original self with the help of Fury to retrace her past life before being taken off the Earth, supposedly ...
... and this is where she is taken, the homeworld of Kree, Hala. We will learn and see more of it in the coming trailers and how her role in the Space Force will influence it and its leader, Ronan before the Accuser monicker.
A glimpse of her initial work for the Air Force as a pilot, with a parallel here with her role for Hala.
The only glimpse of the Kree city itself but whether or not she will return here after learning of her past will be one way to conclude her journey.
A tease of the initial spark of her power that do not actually come from the blast later in the trailer ...
Her pilot buddy, Maria Rambeau, that she might turn to when she comes back with Fury in tow.
The dreaded mind wipe device used by the Kree to keep their soldiers at bay (or at least that's what I believe but it's not that farfetched to assume so). Putting her upside down will help the effectiveness I think with all those blood rushing to the brain ...
This is another storyline that will play into how she is performing in the Star Force under the guidance of Captain Mar-Vell and if this shot comes right after the other, his shocked expression might tell us that there is something wrong with Danvers here, possibly after getting her mind wiped out. The blinking light may suggest otherwise though ...
Another parallel of her past childhood and her past life as a pilot, letting us know she is a bit of a thrill seeker ever since she was a kid and wanting to pilot anything to get that adrenaline rush but the latter shows her interest in the vast outer space by getting a peek after apparently getting through the atmosphere.
The main villain of the film, the Skrulls, led here by Talos played by Ben Mendelsohn. Coming out of the ocean may tease of them crashing into the vast water or just trying to be discreet by landing in a non-populated area and then blend in with their abilities, certainly in line to get a heads up for the war between the two species.
The other major talking point that can be explained with the concept of Skrulls being able to shapeshift into anything to blend into the crowd, and whether or not this is the reason behind her action here (does she have the ability to detect a Skrulls?) or she actually miscalculates here actually punch a real old woman, it will be answered in the film, hopefully.
One of the missions being conducted by the Star Force, showing the members in action against an adversary that might turn out to be good in the end ...
... since he is in charge after all. While he hasn't turn for the worse here, yet, Ronan played by Lee Pace will begin to unravel here and will be going down the road that lead him to where he was in Guardians of the Galaxy. He is looking down on Earth here however, and if this is what the Kree government want to do in respond to the war or a rogue operation lead by him, it will not be great for the Earthlings and considering there is no mention of this invasion in the current MCU, SHIELD has done their darnedest to keep it at bay and it might cost a lot more than just Fury's left eye.
The other former SHIELD director that will benefit from the technology is Phil Coulson played Clark Gregg, seeing her sporting a rather fancy hairstyle and a Hammer pants to match it. I am just glad he is back on the silver screen as a diehard Agents of SHIELD fan even though as a younger version of himself. I am ready to learn of how he was early in his career and how his relationship with Nick was then, despite not having as a prominent role as the one in the Avengers.
There it is, the pager that will tie Infinity War with Captain Marvel albeit before being heavily modified to possibly help Fury to contact her across time and space possibly. What he is typing might indicate him being undercover or just letting the current director of his whereabouts in the field, most likely with Danvers here.
The fan-favourite mask that she wore in her recent comic run is actually being adapted here with smart in-universe reason as a multipurpose helmet with a working breathing device, gliding through the water effortlessly with the rest of the Force.
Some people might argue this is a little on the nose but this is a momentous moment for Marvel and its shared universe and while they might lose the title of the first woman-led superhero film of the modern era to Wonder Woman, they will give it their all to ensure this project has every chance to succeed.
Yes, the explosion that will change her life forever and we still hasn't learn of the source, you can deduce that it ties into her job then as a pilot, possibly gunning down an unidentified flying object aka UFO and suffer the blast when the engine suddenly combust, or she just come across it and just at the wrong place and the wrong time, or vice versa for our sake. Oh yeah, we now know that from the official prequel book that ... !SPOILER ALERT! that she does not gain her powers from the blast itself but rather it triggers the innate Kree abilities inside of her body to finally come to life. Yes, she is already a half Kree with her own mother originate from that species, using a different narrative than her first original origin from the comic books. It might simplify the storytelling a little or maybe brings with it something more to be used in future iterations.
That beautiful helmet at work here, seeing her holding on to dear life as something goes amiss back at Hala.
This shot might come right after the explosion and she looks pissed!
Finally the money shot: her in her signature colour of red, gold and blue, finally unleashing her full potential that is right under the surface after embracing her true self! That suit is still the exact one she wears at the start with the magenta colour and I am intrigued to see how the colour change is portrayed in the film.
There it is! I am so pumped for this!
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a case for the first female superhero film:
+ Highlights +
Loving the cast of the Academy Award winner Brie Larson as the titular, judging the actress based on talent rather than looks (which one resembles the comic book counterpart the most). She will crush it!
? Main contention ?
It is always a gamble introducing a new character with a new director(s) helming the adaptation but considering how solid their track record has been especially in recent times, I will not sweat for it even a little now.
- Lowlights -
Being the strongest superhero in the MCU, people have begin to unfairly criticize her character as being overpowered and overshadowing the rest of the Avengers and undermining Thanos' prowess ... she isn't even out yet, slow your roll ...
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a case for the first trailer:
+ Highlights +
Such a solid introduction of the first solo Marvel superhero film with teasing of her role in Starforce and the throwback journey through the 90's with young Nick Fury and Phil Coulson. What more can I ask for!
? Main contention ?
The rather different narrative approach will take time for audiences to get used to considering the rather direct approach of other origin films.
- Lowlights -
I've explained the reason of her expressions or rather the lack there of, it is just what the scene is called for and if you've watched Room, you know what she is really capable of.
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- Synopsis -
Carol Danvers becomes one of the universe's most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races.
Cast
Carol Danvers becomes one of the universe's most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races.
Gemma Chan as Minn-Erva, Mckenna Grace as young Carol Danvers, Jude Law as Walter Lawson / Mar-Vell, Brie Larson as Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel, Ben Mendelsohn as Talos, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Lee Pace as Ronan, Annette Bening, Djimon Hounsou as Korath, Chuku Modu, Clark Gregg as Coulson, Colin Ford as Steve Danvers, Rune Temte Rune Temte as Bron-Char, Robert Kazinsky, Pete Ploszek ...
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| Her cat, Chewie, makes a cameo here at the edge of the left hangar door here ... could it be a Flerken just like in the comics? Only time will tell. |
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