Some thoughts on Marvel’s first solo female superhero movie.

(This is a spoiler-free review. Any specific content from the movie mentioned in this article can also be found in the movie trailer here.)

First, my opinion on the female superhero ordeal:

As a woman, I was perfectly fine with the idea of a female on screen kicking some butt. It was refreshing to see a female hero have a whole movie dedicated to them. This isn’t something that Marvel has done before, and I think that they did a good job overall with their first real female protagonist.

I was able to relate to her struggles, even though we have different backgrounds and career paths. The film highlights some of her experiences in the Air Force, and the comments she’d received about her worth as a soldier. The film doesn’t focus too hard on this, mostly including it as a chance to see her character’s values and background. I think this discussion was included in the right amount, not being overpoweringly political while still sending a message to young girls that they can be strong as well.

I was relieved to see Captain Marvel’s outfits throughout the film were, for lack of a better word, normal. She wasn’t forced into anything revealing, and her clothes looked realistic enough to fight in (I’m subtweeting Wonder Woman a little bit here, but it needs to be said).

I also liked that she wasn’t made up the whole time. After a fight scene, her hair would be messed up or she’d have blood on her face, things that society doesn’t consider feminine or proper for a woman. This sounds like it isn’t a big ordeal, but when have we seen Black Widow with less-than-perfect curls or a bloody nose?

I applaud Marvel for approaching this the right way and offering a balanced and realistic experience for viewers. The film was written and co-directed by women, and it passes the Bechdel test with flying colors. The film has generated almost $1 billion in box office revenue so far this year (I contributed about five bucks to that) and it is being praised worldwide.

For the actual content of the film:

The movie opens with an update of the usual Marvel Studios logo designed to honor Stan Lee, the comic artist who created many of the characters we love such as Spider-Man, Black Panther, and the Hulk. I felt that this was a nice touch and a good way to remember him. He has a cameo in the film, as usual, which I wasn’t expecting.

Since Marvel released Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), the company has focused on adding more comedy to their films to keep audiences entertained and balance out the fight scenes. In this case, Goose the cat, who gets taken along for the ride, provided good comedic relief and some surprises along the way.

If you’ve already seen the original Avengers movies, Captain Marvel may provide some additional background about S.H.I.E.L.D. and how our favorite agents started in the organization (and a chance to see Nick Fury with two eyes).

The fact that the enemies can shape-shift keeps the audience on their toes the entire time (and provides a shock factor when we see Captain Marvel deck an elderly woman), and there are plenty of plot twists along the way.

As with any Marvel movie, you should stay for the two after-credit scenes. The first offers a hint at what will happen during Endgame, and the second is purely for comedic purposes. They’re both worth the extra 10 minutes of credits, so if you don’t have plans immediately after your movie, I’d really recommend staying for them.

Overall, I think that Marvel did a good job with this movie. They successfully introduced a female main character and set the stage for Endgame well. It didn’t disappoint. I’d give it a solid 4.5 stars.