Marvel have released their first female-led superhero film for this arc, and it is one of their best films to date. Audiences are introduced to Vers, a Kree warrior who is working with her troop to overthrow a species of intergalactic terrorists. However, when she ends up on a solo mission, she begins to uncover the truth about the race she is fighting and how she ended up on Kree with her entire memory wiped so many years ago.
I, like many others heading into the cinema, was concerned about the portrayal of this new hero. Having waited so long for a female hero, I was concerned that we would be faced with another Wonder Woman, and that instead of presenting a well rounded and interesting character we would be given a weepy and half-naked disappointment. However, my fears were immediately quelled because Marvel was able to create a character that encompassed everything a superhero should be, without making gendered compromises. Her costume was actually practical, covering her body with thick armour, rather than leaving key regions exposed for sexual appeal. On top of this, her characterisation was three dimensional and highly admirable. Vers had a stellar sense of humour, in keeping with the rest of the Marvel franchise, and was depicted as equally as capable and intelligent as the male heroes we have seen in their other films.
Throughout the film, Vers worked alongside a young Nick Fury, who was a much lighter-hearted and inexperienced version of the character we have come to known. It was fascinating watching the dynamic between the two, as this film very much became both an introduction to Captain Marvel and a Nick Fury origin story.
Vers herself begins the film with her memory entirely wiped, and as she begins to make sense of her own life, we too are given answers to questions we have held from films long past. As we learn about Vers and the origin of Captain Marvel, we begin to understand how so many of the series’ later events came to pass. The events of this film filled in the small gaps in knowledge the audience still held. Fans have long time questions answered, from why it is earth had possession of the tesseract in the first place, to how Nick Fury got his signature eye patch.
This film is very much the final piece of the puzzle, and audiences will leave with a new fan favourite character, and with all the information they need to enjoy the final chapter in Marvel’s cinematic journey, Avengers: End Game.
