Early tracking estimates for Marvel Studios’ “Captain Marvel” have been revised upwards and see the film dominating the first quarter of this year.
Box-Office Pro reports that the movie, which previously had been looking at a $140 million debut, is now on course for a $160 million debut. That would make it the second highest Marvel Studios solo film opener of all-time for Marvel Studios, behind only “Black Panther” with $202 million.
No other film opening in the first quarter comes close, the nearest being “The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part” and “Dumbo” which are on track for $55 million and $59 million debuts respectively. Also looking to fare well are Jordan Peele’s “Us” ($42M) and “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” ($49M).
I'm going to have to wait a couple of weeks to see it, but I do intend on seeing this one. Even if it's not a great Marvel flick, it's pissing off conservatives, so that alone makes it worth the price of admission.
I'm going to have to wait a couple of weeks to see it, but I do intend on seeing this one. Even if it's not a great Marvel flick, it's pissing off conservatives, so that alone makes it worth the price of admission.
From everything I've read, though, there is no lecture or "feminist agenda" in this film. It's just a good superhero film. It's just that the film isn't aimed at a certain demographic, and it has people up in arms.
From everything I've read, though, there is no lecture or "feminist agenda" in this film. It's just a good superhero film. It's just that the film isn't aimed at a certain demographic, and it has people up in arms.
Impressions (with obligatory WHO swipes thrown in for starters....
Jodie Whittaker is not in this movie, thank God, but Brie Larson is.
Larson seems to have rubbed quite a few people up the wrong way through a combination of speeches from podiums and twitter entries. ("Thinking of Stan Lee" while sat there looking bored springs to mind).....
But that was all I knew of her and determined to put that out of my mind on seeing the film, while judging her instead on acting performance and interpretation of the character.
We have had Jodie Whittaker thrown at us as being a brilliant new Doctor. To my mind she is not. For some reason she was cast as the Doctor - a leading role - when the standard of her acting is strictly supporting actor or soap regular. She also seems to have taken on the role as striking a blow for feminism (that ****ing Godawful "breaking the glass ceiling" trailer, calling out people who criticised her on twitter with a smug video.
Would it be the same with Larson?
The good news is that Brie Larson actually has presence and charisma, and dominates the screen while not doing anything. Her acting range does not seem wide and there is a blankness to her, but she gets away with it in a movie star way - and even better news is that she does not pull one single Jodie-Face at all during the whole thing. Sometimes I felt her limitations as an actress, but only momentarily. Literally a moment here or there where I thought she could have milked a scene with a better reaction than the usual charismatic blank-faced-ness.
The script and story breezes along nicely, with mysteries set up and eventually answered.
I did not feel that the "Go, go, girl power!" thing was particularly dominant. There was, however one scene - and one only - that jarred me as being dramatically inauthentic.....
It is the scene where Carol/CM is about to fly into space in a jury-rigged aircraft, where she is about to face a deadly threat and there is a moment where she wants her friend to go with her, who is a single mother. The young daughter also urges her mother to go.
Nobody at any point even pays lip service to the fact that the single mother is choosing to fly into the face of death, which could result in said little girl becoming an orphan. It lowered the jeopardy, as if the film-makers were winking at the audience and saying that the women knew they were indestructible and that Mom was one tough mo-fo who would be coming back.
I did not like this scene dramatically, simply because they never acknowledged the possibility that this was highly likely to be a one way mission, in favour of a chiming, rousing moment of "women are tough and can kick alien ass".
That was the only mis-step that resonated with me, only because it felt unlike how any normal human being would react, regardless of their toughness. The rest of the film clicked nicely into the usual feel of Marvel's entries, with witty lines, particularly revolving around Nick Fury.
Two end credit scenes btw. The first one really important. The second the usual cute moment.
So, not the "dumpster fire" or "Women are fantastic/Men are Assholes" nightmare that I got a sense of it potentially being. And certainly not the road crash that New Who currently is.
There is, however, one aspect relating to it that may be of cause for future concern. And this is major spoilery speculation for the future, so possible spoiler ahead......
I kind of hope that Marvel do not feel obliged to enlarge Larson's importance in the forthcoming AVENGERS ENDGAME to the point where she is all over the movie like one of William Shatner's toupees, to the detriment of the ensemble. This whole "Captain Marvel is the most powerful hero in the Marvel Universe" thing is a little worrying - and I am not sure where I fall on the logical possibility that it will be Captain Marvel - and *** everyone else, who kicks Thanos' ass in ENDGAME when all the other poor dopes flounder around. I don't mind her being the deux ex machina that saves the day, but give everybody a fair shake, and don't big her up in the finale at their expense. Let them all deliver an equal and worthy killing blow in that inevitable finale. All their films prior to this - all those origin tales - surely have earned them those moments.
So far, the film has managed a worldwide total of $760 million in just two weekends – reaching profitability this weekend (the film is said have had a $150M production budget and matching advertising spend). Its global total has already surpassed a bunch of films including “Suicide Squad” ($747M), will pass “Guardians of the Galaxy” ($773M) tomorrow, and should get by “Wonder Woman” ($822M) by next weekend.
I just saw it today. I felt like the movie really picked up after Vers landed on 1990s Earth.
There were lots of explosions and her blasting people away with her hands, which I liked. I admit it, I like explosions and seeing people blast other people through the air with lightening bolts.
Sometimes the character rubbed me the wrong way - she just had way too much attitude for me. Although when you see the environment she comes from it’s understandable - doesn’t make her more likable for me though.
I agree with what Omega said about her friend flying into space and leaving the kid behind.
Sorry, no deep thoughts from me. But this isn’t a deep movie.
Lil Chainsaw and I went last night, and we both really enjoyed it. He was slightly annoyed by some of the acting choices in the film, but I had no issue whatsoever, outside of Annette Benning feeling like she phoned in a couple of line readings. Ms. Larson is a capable actor, and rather nice to look at. I never got an overall "feminist agenda" from it (and get really tired of hearing that phrase), and the few moments that could be called such could have been rewritten with male characters and no one would have raised an eyebrow.
My son also had an issue with
the scene when Carol fully embraces her powers, and fights the entire squad to the song "Just a Girl", feeling like it was forced in there. I just thought it was kind of appropriate for that scene because of her arc through the movie, and the whole soundtrack was comprised of popular 90s songs, so it didn't bother me too much. If you're going to bitch about her being overpowered at that moment, then you have to bitch about Captain America or Thor wiping up battlefields full of enemies. Fair play, yo.
I will admit, the one scene that got me emotional was
Stan's cameo. Him sitting on the train reading the screenplay of Mallrats had me tearing up. I already know I'll be a wreck when I see him in Endgame, knowing that this is rumored to be his last cameo.
I will readily admit, it doesn't make my top 5 Marvel films, but it's definitely a great film, and like Seeker said, explosions and people blown away by energy blasts. And an awesome soundtrack. 4/5 Fonzie lunch boxes.
