New to On Demand and DVD: Captain Marvel

© Marvel Studios 2019

Origin stories: As the Marvel Cinematic Universe has evolved over the years, we’ve witnessed the birth of Iron Man, Captain America and Thor, among other amazing superheroes. Our latest origin story features another powerful hero, Captain Marvel.

Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) has a history as a pilot for the Air Force, but she only understands some of her past — her memories are lost. As she is caught in the middle of a war between two alien factions — the Kree and the Skrulls — Vers (as Carol is known within the Kree) is tormented by memories and tries to control the power that is within her.

Her mentor, Yon-Rogg (Jude Law), is leading the effort to reignite a controlled version of Vers, but when a mission goes awry, Carol digs deeper into her past.

That past leads her to Earth and a meeting with a federal agent named Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Fury and Carol head out to find a mysterious item that is crucial to both sides of the war. Can they get to it in time?

As origin stories go, Captain Marvel is a slower and more thorough examination of Carol/Vers. It’s a tale that starts with a bang and then takes a mix-and-match run through moments in her life. The non-linear nature of the film grabs the parts that help make the soon-to-be Captain Marvel who she is today.

Captain Marvel sets Carol up for a deeper and more dramatically involved role as we progress in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as soon as with the release of Avengers: Endgame. And the film fills in a couple of backstory tidbits, including what happened to Fury’s eye and where the “Avengers” name originated. Make sure to stay all the way through the credits for two sequences adding more to the story.

I loved the music, all straight from the ’90s. There are truly exciting moments and sequences within Captain Marvel. And while I may not have been entirely thrilled with the movie as a whole in comparison to some of the others in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it is a solid starting point and I’m waiting to see where she goes from here. I’m ready to go “higher, further, faster” again.

Captain Marvel is available On Demand and on DVD beginning June 11. Check your cable system for availability