How a little secrecy gives Captain Marvel a stronger story

Captain Marvel doesn't have much of a pre-superhero backstory. Good.

Brie Larson.
(Image credit: Chuck Zlotnick/Marvel Studios 2019)

Captain Marvel is the 21st Marvel Studios superhero (or superhero-adjacent) movie in 11 years, but the first Marvel flick to center solely on a female champion.

It's also the first to employ a female director in Anna Boden, who co-directs with her partner, Ryan Fleck. This is all so pitifully overdue that even celebrating it feels a little like participating in the Marvel marketing machine: Is it great to see Brie Larson take center stage as a powerful lady superhero? Yes. Is it mind-boggling this hasn't happened already, after 20 prior films in this series? Also yes.

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Jesse Hassenger

Jesse Hassenger's film and culture criticism has appeared in The Onion's A.V. Club, Brooklyn Magazine, and Men's Journal online, among others. He lives in Brooklyn, where he also writes fiction, edits textbooks, and helps run SportsAlcohol.com, a pop culture blog and podcast.