Marvel fans have had a very stressful year. After getting half of their favorite superheroes killed off in “Avengers: Infinity War,” they were desperate for any source of hope. After being released last Friday, March 8, “Captain Marvel” gave Marvel fans the hope they were searching for. Although the film could have incorporated more depth to the plot and character development, it still reached the high expectations of every film in the Marvel franchise.

Although “Captain Marvel” has only been out for about a week, it has already made its mark in the box office. In just the first weekend, the film grabbed 455 million dollars globally, making it the sixth biggest launch of all time. Since then, it has gone beyond 500 million dollars and is projected to keep soaring.

“Captain Marvel” follows the story of Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), a woman who is an extraterrestrial Kree warrior fighting against the shapeshifting Skrulls. Throughout the film, Danvers has a difficult time remembering who she is and has recurring flashbacks to what seems to be her old life as a US Air Force Pilot. When she is assigned a mission to be sent to Earth to search for suspected Skrulls, she starts to uncover her past life with the help of Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson, who she met once she landed.

Although Brie Larson is a very talented actress, many were unsure if she would be a great fit to play the role of a strong female superhero. However, these concerns were put aside after the film’s release. Her cool and proficient acting worked well with her character’s laid back personality. Her acting worked especially well with the supporting role of Samuel L. Jackson. Both of their comical and emotional scenes felt very natural, and the chemistry between the two was very evident throughout the film.

Aside from the acting, the film’s visual effects were outstanding. Every action scene was filled with intriguing choreography with fascinating costumes and makeup. Along with this, the film accurately gave off a fun 90s feel which was very enjoyable to see.

Because of the state of despair that many Marvel fans were experiencing, there was a lot of pressure put on the film to be exceptional. In my opinion, the film didn’t quite live up to these high expectations due to the lack of depth in both the story and the characters. The challenges that Danvers faced felt too easily resolved, and, as a result, the characters didn’t have the chance to grow much as I would have liked to see. Still, the film deserved more credit than it received in the media even with these setbacks.

Many speculate that one reason the film received backlash is due to the fact that it was led by a strong female hero. The film was receiving criticism months before it had even been released. Many claimed that the film was going to push a social justice message rather than focus on the story of the Marvel universe. Along with this, “Wonder Woman” was released by DC Entertainment about two years ago, and it seems that many think it’s too early for another female superhero to take the lead role in a big Hollywood film. There were countless reviews of “Captain Marvel” that compared the film to “Wonder Woman” to explain where the film went wrong. However, the two films have virtually no relationship to one another regarding their plots, characters, and production company. Whether good or bad, “Captain Marvel” deserves to be judged on its own merits.

Make sure you take the time to watch “Captain Marvel” for an important scene at the end before you watch “Avengers: Endgame” this coming April.