Captain Marvel Sets the Stage for Endgame in the best possible way

“Captain Marvel,” the newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is a truly phenomenal movie. As the first Marvel movie with a female lead, it broke new ground, with Brie Larson as the titular character, a woman from another planet with a mysterious past that ties back to Earth. The movie combined a beautiful story with charismatic leads, lots of great chemistry and plentiful humor and wit. What emerged was a stunning work of art.The movie takes place in the ’90s. Blockbuster and Radio Shack make appearances, and slow technology adds a new flavor not seen before in previous Marvel films. Larson's Carol Danvers begins the film as  a soldier fighting a war on another planet, with little memory of her past life, but when she falls to Earth while fleeing from alien captors, she realizes that she once had a life there. Soon, Danvers crosses paths with a young Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), and his partner Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), who collaborate with her to help complete their mission.The film also broke new ground in Marvel Entertainment.“Captain Marvel” is the first Marvel movie in history to feature a heroine rather than a hero. Despite this, the movie proceeds just like the others, unfazed by this distinction. It doesn't focus on the feminist milestone; it functioned just like every other Marvel movie. This is not to say that this milestone is ignored; Brie Larson portrays a strong female warrior who is the target of sexism in various forms throughout the movie. But this serves as a part of the larger story, rather than an ideological insertion. By seamlessly interweaving its messaging into character-based plot, the movie managed to send the important message of female empowerment, while retaining focus on its star.On top of this, Captain Marvel wasn't just another Marvel movie. This film stood apart because of its joyful tone. Much of the charm of “Captain Marvel” came from its lighthearted origin stories for beloved characters. Viewers get to see a two-eyed Nick Fury and a young Phil Coulson solving regular, earthly crimes. The two were digitally de-aged in post-production, which worked surprisingly well. (70-year-old Jackson was particularly adept at pulling off a convincing 50.) The plot wasn’t the only joyful component; in memory of Stan Lee, who died late last year, the opening credits were filled with his cameos instead of the usual superheros. Later, Lee appears in the first live-action Marvel cameo since his death, in an unabashedly touching moment.The movie was able to capture so much of what sets Marvel apart from all the other superhero franchises. It was lighthearted, fun, and so entertaining as a whole. It had a loose feel, while still gripping the audience with an action-packed plot. As with most of their films, Marvel has a way of being suspenseful and serious, but funny and light at the same time.All in all, “Captain Marvel” was a genuinely great movie. It kept the Marvel feel that audiences have grown to love, but developed a unique and interesting identity within the larger framework. It’s amazing, inspiring and absolutely joyful to watch. Plentiful action and humor make this film a must-see.