Captain Marvel goes above and beyond
the stereotype of feminism by just being
Captain Marvel, directed by Anna Boden and Ryan
Fleck, felt like a breath of fresh air. Starring Brie Larson in
the lead role as Carol Danvers/Captain
Marvel and Samuel L. Jackson as
S.H.I.E.L.D agent Nick Fury, the story is
one of self-discovery and poignantly tackles
contentious female issues of the era in
an elegant and refined manner.
Several films tout
themselves as bastions of
feminism, when in truth they
are edifices of male-desires
covered in a veneer of "feminist
values." Captain Marvel
goes above and beyond the
stereotype of feminism
by just being
Movies nowadays are saturated with
sex, and obsessed with portraying a seemingly
strong woman. However, those very
"strong, independent and powerful
women," are often forced to rely on a man
for help eventually, like the character of Mira in the movie
Aquaman. Additionally, movies with a woman lead almost
always incorporate her love story, apparently a necessity to
fully capture the female experience. Captain Marvel breaks
the mold by not containing a single kiss or sex scene, and
eschews a romantic subplot completely. Not once can Brie
Larson be spotted in a "sexy pose," nor is she shown wearing
high heels in any scene.
All her heroic stances have no element of sexuality; they
are fueled purely by purpose and necessity. Unlike its
recent contemporary, Wonder Woman (2017), Captain
Marvel avoids having Carol Danvers rely on a man to save
or help her. At face value, Wonder Woman may appear as a
movie that emphasizes Diana's (Wonder Woman's) veracity,
fortitude, and resilience, However, aside from a few
throwaway lines blatantly placed as distractions or audience-
appeasers, the film actually stands as a symbol of a
male dominated market. In actuality Diana not portrayed as
independent. Rather, she is spoon-fed throughout the film
by Steve Trevor. Steve serves as a secondary protagonist to
satisfy the male viewer and embodies a series of worrisome
tropes. He "discovers" Themyscira, Diana's
homeland, and introduces Diana to the world,
symbolically and literally taking her virginity.
He teaches her how to wear her own clothes,
how to behave in an acceptable "human"
manner, and what true love means. This fulfills
the male fantasy of being the "special
man" or teacher who can save the naive
woman, the very woman who is strong and
intimidating to every other male yet conveniently
soft and pure for the "hero." Even in
the end, Steve Trevor is the key to unleashing her Diana's
true strength. She could not have done it without him, ultimately
proving that, once again, the woman is reliant on the
man to realize who she is. Contrastingly, Captain Marvel
has Carol Danvers subvert the aforementioned banal plot
structure with very little physical reliance on a male counterpart.
Although she, similar to Diana, is a fish out of water
- thrust into a completely unfamiliar environment - she
does not rely on men to aid her during her assimilation into
the world. She does it herself. She was truly her own
woman, which is rarely portrayed in the modern era
despite being the reality of many women.
Several films tout themselves as bastions of feminism,
when in truth they are edifices of male-desires covered in a
veneer of "feminist values." Captain Marvel goes above
and beyond the stereotype of feminism by just being. It
eliminates all the common tropes and problems usually
involved with having a mainstream, female-lead movie.
And Brie Larson does a fantastic job in her portrayal of
Carol Danvers. She acts brilliantly and creates an alluring
and beautiful character without once relying on her physical
appearance.
I feel Captain Marvel is a potent, and honest example
for daughters everywhere, for all ages. As the film reminds
them, you are powerful and strong despite what society
may tell you. You do not owe any them anything.