Captain Marvel (4½ Stars)

I decided today, quite spontaneously, to watch "Captain Marvel" again. Somehow I appreciated it more than I did the first time, two weeks ago. Partly it's because I've got over the initial shock of Captain Marvel being a woman (although I still consider that to be a blunder). Partly it's because I appreciated the battles in the opening scenes more. Partly it's because I could pick up more details in a second viewing.

I felt a surge of pleasure in the final scenes, where Carol Danvers was able to unleash her full powers. The biggest problem with the MCU films in general is that Marvel's greatest super-heroes are toned down in comparison with the comics. They're made much weaker because someone sitting at a desk somewhere in Marvel Studios thinks that heroes with too much power would be unrealistic. So what? Why do we need realism?

Even Thanos' infinity gauntlet was burnt out after snapping his fingers. That never happened in the comics. The gauntlet (more precisely, the combination of the six stones) gave its wearer infinite power, so it was impossible for it to be exhausted. I'm looking forward to seeing Captain Marvel, the most powerful hero in the MCU, battling Thanos in "Avengers Endgame", but I hope his gauntlet has recharged itself by then.

I was sad to see Stan Lee's cameo appearance in the film, since I knew it was his last. The world is a poorer place without Stan Lee, but at least we can still read his comics.