“Captain Marvel” (PG-13)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe breaks new ground with “Captain Marvel,” the first of their 21 films to feature female superhero in the sole lead role. But while the film is a solid ride as expected – there’s no question the creatives at the studio have carefully executed the shared universe concept that adds up to one giant, sprawling story – “Captain Marvel” also feels like a missed opportunity. True, the special effects are spectacular if not better than ever, the story fills in some questions left blank in other MCU films and characters for the most part are engaging — yet the film’s lead, Brie Larson, feels like she’s miscast.

Larson stars as Vers, a member of the alien Kree race and its military arm Starforce, which, led by Yon-Rogg (Jude Law) is in an intergalactic battle with the shapeshifting Skrulls. Pursuing a power core that the Skrulls possess that will turn the tide in their favor in the fight for power, Vers crashes to Earth (more specifically through the roof of a Blockbuster video store – it’s 1995, after all), and soon enough the humanoid with alien blood and powers starts to sense that somehow she has a past on the planet as a former Air Force fighter pilot Carol Danvers. It’s also there where Vers encounters a younger version of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Nick Fury (a de-aged Samuel L. Jackson); a fateful meeting that will eventually lead to the formation of the Avengers Initiative.

Not surprisingly, the always-engaging Jackson is one of the highlights of “Captain Marvel,” in a role that he plays more fast and loose than his calm and cool badass Fury from the more recent MCU films. Also a standout is Ben Mendelsohn as Talos, the green, reptilian-like skinned leader of the Skrulls (who occasionally shapeshifts in to human form) who has far more dimensions than his bad guy image would suggest. Yes, he’s rough around the edges (quite literally), but Talos is also quite funny.

Annette Bening is also convincing as Larson’s mentor and Supreme Intelligence in the intergalactic realm, while Clark Gregg (killed off in “The Avengers” only to be resurrected for ABC’s “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) turns up in a smaller role and also gets the de-aging treat as fan-favorite Agent Phil Coulson and faithful colleague of Fury. Law, who’s been better (he was great in the critically-maligned “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”), serves in more of a functional role but still has presence. “Crazy Rich Asians” star Gemma Chan is great as Starforce sniper Minn-Erva, but is given very little time to shine; while Carol’s Earth best friend and colleague Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch) doesn’t get much more until the final act.

While the foundation of “Captain Marvel” is more than solid, it’s the heart of the film – the title character – that’s its weakest link: and that’s a big problem considering the MCU seems to be pinning a lot of hopes on the character as it moves into its next phase of films with the upcoming “The Avengers: End Game.”

There’s no question that Larson can act – she was well-deserving of her Best Actress Oscar for “Room” – it just feels like she was cast on the virtue of being an Oscar winner and shoehorned into the role with co-directors  Anna Boden’s and Ryan Fleck’s hopes she could make something of it. But unlike the likes of Robert Downey Jr. , who defined his role in “Iron Man,” as did Chris Hemsworth in “Thor” and Chris Evans in “Captain America” (or on the DC side of the superhero equation, Gal Gadot in “Wonder Woman”), Larson doesn’t even come close to making the role her own.

Instead, things are a hit and miss.  Larson no doubt meets the physical demands of “Captain Marvel” (her encounter with a shape-shifting old woman on a commuter train is classic), yet she seems to slog through her dialogue with very little energy or enthusiasm, and instead opts to make Carol Danvers a snarky character with little emotion and forces her lines in the hopes of squeezing some laughs out of the audience.

Ultimately, while other members of the MCU seem like they were born to play their respective roles, it feels like any number of actors could have filled the shoes of Danvers/Captain Marvel with much of an inspired presence than Larson tries to put forth. Playing a character with a name that would suggest otherwise, a marvel Brie Larson is not.

Lammometer: 6 (out of 10)

Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for The KQ92 Morning Show,” “KARE 11 News at 11” (NBC), WCCO Radio, WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere.

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