Brie Larson in Captain Marvel (2019). Photo: Marvel Studios
Was this a superhero movie or an elaborate homage to the 90s? Our hero’s (re)introduction to Earth comes in the most quintessential place of 90s America: a strip mall featuring Blockbuster Video and RadioShack. Cue Salt-N-Pepa and TLC, dial-up internet and two-way pagers, and of course, Nirvana. As a 90s kid, I felt right at home.
The film opens with Vers (Brie Larson) on the alien planet Hala as she struggles to remember her past, her dreams haunted by a singular memory of a woman being shot as she lays dying. No better way to clear her head than with some early-morning martial arts with her mentor, Yon-Rogg (Jude Law). Vers is an elite warrior, saved from death by The Kree and endowed with special powers by The Supreme Intelligence. Or so we’re led to believe.
Brie Larson in Captain Marvel (2019). Photo: Marvel Studios
On a mission to find a compromised agent, she is captured and more memories are revealed as Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), leader of the Skrull, plays around in her mind looking for answers. She was an elite fighter pilot and Dr. Lawson (Annette Bening), the woman from the earlier memory, holds the key to unlocking the truth.
After a dramatic escape from the Skrull ship, Vers finds herself on planet C-53, aka Earth, landing in the aforementioned Blockbuster. She is rapidly acquainted with a young, two-eyed Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Here we see Marvel’s latest CGI trick, making Jackson look 20+ years younger, mainly through very smooth and obviously altered skin. It’s not distracting but neither is it particularly convincing. The jury’s still out.
Fury and Vers team up to fight off the Skrull and find some answers while back-up (both Kree & SHIELD) is on the way. As the search continues, the truth of Vers’ history – she was Carol Danvers of the US Air Force — and much more is revealed.
Samuel L. Jackson and Brie Larson in Captain Marvel (2019). Photo: Marvel Studios
The film itself, much like our hero, spends too long trying find itself without really succeeding until the final chapter. There are plenty of jokes to keep you engaged, but it never really quite grips you. Even the twist feels telegraphed from the mess that is Carol’s recollections. Larson is excellent but I left feeling she could have been so much more had the script and direction allowed. She’s witty and clever as well as tough-as-nails but hampered by this journey of self-discovery that’s all over the place.
That being said, there is a lot to admire about this film. There is a refreshing lack of Hollywood tropes — no love interest, no male saviour, no over-blown catharsis moment. Ironically, the catharsis moment might have been well-suited given all the obvious build-up to it. Her friendship with Maria (Lashana Lynch) is one of two strong women who support and love each other, even if Carol can’t remember most of it. There are some references to a tough childhood and not being taken seriously as a woman, but for the most part Carol is just unapologetically a bad-ass.
Brie Larson in Captain Marvel (2019). Photo: Marvel Studios
Somewhere in this film is the one it could and should have been. It’s witty and charming with genuine laugh-out-loud moments, a compelling storyline and an awesome main character. Of the Marvel Universe, it is most closely linked to The Guardians of the Galaxy movies. Sadly, its more like the sequel than the original. The parts are there but the spark is missing.
Nevertheless, the end sequence and obligatory post-credits clip sets up well for the upcoming Avengers: Endgame. Captain Marvel is here and she’s not messing around trying to figure out her powers. She’s ready to kick some ass.
Captain Marvel Rating: 7/10
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Joe is the film and TV critic for The Lincolnite. He is a Master’s student at the University of Lincoln, having abandoned the sunny beaches of the Cayman Islands for the slightly colder climes of Lincolnshire to see whether he could make it as a writer. Joe graduated from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland in 2016, where he studied the Liberal Arts and drank far too much bad American beer.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
The latest infection rates and case numbers in Greater Lincolnshire are highlighted on a new interactive map with government data.
You can see infection rates data for the last seven days at postcode level.
The map splits the country into neighbourhood population areas of around 7,000 people.
The areas are colour coded depending on the infection rate per 100,000 people in the past seven days. Data is updated weekly on Tuesdays.
In Lincoln for example, the ‘Wharf & University’ area has 30 cases in the seven days up to October 13, with a seven day rolling rate of 273.8 per 100,000.
The infection rate in Lincoln is low to moderate.
Areas of Grimsby in North East Lincolnshire have the highest infection rates in our region.
Greater Lincolnshire passed the 5,000 COVID-19 cases mark on Monday, as 252 new positive tests were reported.
North East Lincolnshire also topped the 1,000 case tally in the latest UK coronavirus dashboard figures, which show 155 cases in Lincolnshire, 42 in North Lincolnshire and 55 in North East Lincolnshire.
It means means there have been 3,109 cases for the month of October.
NHS figures have reported two further deaths in the region on Monday, both at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals Trust facilities.
How Lincolnshire’s cases have looked since the start of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the government’s own death tally, which includes those both in and out of hospitals and those of residents in hospitals outside the county, increased by three.
It includes one further death of a Lincolnshire resident and two North East Lincolnshire residents.
Nationally, cases increased by 18,804 to 741,212 while deaths jumped by 80 to 43,726.
Lincolnshire is currently still on the medium (tier 1) level for the the new three-tier lockdown system of COVID-19 risk, which means it has no extra restrictions on top of the nation-wide ones.
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire for Monday, October 19
7,701 cases (up 252)
5,100 in Lincolnshire (up 155)
1,594 in North Lincolnshire (up 42)
1,007 in North East Lincolnshire (up 55)
424 deaths (up three)
292 from Lincolnshire (up one)
91 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
41 from North East Lincolnshire (up two)
of which 286 hospital deaths (up two)
153 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (no change)
5 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
127 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up two)
741,212 UK cases, 43,726 deaths
DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF the latest update. postcode data includes deaths not in healthcare facilities or in hospitals outside authority boundaries.
A further four schools in Lincolnshire have positive cases of coronavirus on Monday.
Lincolnshire County Council said on Monday, October 19 that it is working with 68 schools with COVID-19 infections.
A further two schools in North East Lincolnshire have reported cases since Friday. There have been at least six schools with cases in North Lincolnshire since term resumed in September.
The latest additions to the county council’s list are Claypole Primary School, St George’s Academy (Ruskington), Swinderby All Saints Primary School, University Academy Holbeach.
Woodlands Academy (Spilsby), Bassingham Pre-School, Hawthorn Tree School (Boston) and Springwell Alternative Academy (Grantham) are the schools currently closed.
Andy Fox, consultant in public health, said: “As of this Monday, Lincolnshire’s Health Protection Team is currently working with 68 schools that have had confirmed cases of coronavirus.
“All schools are taking action to limit the potential spread of the virus, with some pupils and staff self-isolating as a precaution where necessary.”
Schools with current confirmed cases (new in bold at the top):
Claypole Primary School
St George’s Academy, Ruskington
Swinderby All Saints Primary School
University Academy Holbeach
Lincoln College
Queen Elizabeth High School, Gainsborough
Hackthorn Primary School
Kesteven and Sleaford High School
Somercotes Academy, North Somercotes
Lincoln Castle Academy
Lincoln Carlton Academy
Bluecoat Meres Academy, Grantham
Dunholme St Chad’s Primary School
Kesteven and Grantham Girls School
Hogsthorpe Primary Academy
Bassingham Pre-School (closed)
Barrowby Primary School
Billingborough Primary School
The Priory Academy LSST
Priory Ruskin Academy, Grantham
Boston College
Hawthorn Tree School, Boston (closed)
Caistor Yarborough Academy
Haven High Academy, Boston
Malcolm Sargent Primary School, Stamford
St George’s Academy, Sleaford
St Peter and St Paul Academy, Lincoln
Kirkstone House School, Baston
Stamford Endowed Schools
Manor Leas Junior School, Lincoln
St Hugh’s Catholic Primary, Lincoln
Ermine Academy, Lincoln
St Giles Academy, Lincoln
Branston Community College Academy
Grantham College
Kelsey Primary School
Birchwood Junior School, Lincoln
Great Steeping Primary School, Spilsby
Walton Academy, Grantham
Wragby Primary School
Woodlands Academy, Spilsby (closed)
Skegness Academy
Blyton Cum Laughton Primary School
Castle Wood Academy, Gainsborough
The King’s School, Grantham
Westgate Academy, Lincoln
William Farr School, Welton, Lincoln
Sir William Robertson Academy, Welbourn, Lincoln
Kisimul School Acacia Hall, Freisthorpe
Leslie Manser Primary, Lincoln
Lincoln St Christopher’s Special School
Long Sutton Primary School
Market Deeping Community Primary
Springwell Alternative Academy, Grantham (closed)
St Nicholas Primary, Boston
Community Learning in Partnership, Gainsborough
Grantham Preparatory International School
Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Horncastle
St Michael’s Primary School, Thorpe on the Hill
University Academy Long Sutton
Denton Primary School, Grantham
Bridge House Independent School, Boston
Charles Read Academy, Grantham
De Aston School, Market Rasen
The Lancaster School, Lincoln
The St Sebastian Primary School, Grantham
Waddington All Saints Academy
Bourne Academy
Public Health are also aware of the following three cases at nurseries:
Town and Country Kiddies Nursery, Louth
Seashells Nursery, Mablethorpe
Angels Childcare, Lincoln
North East Lincolnshire
There are currently 27 schools and education settings with confirmed cases of coronavirus in North East Lincolnshire after a further two were reported on Monday.
North Lincolnshire
North Lincolnshire Council said it was unable to provide data regarding schools in the region with coronavirus cases.
There is understood to have been at least six cases at North Lincolnshire schools since term restarted in September.
South Axholme Academy, Epworth
Enderby Road Infant School, Scunthorpe
St Lawrence Academy, Scunthorpe
Baysgarth School, Barton-upon-Humber
Frederick Gough School, Scunthorpe
Oasis Academy Henderson Avenue, Scunthorpe
In addition, John Leggott College in Scunthorpe has also had a positive case of coronavirus.
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