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.
A mass rapid testing centre has opened on Croft Street off Monks Road for people with and without coronavirus symptoms after relocating from Lincoln City’s LNER Stadium.
Some 2,298 people were tested, with 42 positive results at the site on Sincil Bank between January 11 to 24.
This is a positivity rate of 1.83%, which is higher than the 0.5-1% local health bosses previously expected by the end of the initial two-week cycle.
The centre opened at its new location of the St Swithin’s community centre on Croft Street at 8am on Monday, January 25.
Signage will guide people to the centre. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
It will allow those who live in the area to attend on a walk-up basis at the site, which will be open daily from 8am to 8pm until February 7.
There is no need to book and people can just turn up to the centre, where they will be guided through the process.
Online/follow-up testing will take place at the site between 9am and 3pm. This is for people with symptoms and a positive lateral flow test.
Anyone who tests positive on lateral flow is encouraged to return for a confirmatory PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test.
Online/follow-up testing will take place between 9am and 3pm. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
It is still important to adhere to social distancing measures. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The rapid turnout tests are supplied by NHS Test and Trace and deliver results within an hour via text message and/or email.
The community testing initiative is run by City of Lincoln Council, in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council and the Department of Health and Social Care.
Greater Lincolnshire councils will get nearly £900,000 of government money in a bid to tackle COVID-19 lies.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is giving out more than £23 million to 60 councils across England including £494,800 to Boston Borough Council and £397,204 to North Lincolnshire Council.
It says the aim is to expand the support given to those most at risk and boost vaccine take-up.
It will include the creation of Community Champions tasked with spreading accurate health information to vulnerable areas such as older people, the disabled and people from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “It is vital that everyone has access to accurate and up to date information about COVID-19.
“False information about COVID-19 vaccines could cost lives.
“Today’s funding will help councils and community groups expand some of the excellent work already underway and reach out to their communities to ensure they have the information they need and get their questions answered.
“Ultimately this funding will help save lives.”
On Friday, Lincolnshire County Council’s director for public health Professor Derek Ward hit out at COVID-19 deniers.
He said a single week in December saw Lincolnshire deaths reach 13 times the yearly average.
The week including December 14 would usually see an average of 23 deaths.
However, in 2020, there had been 301 deaths, some 13 times the usual figures.
“Anybody who says COVID isn’t real, think about those numbers,” said Professor Ward.
“COVID is a killer, let’s make sure we stick with that hands, face, space message.”
There have been 518 new coronavirus cases and 20 COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire over the weekend.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard recorded 414 new cases in Lincolnshire across Saturday and Sunday, 59 in North Lincolnshire and 45 in North East Lincolnshire.
By the end of Sunday, 18 deaths were registered in Lincolnshire and two in North Lincolnshire. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.
NHS England reported 11 new local hospital deaths at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, three at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust and one at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals, making a total of 15.
The weekend saw national cases increase to 3,647,463, while deaths rose to 97,939.
The UK has identified 77 cases of the coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa, the health secretary has said.
Cases are linked to travellers arriving in the UK, rather than community transmission, Matt Hancock added.
Sunday’s data revealed that 6,353,321 have had at least their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine – a rise of almost half a million on Saturday’s figure.
Almost a million people received a first dose at the weekend, suggesting there is no weekend lag when it comes to giving out vaccines.
More than 30 new vaccination centres are due to open in England this week as the drive continues to protect the population against COVID-19.
The 32 centres include the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley, a racecourse, a football stadium and a former Ikea store – however, none of these centres will be in Greater Lincolnshire.
Boris Johnson is facing increasing pressure from cabinet ministers and scientists to impose blanket border control measures against coronavirus.
Ministers are to meet on Tuesday to weigh up the merits of a border policy that could require all new arrivals to quarantine at their own expense in government-supervised hotels.
The government is making £23 million available to councils in England to help counter misinformation about the coronavirus vaccine and boost take-up of the jab.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said it was being targeted at areas with plans to reach out to groups such as older people, disabled people, and people from ethnic minority backgrounds who are more likely to suffer long-term impacts and poor outcomes from the virus.
Lincolnshire’s COVID cases up to January 24.
Lincolnshire’s COVID deaths up to January 24.
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Sunday, January 24
Greater Lincolnshire includes Lincolnshire and the unitary authorities of North and North East (Northern) Lincolnshire.
46,163 cases (up 518)
32,228 in Lincolnshire (up 414)
7,126 in North Lincolnshire (up 59)
6,809 in North East Lincolnshire (up 45)
1,780 deaths (up 20)
1,273 from Lincolnshire (up 18)
274 from North Lincolnshire (up two)
233 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)
of which 1,062 hospital deaths (up 15)
649 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up 11)
33 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (up 1)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
379 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up three)
3,647,463 cases, 97,939 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.
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