At this point, Marvel can announce a movie based on rocks and they’ll automatically have my money. That’s how much I trust Kevin Feige, producer and creator of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Announced in 2014, Captain Marvel was set to become the very first female led superhero movie, under the Marvel Studios moniker. Unsurprisingly, expectations were high for the film, and given that it released in Women’s month, it does the month justice.

Carol Danvers, played by Brie Larson, is an adopted Kree warrior that goes by the name of Vers. Having suffered from memory loss and gaining superpowers in the process, she is found by Yon-Rogg, played by Jude Law, and is trained to fight for the Kree. Her involvement with the Kree drags her into their war with the Skrulls, a shape shifting alien race. After a mission goes wrong, she ends up back on Earth where she is forced to rediscover her forgotten past and stop the Skrulls with the help of Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson.

Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the film delivers to MCU faithfuls and women who had longed to see a female led Marvel film. Strong performances from Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson and Jude Law help further the film’s quality. A strong point of the film is that it tackles the challenging theme of identity as Carol struggles to accept who she really is, a Kree or a human being. Themes such as war and deception play a huge role in the film and is threaded into the story in the best way possible.

Admittedly, I had a hard time enjoying the first half of the film, as I felt that the film was lacking any fluidity. I felt the pace was all over and that too much was going on for me to enjoy the film. Despite that, Captain Marvel pulls a “hail Mary” and manages to recover my interest. I get it, although Captain Marvel takes place in a larger universe that involves the Avengers, Boden and Fleck have to build and explain Carol’s origin, which would make or break the movie. While I think the film could have been better, I know it could have been much worse.

Storywise, the directors did a great job in keeping me invested and as a comic book fan, they did an amazing job with their twist. The thing about being a fan of the comics is that I came in with a pre-conceived notion of what was going to happen, but what they did here was pretty special and I never saw it coming. Since it takes place in the ‘90s, they did a stellar job of incorporating what life was like then in the most humorous way possible.

Overall, the film is a must see as it introduces the MCU’s most powerful and cunning hero. The film is filled with ‘90s references and easter eggs that involve what has been established in the MCU. Thanos better watch his back because Captain Marvel is coming and she is someone he does not want to cross. What a time for people who have been marginalized in society to see themselves be represented on the big screen.