Category: Reviews

Godzilla: King of the Monsters Review

A clash of the titans that is a ton of fun, despite the lame human side of things

In the latest entry in the growing “MonsterVerse,” Godzilla is back, but he has competition this time around from another titan just as strong as he is: King Ghidorah. It’s big, it’s booming, and it’s badass.

Directed by Michael Dougherty, the story follows the battle for planet Earth as titans across the globe rise from their hibernation and fight to be the ultimate alpha. There is some human aspects to the plot, but they’re honestly not worth mentioning.

Going off of that, the writing really wasn’t there. There was a whole story about Monarch trying to save the monsters from being killed off from the military and terrorists trying to awaken them to “restore balance” and honestly, most of that stuff was pretty boring. There was also a whole family plot-line with the main characters but there wasn’t enough to establish an emotional connection to make you actually care.

The thing that sucks about this is the fact that the cast is absolutely loaded with talent. You’ve got Kyle Chandler, Millie Bobby Brown, Ken Watanabe, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, and more. The actors all do a great job with their characters, but there isn’t enough within the script for them to work with so it falls flat. The 2014 Godzilla did a pretty good job with this so I’m not sure why it went so wrong in this iteration.

You’re not coming to a Godzilla movie for the humans though, you’re coming for the monsters. While the human side lacked serious attention, the fighting and action was more than enough to make up for it.

The fighting throughout the movie is insanely fun to watch. There’s big blows, brilliant effects, and roaring sound. While I may have zoned out once or twice in the previous scenes, my attention would immediately come back when the big boys come out to play. The second you hear the roars of Godzilla, the screech of Rodan or Ghidorah, or the scream of Mothra, that means it’s go time.

The score and the designs of the monsters helped significantly too. You could tell when something was about to go down because all of the sudden there would be booming drums and this chanting that prepares you for the upcoming chaos. It added to the atmosphere and enhanced the experience. Couple that with the gorgeous looks of the giant beasts, and you’ve got quite the spectacle as they battle for supremacy. They promised a grand cast of titans and they provided.

The battles weren’t perfect, but they were still absolutely joyful to watch. Really the only thing I could have asked for was a little more being shown. They tried to balance the screentime of the final battle between titans and humans, but they should have focused more on the city-destroying rampage instead. The humans were fine, but that brawl was between the monsters, not the people.

While I can’t say that Godzilla: King of the Monsters was a cinematic masterpiece, it’s still damn fun to watch. It may be criticized for what it lacks, but it provided what it promises: massive battles between godlike monsters that will have you on the edge of your seat. I can’t wait to see what they do in next year’s Godzilla vs. Kong.

The Hall Score: 7/10

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Ma Review

Don’t go to Ma’s house… or this movie for that matter

Octavia Spencer has taken a variety of roles throughout her career, but one she has yet to take on is the villain of a horror film. That is, until Ma of course.

Directed by Tate Taylor, the movie follows Sue Ann (Octavia Spencer), a lonely middle-aged woman who invites some teenagers to her basement to party in. As she grows closer to the kids, she transitions from the friendly “Ma” into an obsessive monster that terrorizes their lives.

While a fairly good concept, Ma doesn’t deliver much to enjoy. The pacing is flawed, with the build-up feeling slow and clunky. Most of the characters are one-dimensional, resulting in you having no reason to care for their well-being. There’s a few surprises but there’s not much actual substance beyond teenagers partying or being stalked for majority of the film. It’s a horror movie without much horror in it.

Even the climax didn’t surprise if you’ve seen the trailer. Most of the spookiness was flawed in the fact that I already knew most of what was going to happen because they’ve shown in it promotional footage. Sure, once it actually gets intense, it’s a bit thrilling, and the final showdown is fun to watch, but it’s still not enough.

To top it all off, there’s really no closure to be found at the end. The action heats up, the big climax hits, and then suddenly the credits are rolling. We have no clue what happened to any of the main group of kids and the connected main characters. You’re just left wondering.

The real saving grace for the movie is easily Octavia Spencer. She’s obviously a phenomenal actress, but Ma shows that she can do a little bit of everything. She made the character unsettling in every way, and showed the gradual transition from kind but a bit awkward into a full-blown unstable psychopath.

This redeemed many of the scenes for me, with every moment involving Ma being better than the ones without. While her backstory was a bit strange, Spencer sold it nonetheless. She was able to transition from emotion to emotion seamlessly as she manipulated the people around her.

Nonetheless, I left the theater underwhelmed. The only real reason to go see Ma is if you want to see a B-movie horror and have already gone to see Brightburn (or really any other thrilling movie out in theaters). The silver lining of it all is we might be able to see Octavia Spencer pick up similar roles in the future, which could have spectacular results if paired with better writing or direction. Ma’s motto may be “get home safe,” but you won’t have that problem if you just stay home instead.

The Hall Score: 4/10

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Aladdin Review

A fun remake that doesn’t quite capture the magic of the original

Aladdin is the most recent addition to Disney’s live-action remake initiative and it had quite the uphill battle to get here. Between controversy around the Will Smith being the genie to try to replace Robin Williams, to claims of whitewashing, Aladdin has been surrounded with a lot of uncertainty. Despite all of that, the new film has come out swinging in the box office, even with mixed reviews from critics and fans alike.

Directed by Guy Ritchie, the plot is almost exactly the same as the original with Aladdin (Mena Massoud) meeting Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) and attempting to woo her along with the assistance of a magical genie (Will Smith).

I will say, I didn’t have very high expectations for the film. The trailers were all over the place and how in the world would Will Smith capture the magic of Robin Williams? I came out pleasantly surprised. It was a fantastic film, but it did what it needed to do by introducing the classic story to a new generation (keep in mind the original came out 27 years ago) of Disney fans.

The look of the movie was absolutely beautiful. The sets were dazzling and the big musical sequences were phenomenally well made. The CGI struggled in a few places, but overlooking that, they really outdid themselves when it came to capturing the attention of the audience with color and choreography.

I also enjoyed some of the changes they made to the story. They made Jasmine a more impactful character instead of the damsel-in-distress that she was originally made to be. They also fleshed out Genie’s story a little bit which I certainly appreciated. I was a bit nervous when I saw this one would be 35 minutes longer than the original, but they filled the time well, even if a couple things here and there could have been cut to make everything a little more smooth.

Jafar definitely got the short end of the stick with the story changes though. He didn’t feel like that scary of a villain to me, and his powers were fairly insignificant in the grand scheme of things. I’m sure they wanted to cut things down a little bit so the movie didn’t run too long, but they could have given Jafar a little more development and screentime so he could actually be a villain worth looking out for.

Now for the question everyone was wondering: How was Will Smith? The genie in this live-action remake is very different from the original but that’s a good thing. Smith knew that he couldn’t match Robin Williams so he put his own spin on the character and made it more like you would expect from Will Smith. He didn’t try to meet the expectations of replacing Williams, he forged his own path, and I appreciated the character all the much for it.

Despite all the positives, there was something missing. I’m not quite sure what it was, but I didn’t have that same feeling from watching this one that you get from the original. There wasn’t enough pizzazz to really make it memorable in the long-run. I’ll likely forget that I even watched it in due time, much like the other live-action projects that Disney is pumping out annually. I’m not sure if this is an Aladdin-specific problem or an overarching live-action Disney problem but it’s just not the same. It’s missing some magic that I’m not sure how to bring back.

Aladdin is a fun new Disney movie for fans of the original, but it doesn’t give you enough to justify its recreation. There are a lot of cool additions to the story and the musical sequences are a joy to watch, but if you’ve gotten a sour taste in your mouth from the other Disney live-action remakes, it might be best to just watch the 1992 version instead.

The Hall Score: 6/10

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Brightburn Review

If Superman went bad and killed everybody

The story of Superman involves a couple in Kansas finding and raising an alien child that turns out to have superhuman powers. In Brightburn, they take that same formula but lead that child on a new path. What would Superman be like if he decided to kill instead of using his powers for good?

Directed by David Yarovesky and produced by James Gunn, the story follows the slow descent to madness of Brandon (Jackson A. Dunn), a 12-year old boy with superhuman powers while his human parents (Elizabeth Banks, David Denman) try to cope with the consequences of their actions. The movie is a blending of two popular genres that haven’t really been put together before: superhero and horror.

The movie honestly surprised me with how enjoyable most of it was. The build-up was well executed, with an atmosphere being built that makes you dread what is coming. The performances were also quite good out of most of the cast. They make it clear from the beginning that this boy has some issues, they’re going to come out pretty soon, and his parents have no clue how to react to the destruction that will come with it.

When the action heats up, it’s also extremely intense. The way they use sound and lighting is next-level and add an extra element of horror to the movie itself. There gore is absolutely unreal and is hard to watch at times. There’s a few cheap jump scares here and there but it never overly relies on them to make you fear this child in the red mask.

They don’t overly do it though. It’s well paced with him doing more and more harmful things to the people around him. It doesn’t ever feel overbearing, it crescendos up to an insane climax near the end that keeps you locked in and waiting for what’s next. It’s hard not to feel helpless at how powerful this young boy is. It’s also hard not to feel terrified at what he’s doing with these newfound powers. Dunn really did him justice by making Brandon as creepy as humanly (or superhumanly?) possible.

Brightburn is not without its flaws though. The writing itself feel like the main source of any issues I had, and I’m not sure if it was laziness or whatever else. A lot of the elements throughout simply feel predictable or not thought through. There were multiple times where I knew exactly what they were going to do in a certain scene. We also never learn any backstory on why he’s doing what he’s doing, why it’s just now hitting him, or what is leading him down this dark path. It just feels a bit random and needs a bit more fleshing out to reach its true potential.

The conclusion was also a bit rough. It’s hard to explain without spoiling but it just felt cheap and it looked cheap too. It feels like they were trying to subvert expectations to make things more bleak, or maybe they’re wanting to leave it open for a sequel, but it just didn’t feel right. To top it all off, they cut into the credits by playing “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish which didn’t fit the mood at all. I don’t know, it was just an underwhelming finish to what was overall a pretty damn good horror movie.

Brightburn is worth a watch from any horror or superhero fans because it brings a fresh new take to both genres by combining the two to make a movie that is both disgusting and awesome. It’s not a perfect film, and the ending left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth, but it pleasantly surprised me nonetheless. Here’s hoping for more creative ideas like it in the future because the premise was great, the execution just left me wishing they did a little more to deliver.

The Hall Score: 7/10

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John Wick: Chapter 3 Review

Parabellum – Prepare for War

John Wick has established itself as one of the best action franchises of our time, and with it’s third installment, it keeps getting bigger and better. There’s more fighting, more action, and more backstory. It’s quite the spectacle from start to finish.

Directed by Chad Stahelski (V for Vendetta), the story follows the titular character John Wick (Keanu Reeves) as he becomes a wanted man for killing a member of the High Table, an international guild of assassins with a strict set of rules.

The John Wick franchise promises plenty of action and it delivers. The fight scene choreography is insane and the kills are both gruesome and satisfying. There were a couple of times where it was hard not to make noises from disgust or from excitement. It’s constant, and it’s fun to watch.

The movie is also visually stunning. The camerawork and the cinematography accompanied by a variety of absolutely beautiful sets just makes it a joy to watch off of that alone. There’s different tricks they use throughout that take it above and beyond, and it really does make it entertaining, even when you’re not watching the fighting (which you should be).

Outside of the fighting and action scenes, there’s a ton of world-building from this third chapter. There was a lot of this in the second, but this one just shows the scope of the world of what they call “under the table.” The build-up is exciting, as it’s easy to tell from the timeline that a big climax is coming soon. Whether that’s in the fourth, the fifth, or whatever other chapter, it’s going to be big and it’s going to be badass.

Now, the big action sequences that make John Wick what it is also hurt it in a way in this chapter. As the movies get longer each time, it also becomes more tiring to watch. Sure, the fights are intense and the pacing is good, but after enough of these gripping brawls, it becomes a bit much. That intensity can come back to bite it after a while and it’s exhausting. All they really had to do to fix this was shorten a few of the fights and the movie as a whole so there’s not any burn-out from the audience.

The animals in this one also deserve a shout-out. Halle Berry’s character comes in mid-film with two Shepherd dogs that are trained to kill and they are a blast to watch. They’re not in the action for long, but they’re the highlight of every scene they’re in. The training that it took to get those dogs ready was probably extensive, and I applaud the effort. They really were some good boys.

John Wick: Chapter 3 did what it needed to do. It gave over-the-top but brilliant fight scenes full of excitement and satisfying blows. While adding to the story does help a lot, Keanu Reeves kicking ass is what fans really come for. He did just that, and they went above and beyond with everything around him. While it could have been shortened a bit to make it more clean and concise, it’s still an action movie worth watching nonetheless.

The Hall Score: 8/10

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Detective Pikachu Review

A cute adventure for Pokemon fans and non-fans alike

Pokemon is a magical world that millions of people have explored through things like video games, TV, and trading cards. Now, Pokemon makes it to the big screen to attract a new generation of fans.

Directed by Rob Letterman (Monsters vs. Aliens, Shark Tale), Pokemon Detective Pikachu follows Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) who goes on a journey of self-discovery with his partner Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds) to solve the mystery surrounding the death of his father.

I’ll start off by saying that this is a dream come true for Pokemon fans such as myself. Everyone who has played these games has wondered what life would be like with these cute little creatures inhabiting our world. They show you what that world likes and go above and beyond with it. The design of the Pokemon is adorable, the CGI is fantastic, and they really make these fictional creatures come alive.

Along with that, the city and environments themselves are also beautiful. They built the atmosphere to make it feel like a world that has some life and depth to it. It makes feel like building upon this to make a film franchise for Pokemon is a very real possibility that I’m extremely excited for.

Despite all of that, the film lacks real substance beyond the design of everything. The story fumbles around and is hard to keep track of, and the writing doesn’t help it. While it’s still enjoyable, some of the lines do occasionally take you out of it. It just feels scattered, and it does make the movie itself rely more on the visuals and spectacle of the Pokemon.

The saving grace there is by far Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu. I was skeptical at first, but Reynolds did what Reynolds does. He’s hilarious as ever, and charismatic even in a cute little yellow body. His character felt like a PG Deadpool and that’s absolutely a good thing. His constant quips and responses to Smith’s character take the main relationship to another level.

Overall, the movie is super cute, and definitely worth watching if you’re a fan of Pokemon or Ryan Reynolds, but don’t go in expecting an amazing film. It’s a cute little feature to show off Pokemon, and hopefully it will lead to more of its kind in the near future. If all goes well, this could be the beginning of something spectacular.

The Hall Score: 7/10

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Booksmart Review

Strap in for this one, that’s all I have to say

Disclaimer: This review was originally written as content for the University Daily Kansan

The coming-of-age story has been seen on the big screen countless times, with many following white male characters. Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut “Booksmart” has a fresh, positive take on the trope that includes plenty of surprises, laughs and diversity.

The story follows two high school overachievers Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) who realize before graduation they may have missed out on any special teenage memories during their time in high school. The two girls then decide to make up for it by setting out to have one last night full of partying and adventure that becomes chaotic very quickly.

The film is phenomenal. If I didn’t know any better, I wouldn’t believe this is Wilde’s first project. It’s well-paced, the characters are great, the humor feels new  — and it tackles diversity like no other. It feels like the modern “Superbad,” but better.

The first thing you notice is the strength of the relationship between the two leads. Dever and Feldstein’s chemistry is palpable as the two go in and out of different situations that test them while also showing how close the friends truly are. Their back and forth banter is hilarious, and their unrelenting support of each other is one of the most wholesome things I’ve seen in a movie.

That’s not to take away from the supporting characters though. The cast features a multitude of different personalities that never feel one-dimensional. There were some truly electric performances out of some of the side characters that add to the dynamic of the movie and everything it takes you through.

The main relationship holds the humor in the movie together. While the different situations are funny in their own ways, how the two react to everything thrown at them enhances it even more. It’s also not the same tropes you always get, much of the situations or jokes in the movie feel new and not like something that you’ve seen before in other movies. There were quite a few times where I was completely caught off guard, but that made me appreciate it even more. That freshness just makes it all that more funny.

It doesn’t go over-the-top though. While many comedies tend to fall apart when it comes to the actual story and the more serious aspects of the movie, “Booksmart” keeps from doing that. The character arcs feel satisfying and focused while also not losing its comedic side.

The movie is polished. Some of the shots are absolutely gorgeous, and the pacing and editing keep you on the edge of your seat for the entire time. I don’t think there was a single boring point in the movie. It’s the perfect balance of quick bursts of action and humor before giving you just enough breathing room to leave you wanting more.

What truly makes “Booksmart” a beautiful movie is how inclusive it is. Many films try to add in diversity because, obviously, diversity is good. The problem with that is sometimes it feels unnatural how the different characters are shoehorned in and it often leads to subpar characters that don’t actually provide real representation. In other cases, they center the plot on how being a woman and/or being queer is something to pity, rather than something to celebrate.

“Booksmart” manages to go beyond all of that and flesh out these characters. The movie feels like it’s made with strong, confident women and LGBTQ+ people in mind. There wasn’t any patronization because they were girls or because Amy is gay, they make sure to show you it’s normal and that being gay doesn’t significantly change her character or the storyline. It feels intimate and it feels real.

“Booksmart” is a must-watch that deserves all the praise it is receiving. It’s chaotic, it’s hilarious, it’s heartwarming, and it’s powerful. It’s one of the best comedies I’ve ever seen. Take the opportunity to grab some friends and go see this gem in theaters, it’s beyond worth it.

“Booksmart” releases nationwide this Friday, May 24.

The Hall Score: 10/10

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Pet Sematary Review

Sometimes dead is better

Disclaimer: This review was originally written as content for the University Daily Kansan

Following the 2017 remake of Stephen King’s “It” becoming the highest-grossing horror movie of all time,the author’s work has been making a comeback. With “Pet Sematary,” the remake of the 1989 film of the same name, directors Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer try to recreate the magic and push it even further. Despite its potential, the attempt to make another Stephen King blockbuster didn’t quite hit its mark.

The story follows a family of four moving to rural Maine from their busy life in Boston. After the parents Louis and Rachel (played by Jason Clarke and Amy Seimetz, respectively) discover a spooky burial ground in the woods near their home, tragedy strikes and Louis goes to his neighbor Jud (John Lithgow) for help. This sets off a chain of events with a mysterious evil threatening the safety of everyone involved.

The movie’s strengths are in its atmosphere and suspense. Throughout a good portion of the film, you can feel the woods’ dreadful aura. When tragedy hits, the mix of sound and imagery makes you feel the family’s sadness, especially from Louis. When things go bad, you’re on the edge of your seat waiting for what will happen next. It’s a slow burn at times, but it feels like it’s properly preparing you for something that will shock and horrify you when the inevitable evil comes to take the family.

However, those strengths come back to bite it in the end. The biggest flaws were easily the pacing and the end of the film. The movie has plenty of build-up leading to the climax, but then the last 15 minutes are rushed before finishing without any real satisfaction. There’s no payoff — it just suddenly ends and the credits roll.

The story and the characters didn’t quite make the impact they were meant to, either. Certain plot points or characters could have made a difference, but it felt like they weren’t built up enough to be significant, or they were just thrown in to push the plot forward. The main characters didn’t get the development that they deserved. There’s an entire subplot about a twisted event in Rachel’s childhood that shows that the filmmakers tried, but it feels disconnected and meaningless.

The movie itself also just isn’t all that scary. It’s suspenseful, but in the end I felt more tense and uncomfortable than terrified; and not the kind of tense or uncomfortable that comes from a good horror film — it has a good scare here and there, but overall it’s more gross than anything else.

“Pet Sematary” is another mediocre horror movie in a genre already bloated with mediocrity and subpar projects. If you’re an avid fan of Stephen King or are just looking for a good spring spook, “Pet Sematary” is worth the watch. Otherwise, this re-envisioning of the story is unnecessary. Jud was right; sometimes dead is better.

The Hall Score: 5/10

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Us Review

Jordan Peele’s sophomore film does not disappoint

After the breakout success of “Get Out,” expectations were high for Jordan Peele’s next major movie, “Us.” After months of teasing from Peele on Twitter, the wait is finally over and it seems that he has delivered once again. The film debuted at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and despite the fact that it has slightly fallen after opening nationwide, there is positive buzz from critics and fans alike.

The story follows Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) as she goes on a trip with her husband (Winston Duke) and her two kids (Shahadi Joseph, Evan Alex) to a beachfront where she had a traumatic experience in her childhood. Everything seems fine until four mysterious intruders appear in the night, a duplicate family of themselves.

This movie delivers multiple integral aspects of film near perfectly. The acting is phenomenal, the cinematography is unique and unsettling, the building of atmosphere is extremely well done, and the blending of horror and comedy is flawless. The only real “issue” of the movie that people are talking about is that if you look deep enough, there’s some holes in the story that don’t quite add up. I disagree. Part of the beauty of it is that unlike “Get Out,” the meaning isn’t straightforward and obvious. It’s up to the viewer to interpret what they watched and make sense of the sequences and events that took place.

One thing that is just so impressive about the performances is the fact that each of these actors had to perform two conflicting roles. Lupita Nyong’o absolutely killed her performance. You can feel her emotion throughout and her duplicate self is absolutely terrifying. There’s a fight sequence near the end of the film that is so well done, I can’t stop thinking about it. I genuinely believe that she will have a shot for Best Actress with this role. She stole the show and that’s that.

Winston Duke also does a great job of playing that heartwarming but embarrassing dad. He’s a great comedy relief throughout, but when he needs to focus up, he does what he needs to do to take care of business protect the family. My last acting shout-out will go to someone who will likely not get talked about as much, Elisabeth Moss. Playing a family friend, she’s somehow able to pull off both a stuck-up diva and a crazy woman side-by-side and make it look easy.

Outside of the actors themselves, just the creativity of Jordan Peele’s cinematography conveys the atmosphere brilliantly. He pulls off shots that make the viewers question the meaning of every little detail, as well as making you feel both unsettled and engaged. This helps with the blending of two very different genres that creates an overall enjoyable experience. If you think “Get Out” was a great mix of horror and comedy, he takes both to the next level with this one. It’s a weird feeling, not knowing whether to laugh or cry throughout a large majority of the movie.

The icing on the cake is the well-balanced pacing of the three acts. It builds well early on, setting things up without being too slow and losing your attention. When the action kicks in, it keeps you engaged without overdoing it through the entire middle hour of the movie, before finishing everything off with a stunning climax that leaves the audience questioning everything that they just witnessed. I never once felt tired or bored. I was intensely focused through every second, whether it was a laugh out loud moment or a scene that was truly horrifying.

“Us” is a must-watch film for horror fans and movie-goers alike, rivaling “Hereditary” as one of the best scary movies in recent history, if not ever. It’s a very different feel from “Get Out” but it’s still spectacular nonetheless. If you have the time, go out and see this movie. It is well worth it. Peele created another masterful film, showing he is not a one-hit wonder, and with that I will be awaiting his next project anxiously.

The Hall Score: 10/10

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Captain Marvel Review

Carol Danvers is here and she is not messing around

Marvel’s first female hero movie Captain Marvel is above all a love story to women and their ability to hit back when they’re knocked down. From the studio pushing back against toxic internet trolls and making the largest grossing female-led movie of all time to the actual themes within the film, it’s evident across the board.

Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the movie follows a Kree warrior named Vers (Brie Larson) who is helping in an intergalactic war against a race of alien shapeshifters called Skrulls. This all seems pretty straightforward until Vers starts remembering bits and pieces of another life on Earth as a woman named Carol. She then gets sent on a mission to the planet to hunt some Skrulls, meets Agent Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), and the story goes from there.

The first half of the film starts rather slow and is a bit confusing, but that’s where the majority of my actual criticism ends. As the movie goes on, things start to pick up and become really enjoyable. Many people have complained about Larson’s performance saying that she comes across as boring but I cannot disagree more. She brings a sense of seriousness and dry humor that fits the character without taking away from her personality. As the movie goes on and she starts to discover her true power, the only word that can describe her is badass.

Along with her, Jackson gives another exceptional performance and steals many of the scenes that he’s in. The de-aging CGI looks phenomenal and the only time his age is really noticeable is when he runs like an old man. His charisma is as present as ever and it really shows when he’s with Goose the cat. I’m just going to leave it there because the only way to truly understand the charm of their relationship is to watch the movie.

The battle scenes are stunning, the suit looks great, and it sets Captain Marvel up perfectly for Endgame. They also set up the Skrulls and Kree well, which makes me optimistic about the future storylines in the MCU involving the two races. The cosmic side of the MCU could be getting much more interesting very soon.

As for the actual core of the movie, the message is empowering and the women of the movie feel rounded and complex rather than many movies where the female characters are more flat and ignored. This was one part that I was worried about with this being their first real female movie, but they executed it well and made sure that Captain Marvel is a character to admire and respect. A highlight of the movie for me was a subtle but noticeable clap-back to fans who early on said that Brie Larson needed to smile more. If anything, this just made me more excited to see more lady superheroes kicking ass in the future.

Overall, this movie isn’t anything super special compared to the rest of the Marvel movies, but in the end, that doesn’t matter. They have their superhero movie recipe and it has yet to disappoint. Captain Marvel is no different. As a big fan of the character, I’m just glad she’s finally been introduced and she’s here to stay. Thanos better watch out, Captain Marvel is here to play and she is not happy.

The Hall Score: 7/10

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