Every MCU Origin Story Ranked From Worst To Best

On paper, Captain Marvel absolutely had the potential to be one of the MCU's strongest origin stories, what with the casting of Brie Larson as Carol Danvers, her pairing opposite Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), and the film's nostalgia-laced '90s setting.

Despite the strong chemistry between Larson and Jackson, though, neither the storyline nor the action sequences rise often enough above acceptability.

There's little creativity or inspiration to either, resulting in a disappointingly by-the-numbers introduction for one of the most powerful Avengers.

Though there are a few amusingly subversive twists - Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) not quite being who we think and the explanation for Fury's damaged eye - directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck don't bring a lot of personality to the table where it matters most.

This feels like an algorithmic Origin Movie rather than a spirited work that does justice to Larson's clear commitment to the part.