I read an article the other day, published on the Gospel Coalition website. It amounted to an attack on the newest Marvel movie "Captain Marvel", claiming it was anti-gospel, honing in on the feminist rhetoric of the film. It is the first time I can remember being so disappointed in those who run the website.
Then, I also read several reviews, by male friends whom I generally share similar opinions about many films, and they were also unimpressed by Captain Marvel. It was shocking for me to read, as my opinion was very different.
While it was not the best stand alone Marvel hero film, I accredited much of that to the difficult sandwiching of the film between Infinity War and Endgame. I may be making large assumptions, but this Captain Marvel movie wasn't about showcasing Captain Marvel primarily, but to introduce certain necessary components of her story and powers, so that her role in Endgame is fleshed out and understood for the casual movie goer.
I was surprised, by how much levity and character development they were able to bring to the table. Antman and Wasp already had a foundation to build from, for their mid Infinity War-Endgame place, but Carol Danver's story exists in this dead space of time in the cinematic universe. They were able to tie her story into the universe we already knew, while providing at least 5 new characters for an audience to be curious about and identify with.
But here is where the problems begins, while a woman finally has a choice of competent women and girls to identify with, it seems men were unable to find that person in this film. Talos was a man who desperately searched the universe for his hidden family. From what we can gleam of him in the film, Talos was unable to protect his family alone, he needed to allow others to help him. Next we have Fury and Coulson. We see both men are at much younger, innocent, and ultimately less powerful points in their lives. While many men want to identify with the older versions of these men, he younger versions of these men are found lacking when compared to their more mature selves.
The final major male character in this film is Yon-rogg. He is a warrior. He is a mentor. And ultimately he is poised in the role of villain. On the surface his villainy is that of a deceiver (like Loki) but not much more than that. His means were bad. His goal was bad. He has killed many people, but it is war time for his people, and while it is unjust, he is just the messenger carrying out the order for his commander, the supreme being. No one wants to associate with the villain, but I think many men are left doing so and it was uncomfortable. (As it should be. Yon-rogg is a scary villain because of how familiar he is)
There is one more significant male role in Carol's life. We don't see him much, but it is her father, and the part he plays is significant. In the frustrating article I read from Gospel Coalition, it argued this:
"As I consider Disney’s new depiction of femininity in Captain Marvel, I cannot help but mourn. How far we’ve come since the days when we sought to protect and cherish our women. The great drumroll of the previous Avenger movies led to this: a woman protecting men and saving the world. The mightiest of all the Avengers — indeed, after whom they are named — is the armed princess turned feminist queen, who comes down from the tower to do what Prince Charming could not."
And
"Unquestionably, men ought support women’s desires to be affirmed, respected, and honored. But indeed, few actions display our resolve to honor our women more than excluding them from the carnage of the battlefield. "
Sir- I can respect your heart for what you are saying. I too believe that men and woman are created equal, but ultimately different. I too believe men are generally called by God to bear the brunt of physical sacrifice of this nature. But her ferocity in the physical war was not the REAL story line. Whether US. Air-force or Kree guard, those battles and wars were secondary plot in this movie.
If you read Psalm 31 you will not see a pretty princess waiting in a tower to be saved. And if you actually look at Carol's life, you will see there were no men willing to be the type of man you are proposing we see. Her father, yelled at her for racing rather than checking to see if she was uninjured. Her go cart flipped over multiple times, her skin was black with burns, dirt and grease and his reaction was anger and not concern. This reaction is common. This reaction is sinful. Protecting a woman from danger is not banning her from the action, but acknowledging that you will willingly going her stead, so she might not have to. Carol went to war, because she had no one willing to do it for her. Many people expect Carol and other women to be sad about this, but she wasn't. Many men are offended by her lack of need of them for protection. **side point addressing some other bible based issues... not so much about the film. As a woman who is a follower of Christ, I do not submit myself to the leadership of sinful men out of my need of their protection. I do so because the Lord has called me to. My submission compliments the growth and redemptive story he is forming in their lives. A wife's submission to her husband, reflects Christ's putting himself under the authority of God the Father, which we see time and time again. Be reminded, Men of God, woman are not biblically expected to cower from danger or to submit to any and every male. To assume you know the role God has intended for someone is a dangerous assumption. Only God knows the full story that is being woven in a person's life. Back to film based conversations** As for the Carol doing what the others couldn't. Your claim is simply speculation as to the climax of Endgame. If I am frank, it is a pretty awful guess as too the ending. As of now, Fury not knowing who was left on his team, called in the only back-up he knew, to help those who were left. How someone makes the jump to her replacing them and diminishing their roles and worth as heroes is beyond my understanding.
I mentioned earlier that there is a real war happening in this film. It is the fight that holds the greatest weight in the film. I believe, it is also what the film makers had intended when referring to Captain Marvel being the "biggest feminist movie of all time." Yon-rogg was always the ultimate villain for this film. Carol Danvers was kidnapped, had her identity stolen from her, and she was mentally berated (on a daily basis) by this man. For 6 years, her identity was given from him and found in him alone. This is not some salvation story, it never was. This is a super hero origin story of abuse and oppression. This is the parallel story of sex trafficking. This is the parallel of domestic abuse. This is the parallel of a majority of women's personal stories. Yon-rogg even injected his own blood into hers, lording it over her as a claim of ownership. That is why the cottage scene was so important. Yon-rogg was parading his status, as an abuser would, to to woman he raped and claimed as his own.
Carol Danvers is not an amazing superhero because she can shoot photon beams and go binary. She is a superhero because she stood face to face with her abuser and won. When Carol punched Yon-rogg in the face during his ranting monologue, she became a hero to woman everywhere. This scene was not inspired by the need for just one more bit of fluffy comedic relief. Carol had nothing to prove to him and she realized she was under no obligation to suffer through his abuse, manipulation and lies. The empowerment we see in Carol is not found in her physical dominance of him, but in her assertion of her own worth. She is now in charge of the life he tried to steal.
This movie is the biggest feminist movie of our age so far, because abuse is one of the most common shared experiences among woman in our time. Seeing a woman stand up to her abuser is empowering. Carol did not beat him with her powers, because she always had her powers through the entirety of Yon-rogg's abuses against her. Therefore, we do not identify with her supernatural physical strength. We identify with her mental resilience, depth of emotion, and her ability to ultimately see her inherent worth.
I think this movie is phenomenal. I think everyone should watch it. We as Christians ought to know how much God loves us, but we live in a world where our worth is constantly put into question by others. Finally a movie is communicating what scripture already has been saying. You are not defined by others and how they see you.
Now we need to bring the rest of the message. God loves you, as you are. He sent Christ to die on a cross, so that there would be a way to reconcile the relationship broken by sin. You are loved and worth more than you will know. No one has the ability to remove your worth.
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