On March 8, 2019, Marvel Studios released one of the most anticipated movies of the year: Captain Marvel.
With a strong female lead, this movie brought a refreshing change to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While this development was welcomed by many, there are a select few who have found fault with the film, critiquing everything from the plot to the actors. All of this backlash falls under a central claim: Captain Marvel promotes misandry.
It is common for movies of all genres to face criticism, regardless of content or cast. The negativity toward Captain Marvel, however, is representative of Hollywood’s ongoing fight for gender equality. The nature of the comments proves that Hollywood has a ways to go before it can claim to be fair for all who are a part of it.
Among the complaints are Brie Larson not smiling enough, the film containing radical feminism, and the film’s hero not having a true hero’s physique. Not only are these complaints subjective, they also demonstrate a certain degree of sexism.
According to Caroline Christopherson, a senior at PV, the stylistic choices made for portraying Captain Marvel are actually a good thing. “Captain Marvel not fitting straight, white males’ opinions of what a woman should be means she is exemplifying what a heroine truly is.”
By justifying their feelings with loyalty to the original comics, some fans are getting away with unjustly shaming the film. The expectation on women to always smile has been a topic of discussion for many feminist groups, and the complaint being thrown on a movie as popular and significant as Captain Marvel validates the concerns many have.
To publicize their complaints, some individuals displeased with the movie began leaving negative reviews prior to the movie’s release in an effort to sway the public’s opinion and discourage them from seeing the movie. Due to this, Rotten Tomatoes, a movie review company, has adjusted its website so users can no longer post reviews on a film before it is released.
This negativity towards the movie sums up how Hollywood currently treats actresses. Although women are seeing an increase in representation in lead roles, they are yet to be treated as equally to men. “People should just get used to more and more women being stars,” said Christopherson. “Our country is 50 percent male and 50 percent female. Hollywood needs to be, too.”
