(Movie) “Captain Marvel” Review

“I’m not going to fight your war. I’m going to end it.”
-Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel

Image Source: Here

So I just watched Captain Marvel a few days ago, and I must say that it’s quite a fun ride.

First off, I’ve watched all of MCU’s major titles (which means I haven’t watched any of the Netflix series), so I go to the cinema with expectations. Nevertheless, the main reason why I decide to watch this title in the first place was due to wanting to find out more about Avengers: Endgame and how Carol Danvers is supposed to be the rumored ‘next front liner of MCU’.

Captain Marvel takes place in 1995, and its about the war between the Kree and the Skrulls, two major races from outer space. The Skrulls escape to Earth, Carol Danvers, which is part of the Kree, chases them down, stumbling upon Nick Fury along the way, and the duo figures how to get out of this mess. As the story progresses, the plot thickens a bit, mainly towards Carol Danvers and the background of the Kree and Skrulls.

You shall remember Goose the Cat Image Source: Here

So the thing is, the movie starts of a bit slow (but still entertaining). In the middle, the pace quickens, but it goes so fast that I find it lackluster in certain parts. The characters are actually portrayed nicely, especially Talos and Nick Fury! The twist on the Skrulls was quite unexpected for me, and young Nick Fury never fails to amuse the entire audience with his funny comments.

Sadly, those two are the most memorable aspects of the movie (oh, plus the scenes with Goose the Cat). Carol Danvers’ origin is not as impactful as Tony Stark’s, Steve Roger’s, or even Starlord’s in my opinion. There are just too many expositions and they are not even explained that thoroughly. It’s like we are presented a number of introductions as to who Carol Danvers is as a person, and that’s it. There is a lack of build up to it, and once the secret’s out, it lacks that emotional impact that (I think) it’s meant to deliver.

This makes Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel not too engaging as a character; she even feels a bit linear and cliched (I do believe Captain America is somewhat cliched too). But yeah, I can’t seem to get attached to her. Plus, the point before the climax seemed rushed, so it almost feels like a deus ex machina for me. Since this is supposed to be an origin movie to get the audience more invested in Captain Marvel as a character, this is quite a problem.

Is Danvers a cool character? Yes! Is she a great character? Not so much. Image Source: Here

Now, don’t hate me for this, because I do believe Captain Marvel is a good entry to the MCU. It establishes the message that Carol Danvers is powerful (albeit in a rushed manner) and that she is a figure fit to possibly spearhead the next phase of MCU; the movie doesn’t stray from the awesome comedic moments and humor of most MCU titles, and the special effects are downright stunning. The thing is, when compared to some renowned MCU titles such as Black Panther, Thor: Ragnarok, even the okay-ish Avengers: Infinity War (I really need to get that review going), it’s nowhere near their enjoyment.

Rating from me: 3/5

What do you think of Captain Marvel? Do you like it or not? Let us discuss it below at the comments! 😀

(Videogame) “Subnautica” Review

“We shouldn’t have gone so deep. They do not want us down there”
-Bart Togal, Subnautica

It’s beautiful, yet terrifying
Image Source: Here

It’s been quite some time since I played a PC game; mostly due to my old laptop’s incapability to play modern titles satisfyingly. So a few months back after I replaced my old laptop, I can finally play those anticipated titles!

The first title that I purchased immediately after the upgrade was Unknown Worlds’ Subnautica. I’ve always been fascinated by the vast ocean, wondering what creature lurks in its depths, so Subnautica really piqued my curiosity since the first time I heard about it. So, I dove in, and there were times I felt I wouldn’t want to go back up to the surface 😀 .

Subnautica is a simple game; you get stranded at an unknown planet which is basically 99% ocean, and you have to survive with your cutting-edge tech, gathering valuable materials and avoid colossal predators in the process. It’s a survival game in a traditional sense, where you gather materials, avoid being killed, avoid starving, and build better equipment to gain access into certain areas.

Will you be terrified of this sight?
Image Source: Here

So gameplay wise, it’s pretty good. The fact that they keep things simple makes you familiar with the game in a couple of minutes, and they don’t really have hundreds of stuff for you to craft, so you don’t have to worry about being lost in a sea of crafting trees. This simplicity enables you to really explore the planet (called 4546B) and indulge yourself in its beauty as well as terror.

Yep, terror! The day/night cycle in the game really switches things out. Once it’s night, you will need to rely on your flashlight or glowing fauna/flora for vision, and with some really large creatures looming around (called leviathans), you don’t really feel safe, especially when you can hear the terrifying roar of the Reaper Leviathan.

Do you fear the depths? You will.
Image Source: Here

There is much to discover; from the beautiful shallows, underwater volcanoes and geysers, the dark depths, alien bases, to the large shipwrecks, you won’t be bored with the exploration! Each of these biomes have their own ecosystem, so expect different plantlife and sea creatures. Kudos to the developers for creating this awesome biodiversity 🙂 .

Story-wise, it’s pretty good too! Your primary tool to uncover the secrets of Planet 4546B is through your PDA; you can scan the plants, creatures, and objects with it to obtain their data (like a Pokedex), or download data from data terminals to get their entries and know more about this planet. There are also logs and recordings of some survivors that you can get, some of which really send chills down your spine.

Yep, you can craft your own super cool submarines!
Image Source: Here

So as you explore, you will marvel at the world; from the sheer size of the animals, to the glory of the nature, even the cool-tech and awesome vehicles you can use. Unknown Worlds have integrated storytelling with engaging gameplay in a nearly flawless manner, so the experience is pretty smooth!

That being said, there are a number of bugs, such as getting stuck in narrow places, fishes that can swim through walls and into your base, animals getting stuck in weird places, to name a few. Gathering the materials for crafting can also feel like a chore after a while for certain people. Thankfully, there are commands (or cheats, as some people might call it) to help you speed things up or to free yourself from game-breaking bugs.

To conclude, Subnautica is a wonderful take on the survival genre, and it really shows that survival games can also deliver something new to the table as well as present great stories. This is not just a survival story; it’s a story of man vs nature and how they need to actually coexist, and that humans are actually scarier than the largest of leviathans.

Go play it and experience the excitement!

Rating from me: 4/5

Have you played Subnautica yet? Let’s discuss about the game together in the comments! 😀