The story of Captain America is one that should conceivably speak to many types of people. A scrawny kid from Brooklyn named Steve Rogers with pennies to his name - not even enough for an actual pair of shoes - enlists in the Army in hopes of protecting his country but, more importantly to him, make the world a better place.
Fast-forward about 7 decades or so. There's been an Awakening. (lel) The First Avenger finds himself in a strange and vast and DENSE new world armed only with his shield and sensibilities. But with power comes responsibility: including the responsibility of the dozens (possibly thousands) of innocent deaths at the hands of The Avengers' brand of super-powered justice.
Before the Opening Sequence is even complete one must ask themselves, "When was the last time collateral damage was mentioned in a super hero movie? If ever?" Far too often you see one end of the spectrum or another in regards to this. Transformers' all-too-convenient lack of humanity; Man of Steel's problematic disregard of humanity. Both ends are lazy and unimaginative, but with Civil War we have the complex middle ground. Characters who want to stay true to their duty, but also struggling to reconcile the brutal realities of their work.
One such reality is the ever-expanding reach of Governing Bodies. Not just Uncle Sam. Well over 100 countries around the world have lined up at the UN to help put a leash on The World's Most Powerful Heroes. Understandably, the people are spooked by the prospect of a Super Soldier, a Demigod, a man with a Billion-dollar Battle Suit and a Big Green Monster Man under one roof.
The question then:
Does one sacrifice a bit of their professional pride and privacy to win the hearts and minds of the people, OR does one stay true to the only feelings and convictions they've ever known despite how ugly it looks on paper? This question becomes the engine behind the main conflict between our two main characters: Capt. Steve Rogers and Mr. Tony
Dawn of Justice was a masterclass...of what happens when you aren't allowed to have fun in a comic book movie. Take for example the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (Yes. A comic book adaptation.) People have different thoughts about the different versions. Live-action or animated; 90's or 00's. Everyone has their favorite version. You enjoyed yourself. You had fun watching them on that level. I had never been in a comic movie before where there was no fun to be had. Not even an unintentional laugh. No matter where you rank in knowledge or experience you are a fan at the end of the day. It's the reason you are in the theater. Certain movies forget this at times, but thankfully Civil War didn't.
Civil War knows it's own endgame. We've been building up to this showdown between Cap and Iron Man since Iron Man 2.
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| The disrespect |
Even before he was thawed out, there was shade. Tony had to listen to his magnate father go on and on about how he knew Captain America. Speaking about him more as a son than he would to his own son. Imagine having to live up to a legend? A war hero, even. Respect and disdain are not mutually exclusive.
Tony and Steve are associates, but Steve and Bucky are best friends. Yet another hurdle to climb when it comes time to reason with the WWII veteran. It would be one thing if one side or another had the clear idealogical advantage. Unfortunately, the way it works out, both sides make a legitimate and compelling case. "You know what guy, you're totally right! Oh, but you kinda have a really good point, as well. Hmm. This is difficult. Glad I don't have to make a decision."
And how glad I was that the movie didn't cut corners in that regard. We see characters make those tough decisions and, for the most part, stick by them. (Double agents not withstanding.) And indeed there are consequences. Those that were heralded as heroes in the previous adventure are instead arrested as criminals. Which reminds me: there are a lot of heroes in this film.
All the returning Avengers. The Winter Soldier. War Machine. Semi-Retired Hawkeye. Even Ant-Man joins the fun. Conspicuous by their absence are Thor and Hulk, clearly doing something more important than playing footsies with the United Nations. But perhaps the most important attendees are the newest arrivals.
Prince T'Chala - Heir to the Throne of Wakanda - is the man who would be The Black Panther. As the King of his People, Black Panther is responsible for their protection and survival. When it is made to believe that The Winter Soldier has bombed an embassy, resulting in the death of T'Chala's father, the new King sets out on his own mission for justice. It easily could have been hackneyed and retread as most revenge arcs go. However, as the story resolves itself, T'Chala is perhaps one of the few characters to truly glean anything from his adventure. Perhaps the first of many leading roles for Chadwick Boseman.
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| Oh, and there's this guy. |
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| He needs a teacher! |
Sorry. Wrong cataclysm. What he needs is training. And what better way to train than with other heroes against other heroes that won't actually try to kill him - probably. Due to licensing issues we've never seen Spider-Man interact with even one of these characters before. Making it so very cool when the kid from Queens meets the kid from Brooklyn.
Shout-outs to young Tom Holland for playing a believably young, lovably earnest Peter Parker. I fully support him as my Spidey for the next 5-7 years. And Marisa Tomei is his more reasonably aged Aunt May. So...perhaps there is someone looking out up there. Good work.
Now that the Captain America Trilogy has been completed it seems fair to start thinking about where it ranks with other great movies all-time. I've heard talk already about these movies versus The Dark Knight Trio of films. Civil Wars' theater life has only just begun and it is still a bit early to see how history will look back on The Dark Knight Rises. To speak personally, I really liked this movie. In fact, I liked all of Captain America's movies. There wasn't one that I disliked, which is saying something seeing as the first three Spidey movies weren't even as lucky. Completion. Consistency. Constant improvement. Not unlike Captain Rogers himself. See this film. Then see the first two. Then see this one again. Enjoy the ride while it lasts.
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