Captain America: Civil War — A Dope Love Song
Who among us would have predicted, years ago, that Captain America would have the best trilogy amongst the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe(MCU)? Seriously, in the three times that I’ve tried to watch Captain America: The First Avenger, I’ve never made it through once without falling asleep. Coupled with Captain America being the righteous embodiment of truth, justice, and the American Way (read as: A Square), I just never saw it coming. But here I am, having watched Captain America: Civil War twice and completely applauding Marvel Studios. Outside of the Avengers films, Captain America’s trilogy (The First Avenger, Winter Soldier, & Civil War) has had the largest impact on the MCU. From subversive shadow organizations to a timeless assassin who probably shot Tupac, the Captain America trilogy has given us several notes that continue to echo throughout the MCU.
That said, Captain America: Civil War isn’t just a sensible “next step” in the story. It isn’t just a movie that, despite having a chunky cast, doesn’t lose the audience in the labyrinth of “who’s who.” It isn’t just a movie that gives us fight scenes with character instead of “combat pornography.” It isn’t just Henry Jackman returning from scoring Winter Soldier to deliver musical composition that is neither underwhelming nor overbearing. No, Civil War isn’t just any of these things.
It’s also a love song…a really dope love song.
Love is the key in the ignition that really gets the movie rolling (with a little help from a failed suicide bombing). It is the driving force behind the not two, but three sides to this “civil war.” The primary conflict exists between the heroes who favor the Sokovian Accords, (a document placing the Avengers under the direct oversight of the United Nations) led by Tony Stark(Robert Downey Jr.) and those opposed to being regulated by governments with potentially (read as: absolutely, positively having) hidden agendas, led by Steve Rogers(Chris Evans). Now, while these two gentlemen may present themselves as pillars of moral right & left, they are motivated by more selfish reasons than they care to admit.
Tony, as Ironman, has evolved from carefree, billionaire playboy into a paranoid man bent on providing protection to the one woman he loves behind the cold logic of providing security for the world. It is Stark’s desire that led to the creation of the airships in Washington D.C. as well as caused the creation of the genocidal villain, Ultron. He’s been the progenitor of two instances that have caused the casualties the Avengers are (in a round-about way) responsible for and its understandable to see why he would be pro-Sokovian Accords.
Steve, as Captain America, has similarly evolved. From the idealistic soldier who always follows orders, to the man who now sees that the people calling the shots aren’t always what they appear, Cap has realized that the only way to protect the American ideals that led him to rep the Red, White, & Blue is to maintain some form of autonomy from Government influence.
Oh, yeah…his best friend, Bucky, has also, sort of been an assassin for the last sixty-some-odd years, but everyone knows Bromance > Government rules.
That’s everyone important, so who’s the third side?
You better watch your tone when you inquire about royalty. Especially when royalty is “bout that action, boss.”
Beast mode would be the best way to describe Marvel’s introduction of T’Challa, otherwise known as Black Panther, to the MCU. T’Challa(Chadwick Boseman) is brought into the Royal Rumble that is Civil War when a terrorist attack takes the life of T’Challa’s father, T’Chaka, King of Wakanda. Following his death, T’Challa describes his father as a loving, peaceful man.
He then follows up with “I am not my father,” kicking off the well-focused rampage of revenge that characterizes Black Panther for the rest of the film. While being placed on the figurative chessboard alongside Ironman’s pieces for the ensuing superhuman fisticuffs, Black Panther is a man unto his own devices. He cares little for the politics of the Sokovian Accords and even less for the relationship of the Avengers. He simply wants one man dead.
You can’t coach that kind of dedication, folks.
Now, there is a “villain” pulling strings here and there amidst the film and he, too, is motivated by love. Love of his family; his father, his wife, and his son. A family that was killed in Sokovia during the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron. This man, Colonel Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl), moves with the intent to “topple an empire” throughout the entire film. Unlike previous sociopaths who have crossed swords with the Avengers, Zemo is (despite being Sokovian Special Forces) a regular joe. However, through scheming, gambling, and a desire for vengeance hardened by the fires of pain born from love, Zemo manages to pose the biggest threat to the Avengers they have seen since their incarnation.
Marvel gave us an evil Batman, folks. Minus the mommy issues.
Captain America: Civil War was as much a love song within the film, riding the ebb and flow of love, loss, pain, regret, and betrayal to various degrees as it was a love song to us, the viewers. It is the product of eight years of drawing us deeper and deeper into a relationship until they were ready to set us up for the proposal. And what a proposal it was!
Starting with the flashback mission of December 16, 1991, moving into the opening conflict and suicide bombing, and flowing seamlessly into disputes about the Accords and the attack on the United Nations, Civil War had us from the very first time we saw their brown eyes. The entire film is a ballad composed for us by Marvel. It sweeps us off our feet, and has our eyes glued to screen as if it was the shiniest diamond ring being slipped onto our left hand. The Airport fight scene, which brought us the best incarnations of Spider-Man(Tom Holland) and Ant-Man(Paul Rudd) to date, was the perfect crescendo to the building force of this song.
It was like listening to Brian McKnight’s “Back At One”…with explosions.
The denouement of the film, which culminated in a much anticipated fight scene, was Marvel taking a page from a well known rapper-turned-singer out of Toronto and letting the instrumentals run so that we can dwell on everything that just happened…and everything that may soon come.
There is no need to compare this film to any other film in the Superhero Genre.
It’s like comparing Beyonce & Taylor Swift. They both do their thing…
But we know who can really sing.
Edited by T.A. Dawson
