Captain America is back. And this time it is all-out war. This cinematic superhero is locked in rivalry with Iron Man and his allies. “Captain America: Civil War” suggests that he is the very man to save his doomy fictional world, and maybe the real movie business of 2016 while he is about it.The picture, out on May 6 in the US after release in other countries, takes the Marvel Comics character to a new high, with an action-packed story that rushes from one set-scene to another.Whatever could be trimmed or made clearer, this is still the 13th film of the highly-successful Marvel Cinematic Universe series that began in 2008. Those cinema goers who are fans of the other Marvel superheroes will probably like this. (So might those engrossed in the similar “DC Extended Universe,” with Batman and Superman, soon to be joined by Wonder Woman and others.)While this is the third Captain America movie, the hero appeared in the other ensemble movies too. The plot twists are enough for non-dedicated fans to lose track. They are quite enough too even for some die-hard enthusiasts, with so many hours of storyline to digest. Each picture is supposedly planned so it can stand alone, but each makes a lot more sense when seen as a part of a bigger story. There are a lot of references that make most sense if taken in context.The mix of characters meshes into an ever-more complex tale of rival empires and factions. To untangle it, here are five takeaway plotlines from the series.1. Flawed Heroes.The first thing to say is that (like DC’s Superman with his Kryptonite) each of the superheroes combines super strength with flaws- Iron Man is an engineering genius but needs his suit of armor; Hulk has anger-management problems that affect his transformation; Captain America has survived death by being frozen in ice and now has problems getting to grip with the modern world.The first six movies, known as “Avengers Assembled,” introduce the main cast starting in 2008 with billionaire engineer Tony Stark declaring he is “Iron Man” after being held captive in an Afghan cave. As Robert Downey Jr. says: “Iron Man. That’s kind of catchy. It’s got a nice ring to it. I mean it’s not technically accurate. The suit’s a gold titanium alloy, but it’s kind of provocative, the imagery anyway.”Onto the second installment, “The Incredible Hulk,” also from 2008, with Bruce Banner having to fight both the US government and the monster that takes over whenever he gets mad.“Iron Man 2” in 2010 is key to understanding the latest movie. By this time, Stark is refusing to surrender his armor to the US senators, suffering health problems and sowing the seeds for confrontation with Captain America.2. Avengers Assembled.Then 2011’s “Thor” has Chris Hemsworth fighting back. A New Mexican town faces destruction from a particularly nasty alien robot. The fallen thunder God is spectacular but less essential to the plot so far.The Chris Evans-starring “Captain America: The First Avenger” in 2011 is required viewing since it paints in the background of the creation of Steve Rogers as the title character and as a near-perfect human. The man with the US supersoldier serum is tough, driven and a born leader. He is plunged into fighting terrorism and war.Finally of the first six, “Marvel’s The Avengers” in 2012 has the superheroes having to work together as a team. It doesn’t all go well and sets up the disagreements between the good Captain and his allies, again crucial for the new film. The final battle lasts more than 40 minutes, with New York at risk of nuclear wipe-out.2 The Second Phase.The sequels multiplied with the next movies, collectively dubbed “The Second Phase,” starting with “Iron Man 3” in 2013, where a post traumatic and severely stressed out Stark gets touchy-feely and even tries to impress girlfriend Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) by destroying his collection of Iron Man suits in the closing blow-out.“Thor: The Dark World” was another side move in 2013 while “Captain America: Winter Soldier” in 2014 explains how Captain America’s trusted S.H.I.E.L.D. espionage agency gets overrun by Hydra baddies. He shifts more toward trusting himself, not other authorities.By “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014) it was obvious that the flexible franchise could go anywhere. It was followed by “Avengers: Age of Ulton” and “Ant-Man” last year. The decimation of Sokovia paved the way for the civil war of the latest installment.4. The Third Phase Captain America: Civil War.This latest movie opens the third part of the series. The acting cast is led by Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson. And the net of Superheroes gets still wider with the Spider Man, played by Tom Holland. Chadwick Boseman introduces T’Challa Black Panther too,Without plot-spoiling, it is no surprise that Stark is guilty over the Ulton incident and wants government action; Rogers is by now distrustful of all big brothers. The distance between the two forces the others to reluctantly take sides.5 Future Universes.The next movie in the series is already getting ready to go, and will be out in November. That one is “Doctor Strange” and will star Benedict Cumberbatch. Superheroes live on to save the world. The series has already taken $9.4 billion at the box office, even before this latest one’s takings are accounted for.
↧