'CAPTAIN AMERICA : CIVIL WAR' which I saw earlier this week, is the next instalment from the crew at Marvel, the thirteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the third in the Captain America series following on from 'The First Avenger' in 2011 and 'Winter Soldier' in 2014. This is so far slated to be the final standalone Captain America film, although Chris Evans who plays Steve Rogers/Captain America reappears in the upcoming two-part 'Avengers: Infinity War' due in May 2018 and May 2019, and has stated his willingness to reprise his role further should Marvel be open to this, now that his initial contract has ended. Australia is among the first to get the theatrical release of this film, with the UK going live last week too, and North America on May 6th. So far ahead of its US release having opened already in 37 territories, the film has grossed US$225M. Directed by Anthony & Joe Russo, we have an all star cast of acting talent and superhero muscle who come together and battle it out head to head and toe to toe one year after the events of 'Age of Ultron'.
Following the last Avengers outing there has been another international event that brings The Avengers under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Opening up we see Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olson) on a tour of duty in Lagos, Nigeria chasing down Crossbones (Frank Grillo) who is in possession of a biological weapon. After the initial opening set piece Scarlet Witch mistakenly causes a bomb to be thrown into a near high rise building killing Crossbones and many innocents including relief aid workers.
As a result of this back at Avengers HQ, the Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt) convenes a meeting with The Avengers. He advises those gathered that as a result of recent events in New York, Washington, Sokovia and now Nigeria where there has been too much excessive death, destruction and collateral damage that governments around the world are now calling for a level of control and accountability for when The Avengers should be called upon, and for them to be overseen by a greater authority so regulating superhuman activity, and the potential fallout from it. The United Nations have drawn up 'The Sokovia Accords' setting up an international governing body who will have complete jurisdiction over the group of ever expanding superhumans.
Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jnr.) agrees that regulation is needed and supports such an Act feeling the guilt from creating Ultron and the wonton damage and death of innocents this caused. Steve Rogers/Captain America is opposed to it believing that despite the fall out they have made the world a safer place, and need to be free to intervene when the time and circumstances dictate.
As the Accords are due to be ratified in Vienna with many of the world's leaders and Black Widow looking on and representing those of the Avengers in agreement, an explosion kills the King of Wakanda amongst others - and very quickly The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) is identified as the bomber. The Kings son, T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) who is by his side at the time of the explosion swears revenge on Bucky Barnes, and so begins his one man crusade against his quarry, but first he'll need to get through the divided Avengers who have now split into two with their divided loyalties on either side falling into two differing factions headed up in the one corner by Tony Stark and in the other by Steve Rogers, each with Bucky in their sights too and for different reasons.When the authorities close in, Bucky is captured and so too are the now rogue Avengers, but its not long before they all thwart their captors and Rogers makes off with Barnes to learn what he knows about the bombing. It is revealed that Colonel Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) was behind the bombing and is intending to release five other Winter Soldiers each deadlier than Barnes, from a HYDRA mountain hideaway in Siberia, each frozen ready to be reanimated when the time is right - and that time is now for Zemo.
While this is going on in the background Stark convinces the Secretary of State to allow him to bring Rogers and his rogue Avengers in, believing that he can convince them to see reason. He is given 36 hours to do so. Stark recruits T'Challa and a young web slinging kid who has grabbed his attention - Peter Parker (Tom Holland) to support him, Black Widow, War Machine (Don Cheadle) and Vision (Paul Bettany).
Rogers meanwhile has recruited Ant Man (Paul Rudd), has brought Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) out of early retirement to join him, Falcon, Barnes and Scarlet Witch, and this team also has Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp) now working for the CIA on side too. Things come to a head when worlds collide and the differing factions battle it out head to head at Leipzig/Halle Airport in the greatest superhero stand-off ever seen that is a jaw dropping sequence with a few surprises in store, and just the right amount of tongue in cheek humour to add the necessary levity.
Needless to say whilst they are all Superheroes in their own right no one gets permanently damaged, but some do get locked up in maximum security as a result of their antics. This leaves Rogers and Barnes to chase down Zemo before he reactivates the other Winter Soldiers who could bring a whole new world of pain. This leaves Iron Man left to retrieve the situation and make amends with Captain America if he can. What is revealed in the secret mountain hideaway however, no one was prepared for and only causes a further rift between Stark and Rogers that results in a fight to the 'near' death for the two of them and Barnes. Subsequently the two divided Avengers factions split far and wide with Rogers aided and abetted by a new ally in the form of The Black Panther.
You can expect big things from this film, with the first two grossing US$1.09B and such a formidable collection of assembled Superheroes. This would rank right up there as one of the best if not THE best Marvel big screen adaptation to date. It is everything you want from a blockbusting Superhero movie and more - maturity; great action set pieces; a solid story line; characters you have come to know, love and respect; just the right amount of humour; a few surprises; and a line up of Superhero talent never before amassed on the big screen, and going head to head. Who knows what might have happened if Thor and Hulk were in the mix too - but they do at least get an honourable mention as being AWOL somewhere, but who knows where? It's a great package, and paves the wave as the introductory film to the MCU Phase 3. See it on the big screen - this has set the standard by which others will be judged.
-Steve, at Odeon Online-
No comments:
Post a Comment
Odeon Online - please let me know your thoughts?