Captain America: Civil War
Amidst all the angst, anger, whinging, wailing, and gnashing of teeth over the culture going to hell, one fact remains.
The most popular movie in the world today has as its hero the character that embodies traditional American values like no other… Steve Rogers, aka “Captain America”.
Cap is true blue red, white, and blue, and he’s raking it in at the box office, not only here, but all over the world.
It’s not been so easy for the comic book version of the character.
The Marvel Universe has two components, the comics and the movies.
In the comic book version of “Civil War” they killed Rogers off.
In my opinion, Marvel wanted to make this one of those times they didn’t bring the hero back to life.
He is stodgy and traditional, patriotic, and noble.
He doesn’t fit any of the new parameters about what a hero should be.
He was resurrected when the movie deals came about, but they tried to do away with him again recently, by making him age and lose his “enhanced” abilities.
They gave the shield to a minority hero, because that is the politically correct thing to do these days.
He has been restored once again, but must share the title with the fellow they hoped would replace him.
They can keep trying to be rid of him…but they will always fail.
You can’t replace Steve Rogers as Captain America because what he represents still matters…still rings as true and right to millions and always will.
He still represents who we want to be and how we want our children to be after us.
We still long for noble ideals and nobler men and women to lead us in them.
All is not lost…the spirit of Captain America is strong among us.
It’s a helluva movie too…
Having two daughters from Liberia, I do not mind the “minority hero.”
I don’t mind them either…my beef is they should create new ones and leave the old ones alone.
The Black Panther is a great character and figures prominently in this film.
This must be “let’s take offense day” on the blog.
I’m not offended. Lol
I’m not offended. Lol.
I would think that it would be equally offensive to think that you have to give Falcon some white dude’s mantle in order for him to “get over” with readers. For that matter, who was the most recent super hero to be created that actually sold well without borrowing from some other legacy?
My son took my wife to this movie as his Mothers Day gift. I haven’t seen it yet, but, given your positive review, I will place it on the Red Box list.
I liked one stark bit of realism from the movie; the ‘hero’ who most laments his ‘hero’ status signs up to work for the UN and immediately exploits a minor with propaganda and the promise of wealth, puts the minor in harm’s way . . . and does so unilaterally while telling everyone else to be accountable. That was awesome.
Great popcorn movie, very, very entertaining. I’d like to go back in time and tell 12 year old me “hang on, you won’t believe it, they’ll make a movie with these comic guys and it will amaze you how well they do it. Not a cartoon, either.” 12 year old me can’t believe how well made these movies are.
I’m looking forward to seeing this movie. Having grown up as a comic book addict in the 60’s I don’t mind when a T.V. show or movie deviates in their storytelling. I simply hope they keep cranking them out!
Having never really liked the comics character I was impressed that the movies got me to like Cap. A similarly remarkable feat was Hugh Jackman getting me to not hate Wolverine (a character I still find lame in the comics).
Since Superman keeps getting re-marketed as some inept Christ typology it would appear the only character traditionally allowed to stand for the aspirations of America is going to have to be Cap.
One of the things that’s been fun about the Captain America film series is that the stakes by and large stay national. There’s global implications but the stakes tend to stay within country, as opposed to the end-of-the-world-apocalypse-every-weekend vibe the Avengers has picked up.
I really enjoyed the movie, I have to admit my favorite part was spiderman at the airport, the humor was really right on the mark. A strange thing about many American heroes is we enjoy even relish them gaining their ascendency then hope and pray they fall so that we can spiritually eviscerate them.