Captain America: Civil War

Z is for Helmut Zemo

It’s the last day of the A-Z in April Challenge and I’m going to end it with a villain that arguably damaged the Avengers the most. Pre-Thanos that is.

Helmut Zemo is a former soldier from Sokovia, who wanted to avenge his family’s death during the Sokovia incident. He wanted to do this by destroying the Avengers, but knowing he was just a man going up against superpowered people, he had to be smart about it.

And that’s the thing, Zemo is really very smart and a brilliant strategist and manipulator. He’s patient, knows how to put a plan together and stick to it, while using the latest developments in the world e.g. the Sokovia Accords, to his advantage.

You could say that Zemo’s plan wouldn’t have been as affective if Steve had told Tony about his parents’ death before being forced to watch the footage of it. if Tony had known there’s probably less chance of him flying off the handle. But Steve didn’t tell Tony, and Zemo’s plan to destroy the Avengers worked.

I think Zemo was a brilliant villain and he’s one that actually achieved what he set out to do. He destroyed the Avengers by turning the two main leaders of the team against one another. He broke the Avenger a part. Friendships were destroyed, some members of the Avengers were on the run and wanted by the UN, and the rest were just hurt and alone.

I think he’s a fascinating villain and I’m pleased that he’s still alive. I think he’d be a great villain to make an appearance again at some point in the future. Although, he’s played his best hand with the secrets about Tony’s parents’ death. Unless he’s managed to dig up something else on various members of the Avengers, I’m not sure he would have the same impact. Maybe it’s because I like Daniel Brühl so much so would like to see more of him in the MCU.

W is for Wanda Maximoff

I really do love Wanda a lot and I especially like how she’s grown into someone who’s more comfortable in their powers and who they are as the series has progressed.

I do think Wanda should be held accountable for her actions. In Civil War it’s clear she’s not ready to be out in the field and so while she did save a lot of people, she inadvertently hurt and killed others. However, she’s still learning and trying to do the right thing and atone for her mistakes.

Wanda is seriously one of the most powerful characters in the MCU. I think she’s up there with Thor and Carol with regards how powerful and potentially dangerous they are. I mean, she held back Thanos who had five Infinity Stones at the time while simultaneously destroying a sixth Infinity Stone! She’s so strong and badass and amazing! But as well as being a badass, she’s sweet and caring and loving too.

I’ve got to take a moment to mention one of my favourite character dynamics in the MCU – Wanda and Clint’s relationship. He’s like a surrogate dad to her and I love how they talk to one another and protect each other in battle. Wanda’s way stronger than him with her powers, but because of her past she isn’t so confident or aware of the world compared to Clint so they can help each other out when they need it. Also, I totally believe Wanda’s has gone and babysat Clint’s kids while he and his wife go out for dinner more than once.

REVIEW: Captain America: Civil War (2016)

My original review of Captain America: Civil War from May 2016 is here, and my spoiler-filled rambling review is here.

After a series of a mission that put the public in danger, the Avengers are told they need to be regulated by the U.N. While Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) believes their actions need guidance, Steven Rogers (Chris Evans) doesn’t trust politician’s involvement. The rift between them causes a divide in the team that’s only furthered when Steve’s friend and former assassin Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) reappears.

Captain America: Civil War does a great job at showing both sides of this conflict over the Sokovia Accords – the agreement that will put the Avengers in check. You not only get to see both Steve and Tony’s opinions on it, but also why various other characters ultimately end up on a certain side. The film shows how there’s shades of grey in these opposing views and that’s where some characters end up, Natasha (Scarlett Johansson) is the notable example of this.

For a film jam-packed with superheroes Captain America: Civil War never feels overcrowded. This is due to the script and how the story is continuously moving on from one conflict or reveal to another. Each character has their moment to shine, though for some that may last longer than others, and it’s a thrill to see these character’s we’ve seen over the course of multiple films fight together and against one another. You feel for these characters and their strained relationships because you’ve grown attached to them over the years, and because all the actors involved give brilliant performances – Downey Jr. and Stan especially.

There are some characters making their first appearance in Civil War, Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Spider-Man (Tom Holland), and both of them make a big impression and leave you wanting more from their individual films.

The action sequences are exciting and are on the whole well-shot and easy to follow. The humour that runs through the film never detracts from the seriousness of the situations the heroes finds themselves in, instead it gives you a brief moment to breathe before the tension builds once again.

At Civil War’s heart it’s a story of friendship. The friendship between Steve and Bucky that’s spanned decades and the new one between Steve and Tony which has never really found its footing. Captain America: Civil War has it all, great action sequences, humour and drama but it never forgets about what is important – the characters, their motivations and their relationships. There are some minor quibbles like the tonal palette of the film is decidedly grey and it could be argued it’s more Avengers 2.5 than Captain America 3, but all in all it’s a fantastic film. 5/5.

My Top Ten Favourite Films of 2016

It’s the end of the year so that means it’s time for best-of lists! So if you haven’t spotted my top ten list on HeyUGuys Movie Bloggers Top Ten – a list you should check out because it’s interesting to see what a load of different bloggers love – here is my top ten and my thoughts on each film. Now please note, all of these were released in the UK in 2016 because as you’ll notice, a couple of these films came out last year in America. If the film title has a link, it goes to my review of it. These are kind of in order but really the only one that has a definite spot is my number one film of the year, nothing has beaten it.

10. 13th
13th is a powerful and important documentary about the American prison system and racism in America. It’s shocking and frustrating at times because it shows how racism is almost encouraged through laws, still it’s riveting film everyone should watch.

9. Midnight Special
Midnight Special really surprised me. It’s definitely one of those films that benefits from going into it knowing as little as possible. It’s a beautiful film full of love and hope and a special kind of magic.

8. Spotlight
Spotlight was so stressful but so good! Just seeing the time and effort this group of ordinary journalists to share the truth about something so horrible is inspiring (more…)

SPOILER REVIEW: Captain America: Civil War (2016)

I posted my spoiler-free review of Captain America: Civil War a few days ago and you can read that here. This my spoiler review and it’s kind of ended up in any old order where I mostly talk about each character and what I liked about them. Be warned this is a long post – it’s over 1,800 words! Now below is all my spoiler-filled thoughts on the movie so once again you have been warned! I really advise you not to read any further if you haven’t seen the film. (more…)

REVIEW: Captain America: Civil War (2016)

captain america civil war posterAfter a string of dangerous and deadly missions that put the public at risk, the Avengers are told they must be regulated by the U.N. While Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) agrees with these measures, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) doesn’t trust them. This causes a divide between the team that’s only exasperated when Steve’s best friend and former assassin Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) resurfaces.

Anthony and Joe Russo return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after directing Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the way they put together this film is great. The action sequences are well-shot, there’s only a few instances of shaky-cam and most of the time fight scenes are framed in a wide shot so you can see exactly what’s going on. Also the way they manage to film multiple characters fighting but you never lose focus of where each character is and what they are doing is truly commendable.

A big part of the film is obviously this conflict between Steve and Tony and the sides various characters choose. The great thing about Captain America: Civil War is that you understand why these characters disagree and as the viewer you can see it’s not black and white and there’s pros and cons to both sides of the argument. At the beginning of the film there’s a sit down discussion between a lot of the characters and you get why the stakes are so high and what these regulations mean to them all.

The tension builds between all the characters as the film progresses and in many ways it’s similar to a Bourne thriller as characters go on the run and try to figure out the truth. While I won’t go into any depth of the different characters motivations, I can’t not mention Prince T’Challa aka Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman). He is a guy who has the weight of a country on his shoulders but he is still fallible. He isn’t particularly on anyone’s side, he is on his own side and it makes him an interesting third party to this conflict. Civil War gives Black Panther a brilliant introduction and there’s going to be many people excited about his solo film.

There are a lot of characters in this movie but thanks to a great script, they all get their moment in the spotlight though some may have that moment longer than others. Really while Civil War is in a way both a sequel to Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, at the heart of it, it is a Captain America movie. It’s the relationship between Steve and Bucky that drives a lot of their character motivations, and the motivations of a lot of the characters around them. the two of them are the heart of the film and it’s a good job Evans and Stan have such a good understanding of their characters and give such great performances because if they didn’t, Captain America: Civil War really wouldn’t be as good as it is.

Captain America: Civil War is a phenomenal film. While there’s all this conflict and amazing action sequences, at the heart of the film is the characters and their relationships. It’s what drives the plot and makes the film so great. 5/5.

TRAILER REACTION: Captain America: Civil War

civil war poster elenasquareeyesIt’s been ages since I’ve done a trailer reaction – probably since the last Marvel trailer came out to be honest – but when I watched the first Civil War trailer, it got me so excited for the film that I had to just word vomit my thoughts.

I shall preface this by saying when it was first announced that the next Captain America film would be about Civil War I wasn’t that happy/a bit apprehensive because I’ve read the comic of Civil War and that as much more far-reaching than a Marvel Cinematic Universe film could be because it has all the superheroes, not just the ones that Marvel/Disney own. Also the shift to Tony Stark siding with the government after all his mistrust of SHIELD and authority in general seemed a bit strange to me plus I didn’t necessarily want Iron Man taking over a film that’s supposed to be Captain America’s.

But! After watching the first trailer I have to say pretty much all my fears have been put to rest and I’m now loving the look of this film and I can’t wait till May.

Captain America: Civil War looks like a deeply personal film for Steve Rogers as really all he cares about is his best friend Bucky and wanting to protect him now that Bucky is starting to remember who he really is. Captain America: Civil War still has the feel of The Winter Solider, it still feels like a political thriller but with superheroes and this great friendship at the heart of it. It feels gritty and real without being too depressing and the final wide-shot of Bucky and Cap beating the hell out of Iron Man was both an incredibly shot and actually kinda sad – things I didn’t think I’d get from watching this trailer, feeling sorry for Tony Stark. (more…)