Despite his sometimes annoyingly righteous ways, there’s no denying that Captain America plays an active part in keeping the Avengers together. I mean, name one of the others that don’t have anger management issues, hubris or a god complex. How would they ever get anything constructive done without Cap setting them straight? Having said that, it is perhaps ironic that in this 13th instalment by the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), our Captain is a driving force in splitting the team up. Captain America: Civil War premieres this spring, and I for one cannot wait to see what’s coming.
Building on the previous two Captain America movies, Civil War takes place one year after Avengers: Age of Ultron, when the world is a little shaken up after recent events. Considering the amount of collateral damage our heroes have caused over the years (we’ve all thought it), however unintentional, maybe we saw this coming. In response, government regulations are being imposed upon the Avengers, driving a wench between them and leading to the formation of two teams; one led by Captain America and the other by Iron Man.
The relationship between these two has always been complex. Personality-wise, they are each other’s complete opposites – only coming together in their quest to save the world. Tony Stark, the genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist, and Steve Rogers, the noble first Avenger and America’s darling. We are used to seeing them disagreeing and bickering on screen, as a pair of fighting siblings. It is therefore intriguing that this friendship, that took so long to build up, is at the brink of destruction in Captain America: Civil War.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this, at least on paper, is that Stark would be all for following rules and regulations while Rogers is out to break them. But looking back, it’s not all that shocking. Iron Man was riddled with guilt from his visions in Age of Ultron, and Captain America began doubting his own sense of right and wrong when the bad guy turned out to be his long lost friend (Captain America: Return of the Winter Soldier). Once again, Marvel appear to have succeeded in keeping the continuity within their films.
Bucky Barnes returns as a main character in Civil War, likely acting as a catalyst for Cap’s rebellious behaviour. The two take on Iron Man in a memorable scene in the trailer, making us question where Rogers’ (and our own) loyalties lie. In addition, the trailer promises the return of some other familiar faces, old and new Avengers alike. While left out from these 2.5 minutes, there has also been talk of Captain America finally getting to develop a new love interest. Sharon Carter, aka Agent 13 (played by Emily VanCamp), had a small part in Winter Soldier and we might have guessed that her introduction into the series meant it was time for Rogers to move on.
Captain America: Civil War does not look like it will disappoint. Following MCU’s recipe for blockbuster entertainment, it offers explosive action layered with personal conflict, and this time with a special focus on character development.
The number one draw-in of this film is getting to see our heroes up against one another; the same heroes we previously rooted for as a team, which leads us to the ultimate question: whose side are you on? Sound off in the comments or send us your thoughts on Twitter!
