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Ant-Man

Captain America 3.0: Dents in the Armor #SPOILERS

May 6, 2016 by Jacob Sahms 10 Comments

captain2A year ago, as ScreenFish was born, we rallied to cover Avengers: Age of Ultron. I had glowing things to say about this popcorn genre film that reached for the stars and shared a vision of our humanity. A year later, Marvel/Disney dropped close to our anniversary, and my partners in crime were awestruck.

I, on the other hand, refuse to drink the Marvel Kool-aid. Without further ado, here’s my dissection of the film- it’s not for the faint of heart (or those trying to avoid spoilers.) You’ve been warned.

Yes, there were some high points to the film. Let’s hit those first.

captain3Chadwick Bozeman might be the big winner here. T’Challa has always been on the cool, mysterious side of the Marvel Universe, but as the only character in the film to show a single ounce of character development, I couldn’t be more excited to see the standalone Black Panther film. As one of my fellow theater goers commented, “That’s how you introduce a new character, DC!” [This went better than their use of Nemo (Daniel Bruhl), who suddenly switched from timeless Nazi to low-level Sovakian military. Or the promotion of Ross (William Hurt) from General to Secretary of State. Hello, Red Hulk?]

Tom Holland (Spider-Man) and Paul Rudd (Antman) tie for secondary awards. These two brought the customary Marvel sense of humor and panache to the second half of the film that was missing in the first. [Yes, this also highlights the bi-polar “two parter” segmentation of the film. And the fact that they spent almost 2.5 hours setting us up for a showdown and let the tension dissipate without reconciliation? That’s just poor.] Stan Lee’s cameo here might be his best yet- yes, Tony stank!

captain4

Visually, the film takes us to some cool places – just not as cool as the upcoming Doctor Strange film. There were some solid battles. Crossbones (Frank Grillo) versus Cap’s undercover team was solid [Crossbones was the baddest villain in the film]. While I’m over the good guy versus good guy battles (thanks, Batman V Superman), the final confrontation between our heroes might have actually been one of the best. Again, unfortunately, in a good versus good battle, the writers can’t make us believe that any of them really give up any ground because they need them for their solo outing.

In the comics, the action is caused when a group of rough-around-the-edges superheroes pull a television stunt that ends in tragedy. You might say that Scarlet Witch’s tragic rescue of Captain America carries more direct weight because they’re principal heroes, and I’d accept that. BUT, in the comics, the forcibly divisive law put into place was the Superhuman Registration Act. This is wildly more politically charged than the Sokovia Accords because it was about identity and the families of masked superheroes.

For what it’s worth, it’s interesting to note that the current Republican frontrunner is promoting growing legislation about ‘registration,’ even though Republicans have historically been more interested in local government and individual responsibility. In Civil War, Cap’s questions about responsibility crash into the armor of Stark’s own personal interaction with the mother of a man lost as collateral damage. The head versus heart argument might apply here, but the film doesn’t ask us to care too much about any of these characters in poignancy or emotional depth.

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The Sokovia Accords divides our heroes because of collateral damage, but forces the plot around the Winter Soldier storyline while also ignoring the responsibilities of pro- registration heroes when it comes to innocent lives.

Seriously, Iron Man is infuriated over the death of his parents twenty-five years ago, at the hands of a guy who wasn’t in control of his own actions, but his pet android gets all mushy, paralyzes his best friend, and he ignores the implications? Please. [For the record, yes, comic fans know these two mismatched, star-crossed lovers can tangle, but cooking with paprika was a little weird.]

Seriously, this no-name villain with no powers, no help, no plan, no NOTHING, is able to manipulate two friends who’ve battled universe-destroying, villainous armies into nearly killing each other? At least in Batman v Superman, Luthor had an actual plan, continually manipulated, and had a host of financial resources tied to his character. [No, that doesn’t make B v S a better movie, but it did provide us with a more reasonable explanation of the conflict, and the tension.] Zemo is a weak villain – and one which highlights the Cap versus Iron Man divide.

That leads to my largest frustration of the whole film: that superheroes would turn so dark. I wasn’t thrilled with Affleck’s Batman obsession with taking down Superman, but I wonder where we’ve gotten to when we would actually have people leave the theater on #TeamIronMan? Seriously? This guy was an inch away from killing Cap, and Bucky. Sure, they’re beating on each other, but Cap draws the line at incapacitation. Where’s Iron Man’s line? Is this where we begin to see Marvel delve into his alcoholism? What separates Iron Man from Zemo, as men bent on revenge after a major injustice? Thankfully, Cap can at least look himself in the mirror.

CivilWar571fee863dfd0I am well aware that this film will bust charts (although at my theater, it was nowhere near The Force Awakens) but this film SCREAMED marketing spinoff for some new characters – and obvious sellout for Infinity War. Was it as telegraphed as the T’Chaka hand-on-cheek moment with T’Challa before he’s blown to bits? I’m not sure. But for all its smoke and mirrors, Captain America: Civil War qualifies as the low point for Marvel’s scriptwriting as far as I’m concerned.

Where Age of Ultron challenged us to grow, Civil War simply allows us to sink back into our own baser instincts, without challenging us to see heroism in our ability to grow.

[Oh yeah, and I’m #TeamCap.]

Filed Under: Current Events, Featured, Film, Reviews Tagged With: Ant-Man, Black Panther, Captain America, Chris Evans, Daniel Bruhl, Iron Man, Marvel, Nemo, plot hole, revenge, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlet Witch, spiderman, T'Challa, Vision

Captain America: Civil War — Conflict Breeds Catastrophe

May 5, 2016 by J. Alan Sharrer Leave a Comment

#TeamCap FightsLet’s get the basic questions out of the way before we begin the review.

Is Captain America: Civil War any good?  You bet it is!
Is it a perfect film? 
Nope.
Is there lots of fighting? Oh yes. And then some.
How’s Spider Man?
Well . . . He needs some practice.
Does the film leave the door open for future movies?
I think you know the answer to that one.
So who wins the Civil War?
Uh . . . I’m not going to tell you that. Why are you asking me?

Feel better?  No? Okay, then let’s review the film (with minor spoilers, if that).

If you’ve been under a rock for the last few years, Marvel Studios has been building a comic book-based empire on the strength of The Avengers, Iron Man, and Captain America. Captain America: Civil War adds to and builds on the previous movies, offering moviegoers a rollicking, fast-paced thrill ride that may take more than one viewing to adequately enjoy.

The story begins with the Avengers attempting to ward off a potential crisis in Nigeria.  However, something goes awry and innocent lives are lost.  This seems to be a theme of past films (New York and Sokovia, for example), so the governments of the world have decided it’s time for those with superpowers to have limits. Thus, the Sokovia Accords are drafted, giving the Avengers a choice: submit to governmental control or retire.

Avengers at Headquarters

If you’re a fan of the comics, you know there will be disagreements as to what should be done. Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) feels that limits will only breed more limits and make their jobs more difficult. Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) says that without limitations, they’re “no better than the bad guys.” Both are stubborn and won’t budge on their positions, gathering various Avengers to their separate points of view. Your favorite characters are all here: Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Black Widow (Scarlett Johnasson), Vision (Paul Bettany), Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Ant-Man (Paul Ruud), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), and War Machine (Don Cheadle).  The addition of Black Panther/T’Challa (Chad Boseman) makes the situation more difficult (but man, is he an incredible character to watch on screen).

Meanwhile, the Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) is dealing with a lot of things that spin the other part of the plot in motion. Captain America has a tie to him and this comes into play as the film advances to an inevitable clash held at the airport in Berlin. There’s lots of fighting, lots of gadgetry, and a few surprises along the way. But as Vision notes, “Conflict breeds catastrophe.” The question is whether the Avengers, Captain America, and Iron Man will figure this out before it’s too late.

Captain America Meets Spider-ManOh yeah, and there’s Spider-Man/Peter Parker (Tom Holland).  He has a role in the fight in Berlin, but seems more in awe of the others than anything.  He’s also learning about his superpowers—with mixed results. One part of the film that irked me involved Aunt May (Marisa Tomei)—don’t go in expecting her to be old like in the comics. In fact, guys might even be smitten by her.

In the end, the themes of vengeance, love, family, and loyalty come into play, though I’ll leave it to you to figure out how and in what manner it happens. Suffice it to say that the words of Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 mean something in Civil War.

The film is nearly 2 ½ hours long, but it doesn’t feel that way due to the hyperkinetic pacing by directors Anthony and Joe Russo. Fight sequences are everywhere, surprises abound, and details are peppered throughout that help drive the plot forward. I do wish the villain (played by Martin Freeman) had been fleshed out a little bit more, but that’s nitpicking when events are unfolding so rapidly. The music isn’t overpowering but adds little to the whole scheme of affairs.  You’re there for the action, so that’s what you’re going to get.

And you’re going to like it.

(PS – Stay for the credits, as there are not one but two additional scenes that will leave you talking on the way out of the theater.)

Filed Under: Film, Reviews Tagged With: Ant-Man, Anthony Mackie, Anthony Russo, Aunt May, Avengers, Berlin, Black Widow, Bucky Barnes, Captain America, Captain America: Civil War, Chris Evans, Don Cheadle, Elizabeth Olsen, Falcon, Family, Government, Hawkeye, Iron Man, Jeremy Renner, Joe Russo, Love, Loyalty, Marisa Tomei, Martin Freeman, New York, Nigeria, Paul Betteny, Paul Ruud, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlet Witch, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Sokovia, spider-man, tom holland, vengeance, Vision, War Machine, Winter Soldier

Captain America: Civil War – Whom to Follow

May 5, 2016 by Darrel Manson Leave a Comment

Before the screening I attended of Captain America: Civil War, the screen was filled with a message encouraging people to take part in the social media strategy of the film by tweeting either #TeamCap or #TeamIronMan to designate which side they favor. Welcome to the political edition of the Marvel Universe. I’ll save my vote until later.

The film is built around a division within the ranks of the Avengers. After an Avenger mission in Lagos, Nigeria creates severe collateral damage, the governments of the world reach an agreement by which the Avengers will come under the authority and control of a U.N.-like body. Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) supports the proposal as a step to keep the Avengers working for the good. Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) thinks that the Avengers’ work is too important to allow for government interference. The others tend to fall behind one or the other of these leaders.

CivilWar571feeb0a53cd

When the accord is due to be signed, a bomb goes off near the site, killing several. It appears to be the work of The Winter Soldier, Steve Rogers childhood friend Bucky Barns. Captain America sets out to keep Bucky from being killed by those sent to capture him, putting himself on the wrong side of the law. Soon the Avengers are divided into two camps (with a couple of notable non-Avenger additions from the Marvel Universe), one seeking to save and exonerate Bucky, and one determined to bring him to justice. In the meantime, a new superhero, Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), an African prince (now king) whose father was killed in the blast, operates in neither camp, but is seeking to bring his own form of justice to the man who killed his father. In time this leads to a battle royal as the two teams face off, eventually to a showdown between Captain America and Iron Man to save Bucky.

So the first political issue is whether government oversight is a good thing or a hindrance. The Avengers have done some serious damage in their attempts to save the world from whatever menace they have been facing. As a group of people with enhanced powers, they are something of a global superpower in themselves. How are they to be held accountable for all that collateral damage that accompanies their fight for the right? But if a government power is involved, won’t that reduce their effectiveness; maybe even prevent them from doing what needs to be done? Iron Man thinks that the team has to be held accountable and that government is necessary for that to happen. Captain America thinks that the government will only get in the way. How do you vote on that issue? TeamCap or TeamIronMan?

Then comes the idea of how we know what is right in a given situation. For Captain America, his loyalty to his friend Bucky transcends even the possibility that he has resumed his role as Winter Soldier. Even if Bucky is responsible for the attack, is he truly responsible or is it a matter of mind control? Should he be summarily done away with in the name of justice and vengeance? For Iron Man, it is just a matter of capturing (or killing if need be) the person who has done this. It’s not his job to wade through the facts beyond what seems obvious to all the world. Does loyalty to a friend (Cap) take precedence over loyalty to what all the world sees as justice (Iron Man)?

And then there is the whole issue of personality. Don’t we often pick our leaders based on some sort of personality cult? Let’s face it, Tony Stark is a bit arrogant, but he still believes in doing what is right (and if it turns a profit, all the better). Steve Rogers comes across as the incarnation of virtue. Yet, as the story plays out, it is Rogers who becomes the criminal and Stark who serves as the sheriff of superherodom. Which side of the law do you want to be on? Vote accordingly.

While I call this the political edition of the Marvel Universe, I do not mean that this is some sort of parody of the current election cycle. However, it is not hard to use this as a lens to consider how it is we pick sides in the election. Worse, we may even be willing to be combative, even with friends, over our visions of the world and those who we think should lead us.

Actually, I’m not willing to cast my vote for either Captain America or Iron Man. Both of them are utterly convinced of the righteousness of their cause. That makes it almost impossible for them to find common ground, but even worse, it makes it impossible for them to find any transformation for their character. Repentance is outside their vocabulary. Without some sense of flexibility, they are doomed to end up in those battles that make up much of the film. In short, neither of them really grows in the course of the film.

Beyond that, I don’t think either of them is the person who best represents the options that need to be considered in the film—nor even the most interesting characters. There are two minor characters that really drew me to them. I understand that this is a superhero blockbuster that uses broad strokes (sometimes too broad) to tell the story. But within that there should be room from some subtle looks at character growth and to give us people we can truly connect with because in spite of their superpowers they are like us.

The first of these characters is Wanda/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). She is consumed with guilt over what happened in Lagos. She is conflicted over the use of her powers. Her vulnerability as a character grows out of seeing the damage that can be done even with the best of intentions. As the Avengers discuss whether to agree to the new proposal, she is pretty much paralyzed by grief. She never really chooses a side, she is just brought in to one of them. Yet in the process, she begins to discover that her power is not her enemy. It would have been nice to know just how that happened.

They key character for me in the film was Black Panther. He has vowed vengeance on the man who killed his father, and like the two main characters he is convinced of the righteousness of his mission. But he is reflective enough to see the problems that come along with vengeance and can be transformed—and even repent of the course he set out on. This is the character who has the most growth and transformation in the story, but we see far too little of it. (The good news is that Black Panther will be getting his own franchise in the future.) So for me, when it comes to #TeamCap and #TeamIronMan, I say a curse on both your houses. Put me down for #TeamPanther.

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

Filed Under: Film, Reviews Tagged With: Ant-Man, Avengers, Black Panther, Captain America, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Evans, Disney, Elizabeth Olsen, Iron Man, Marvel, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlet Witch, spiderman, superheroes, vengeance

Ant-Man: A Story of Redemption

July 17, 2015 by Arnaldo Reyes Leave a Comment

Ant-man-movie-poster

Raise your hands if, when you heard Marvel was doing an Ant-Man movie, you shrugged your shoulders.

How about when the first trailer was released. Anyone think “Oh boy, this may be Marvel Studios’ first big flop”?

Yeah, I had those same reservations and really didn’t expect much either.

And let’s face it, with Paul Rudd as the star, the movie was written off by most before anyone even saw it. So, with that said, and my own low expectations, I can say that Ant-Man didn’t turn out as I expected. In fact, the film is a pleasant surprise that has both the Marvel charm and wit that they have shown us since Iron Man first hit the big screen. While not as good as Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel manages to take a character that is not familiar to the general public (and actually makes no sense) and make him fun and worth seeing.

Paul Rudd as Scott Lang embodies the comic book character well and delivers a fun and, at times, heartwarming performance. Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly are perfect in their roles as Hanky Pym and Hope Van Dyne. Michael Peña provides a few good laughs while Corey Stoll plays out the villain role equally to that of Jeff Bridges’ Obadiah Stane in the first Iron Man film. Though not looked at favorably going in, the cast brings great chemistry and really work well together. (For the Edgar Wright fans who were sad to see him leave, there is still plenty of his “touch” on the film.) It was a good origin story film that tied into the Marvel Cinematic Universe very well with things that happened in Age of Ultron while also featuring an Avenger in the film (one of my favorite scenes). There are also those Easter eggs we look for with mentions of other heroes and also paying homage to classic Marvel Comics titles like Tales to Astonish. (And I must add that the action sequences are probably some of the best visually and most entertaining we’ve seen from Marvel yet.)

Marvel's Ant-Man..Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd)..Photo Credit: Zade Rosenthal..? Marvel 2014

So let’s talk synopsis without spoiling the film. If you don’t know the comic book history of Ant-Man, you don’t necessarily need it for the film. However, let’s look back at the comics for a second. Hank Pym in the Marvel Comics rivals Tony Stark when it comes to pushing forward technology. He is most famous for his Pym Particles, a scientific and technological breakthrough that allows him to shrink to the size of an ant (Ant-Man) or reverse it and grow large (his other persona Giant Man). In the comics, he’s one of the founding members of the Avengers (hence why it doesn’t match up with the movies) and is married to his super heroine wife Janet Van Dyne (also known as the Wasp).

In the film, however, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) is currently well into his years. (Although, at one point he was the Ant-Man.) After something happened, Pym put the suit down and quit S.H.I.E.L.D vowing to not let anyone know how to produce his Pym Particles. Fast forward to the present where we have Scott Lang (Paul Rudd); a guy who never makes the right choices. Famously known for being a “Robin Hood” type of thief, he gets out of prison vowing to do right so that he has the opportunity to see and spend time with his daughter. She means everything to him and is all he thinks about. Still, reality finally sets in and he quickly realizes that a Master’s Degree in Engineering means nothing if you are an ex-con. With not much going for him, and the threat of never having the opportunity to be with his daughter so high, he turns back to what he knows. This time though, the job paid more than he was expecting. Hank Pym asks him to be the Ant-Man in order to utilize Scott’s skills. From here, the film becomes a roller coaster ride of laughter, action, heart and thrills. It is a movie that captures what Marvel Studios has been able to do since 2008: give fans heroes worth cheering for while entertaining them as well.

The recurring theme in the film is second chances or, more clearly, redemption. The truth of the matter is that most people aren’t offered a second chance. We live in a society that has grown to be one of unforgiveness. When a person makes a mistake, we think that they should be thrown away forever. For some reason, we’ve lost the ability to forgive. We’ve even lost the ability to believe that a person can change and be good. That’s all Scott wants to do. He wanted to be the hero that his daughter already believed he was. Oh, to be like a child and have that childlike spirit again! Scott just needed someone to give him a chance; to invite him to put aside the past, and focus on the present and the future. He got that chance and made the best out of it.

What is also interesting also is that the person offering that redemption was in need of redemption and forgiveness himself. This moment provided one of the best moments on screen in the film and showed why characters are more important than just great action scenes. It may seem odd how someone can see us just as we are in our worst moments and still offer us forgiveness and redemption. They say, “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”, yet we do that all the time with God’s free gift to man. It cost us nothing yet it came at very high cost. Redemption and forgiveness is given to us by God when we least deserve it. I am first to stand up and say that I am not worthy and fall short of it every single day, yet He still forgives. That is a gift that shouldn’t be refused. It is a gift that we get more out of than we ever could have expected.

Ant-Man in my humble opinion is a film that will pleasantly surprise you. It’s what we’ve come to expect from Marvel Studios while introducing a new hero to their ever-expanding universe. (As always, stay for the after credits as there are two scenes, one at the mid and one at the end.)

header-kevin-feige-offers-an-update-on-marvels-ant-man-movie

Filed Under: Film, Reviews Tagged With: Ant-Man, Avengers, Marvel, Marvel Studios

An Ant-Man Preview, Or “How Marvel Really Owns Everything”

July 13, 2015 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

Marvel's Ant-Man..Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd)..Photo Credit: Zade Rosenthal..? Marvel 2014
Marvel’s Ant-Man..Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd)..Photo Credit: Zade Rosenthal..? Marvel 2014

This weekend, Ant-Man hits theaters, setting a new high for the impressive power of Marvel’s ability to take even the smallest (no pun intended), least well known, and mostly inconsequential superhero title and make it into a blockbuster.

Yes, I said it, Paul Rudd will probably be the latest face of Marvel’s greatness as the proverbial Ant-Man. (For the record, the actual film contains two, er, Ant-men. Michael Douglas plays Hank Pym, and Rudd plays Scott Lang, both technically bearers of the Ant-Man name in the Marvel universe.) At this point, it doesn’t seem to matter that the Marvel universe has more famous members who haven’t been fleshed out fully yet; Marvel can throw anyone out there and it sticks.

A second Fantastic Four film update?

The launch of a Guardians of the Galaxy series with a former fatboy as the leading man?

Why not make a film about a superhero whose greatest power is shrinking to the side of an ant? (Don’t get me started on the fact that in some incarnations, Ant-Man can grow to the size of Giant-Man. Seriously, the Avengers wiki says, “When he shrinks and uses his insect-controlling helmet, he is called Ant-Man. When he grows, he is called Giant-Man. And when he shrinks and grows, he’s Yellowjacket.” Um, yeah.)

Is there anything Marvel can’t do?

One has to wonder if there’s anything we can expect Marvel not to make a movie about in their repertoire. It’ll probably end up developed into a Netflix show if it doesn’t make the cut, but even there, Marvel is cleaning house. Daredevil rocked and there’s more coming.

But what would happen if we actually saw the biggest bully on the block (Marvel/Disney, that is) get serious about its characters and their backstory?

ironmanCould we actually see real-life rehabilitated alcoholic Robert Downey Jr. wrestle with Tony Stark’s alcoholism?

Would there be a world where we could deal with the spousal abuse between Ant-Man and The Wasp?

Would Gambit (Channing Tatum, for those who haven’t heard…) deal with the racism and socialism that he wrestles with as a New Orleans native and a mutant?

Seriously, I’d like to see them get a little bit deeper. But I might have to settle for the soul-searching ways of Netflix’s Daredevil (a Catholic with guilt issues) and the tortured relationship of FOX’s Magneto and Xavier. Marvel just doesn’t have to try too hard to please us.

As co-editor of ScreenFish, Steve Norton, says, “Marvel could sell a movie about a purple gum drop and still make $65M opening weekend.”

Now, there’s an idea.

Filed Under: Editorial, Film Tagged With: Ant-Man, Channing Tatum, Hank Pym, Iron Man, Marvel, Scott Lang

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