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Spider-Man: No Way Home – A Hero for Everyone [Spoiler-Free]

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[This review contains no spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home–but it does deal with themes and ideas within the film that may hint at certain elements of the story.]

There’s no question that Spider-Man: No Way Home is Marvel’s big present for fans under the tree. And, frankly, it’s everything you hope that it will be.

Taking place immediately after the final moments of Spider-Man: Far From Home, No Way Home leans into the fallout of having the Webcrawler’s identity revealed to the world. Under constant scrutiny by those who believe he murdered Mysterio, Peter Parker seeks out the help of fellow Avenger, Dr. Strange. After Peter asks him to cast a spell that will make people forget his identity, the good Doctor reluctantly helps. However, when the spell goes wrong, the effects on space/time are devastating. As other characters from the multiverse sneak into their own world, Parker must attempt to capture his mysterious foes before its too late.

There’s really no other way to say it. Despite building hype over the past few years, Spider-Man: No Way Home somehow manages to deliver the goods. Once again directed by Jon Watts, the conclusion to the ‘Home Trilogy’ balances epic scale Marvel action sequences and intimate character-driven moments that work on a number of levels. While Marvel sometimes has a tendency to sacrifice storytelling for the sake of action sequences (and vice versa), No Way Home finds a way to incorporate them into one another in such a way that they actually impact each other. (This is especially true in the film’s third act ‘mega-battle’, which actually furthers the emotional arc of the films characters.) After three films, Watts cares enough about this franchise to tell a story that means something to his team and the results are spectacular. Seamlessly blending genres and generations together, Watts creates an epic finale but never sacrifices the soul of his characters in the process.

Of course, No Way Home is an absolute nostalgia-fest for every fan of the Spidey-franchise over the last 20 years. For years, people of debated which iteration of the cinematic Spidey-verse is superior to the others. Here though, Marvel gets to celebrate them all in one big party. This is a festival of all things Spidey that should delight three eras of superhero filmgoers at the same time. 

Even if Peter Parker has No Way Home, this film is a welcome homecoming for many old friends.

However, while nostalgia may be fun for everyone, what makes the film work is that their appearances are relevant to the story through some sharp writing. By bringing back familiar faces in new situations, No Way Home could have simply devolved into a fanservice mess yet their appearances somehow further developing their original story arcs. (Returning villains like Willem Dafoe, Jamie Foxx and Alfred Molina are allowed the chance to develop their characters further without detracting from their original stories. In fact, Marvel arguably elevates their previous material in the process.)

At the same time, the film becomes a perfect finale for this chapter of the Spider-Man story. Throughout his three Spider-films, Watts has done a (mostly) impressive job spinning interesting stories for the Wallcrawler. Whereas Homecoming told a small and intimate tale of a young boy who simply dreams of becoming an Avenger and Far From Home showed that young man trying to balance his life, No Way Home takes that journey even further. Having almost literally grown up onscreen before our eyes, Holland has exemplified the youthful enthusiasm that we expect from the character. In No Way Home, further completes his coming-of-age into a true Spider-Man as opposed to Spider-Teen. Having moved through high school, Holland’s Spider-Man is now faced with understanding what it truly takes to be a hero. In No Way Home, Parker has to make decisions about his life and the safety of his friends that he would have been unable to make earlier on in the franchise. Without giving away any spoilers, this iteration of Spider-Man needed to learn what it means to sacrifice himself out of love for others. 

Why? Because that’s what heroes do.

However, No Way Home is also about second chances. Although most superhero films of the last two decades have featured heroes battling unsalvageable villains, No Way Home actually makes a point of arguing that everyone deserves a chance at redemption. Rather than writing off these villains as ‘bad guys’, Holland’s Spidey is challenged to view them as more. Here, iconic villains like Doc Ock, Green Goblin and Electro show their vulnerability and humanity more effectively than they have in other films. 

What if the ‘bad guys’ are actually the ‘lost guys’?

There’s a sensibility to this film that, maybe, anyone can change. Despite the ‘fate’ that they are dealt, No Way Home allows the opportunity for a crack in the villainous armor. Despite the negative tone of its title, No Way Home wants to believe that there is a new way for anyone who chooses it. Maybe, regardless of their past actions, there’s an opportunity for these villains to find hope. For Parker, maybe these villains are more than the sum of their darkness.

While the nostalgia is fun and action is well-executed, it’s this aspect of Spider-Man: No Way Home that truly leaves its mark. Wrapping up this chapter of the MCU’s Spidey-Verse, Watts completes the emotional arc that he began about a crew of high school kids learning how to grow up. But he also manages to tread new ground for characters that we already felt we knew. Leaning into hope for the ‘bad guys’, the film gives Spidey the chance to try to help everyone, not just his friends in his neighbourhood. 

Because that’s what heroes do.

Spider-Man: No Way Home is available in theatres on Friday, December 17th, 2021.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage – For the Love of Carnage

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Some relationships just don’t make sense. But they can sure be fun to watch.

In the new rom-com superhero flick Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) has fallen on hard times. After the events of the first film, Brock has fallen on hard times. Struggling to pay the bills while living life with his frustrated (and hungry) symbiote Venom, Brock is doing everything he can to keep things together. When he is called in for an exclusive interview with serial killer Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson), Brock reluctantly takes the job. However, after a freak accident transfers some of Venom’s symbiote into Kasady’s bloodstream, a new terror is unleashed upon the city. Suddenly, Eddie and Venom must decide whether or not they can put aside their differences in order to work together and defeat the villainous monster known as Carnage.

Directed by Andy Serkis, Venom: Let There Be Carnage in an energetic ball of silliness. Instead of leaning into the potential gravitas of the evil symbiote, Serkis opts to create a film solely about monster mayhem and wanton destruction. (The title Let There Be Carnage is more than just a character reference.) However, in doing so, the film seems to fight many of the major tropes of modern superhero fare. For example, clocking in at a shockingly brief 97 minutes, the film leans into its story without any extra padding. (Compare that to the next Spider-Man film which has a reported runtime of 150 minutes.) There are no long soliloquys or moments where characters contemplate what it means to be a hero. Instead, the film pushes ahead with the story quickly as it builds to the inevitable superhero brawl at the film’s climax.

What’s more, despite the darkness of the character, Serkis use Venom’s relationship with Eddie to create a bromance comedy with a surprisingly light tone. In fact, the film feels more like the campier Batman films of the 90s than it does with other entries in to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Despite the fact that Venom speaks openly about his desire to eat people, somehow the film manages to portray the demonic force as a ‘grumpy best friend’ rather than a menacing threat to others. (At one point, Venom even attends a rave wearing glow necklaces and drops the mic after speaking onstage.)

While these may seem like criticisms, the sheer ridiculousness of the franchise makes the film an absolute blast to watch. (Dare I say, it may even be refreshing?) This is a franchise that began with the expectation of darkness but has decided to surprise audiences with something entirely different. Stars Hardy, Williams and Harrelson may best be known for their more serious dramatic work yet they seem like they’re having an absolute blast leaning into the goofiness of the film. Hardy argues with Venom about taking on ‘superhero names’ while Harrelson’s sly smirk barely hides his own madness. Even Michelle Williams speaks to Venom as though he’s some form of estranged best friend as opposed to a terrifying alien symbiote. 

Underneath the laughs, this is ultimately a film about the signs of toxic relationships. Throughout the film, there are several spaces where the flaws between couples are exposed. Whether it’s Eddie and Anne, Anne and Dan, or even Cletus and Eddie, this is a film filled with duos who are struggling to keep things together. However, having said this, the best example of this may come in through Cletus and Frances as they attempt to build something, despite their issues together.

Drawn to the darkest aspects of each other, the would-be supervillain couple feed off each other’s thirst for revenge. However, despite their intense connection, their individual powers are in direct conflict with one another. With every shriek she makes, Carnage experiences pain, forcing Cletus to ask her to not use her abilities. (Incidentally, even though he cares for Frances, one could also read that as a sign of toxic masculinity where the male refuses to let his partner speak for herself.)

On the other hand, held up against the relationship between Cletus and Frances is the connection between Eddie and Venom. On the surface, the tension between host and symbiote is palpable as they want to be free from one another. However, even though they constantly bicker and fight, there’s something strangely supportive about their relationship. Whereas Eddie needs Venom’s strength and brains to find success, Venom has a difficult time finding another person that can properly host his power. For Eddie and Venom, they begin to understand the importance of the other and sacrifice their wants to make things work between them. In other words, whereas Cletus and Frances fail to find common ground, Eddie and Venom recognize that they need to humble themselves for their relationship to function in a healthy manner.

If that all sounds very strange, that’s because it is. 

But, somehow, it works.

Admittedly, special features on the disc are surprisingly sparse. While outtakes and deleted scenes are expected, the disc is definitely missing a commentary by Serkis to discuss his vision. While he does offer his views in a segment entitled ‘Eddie and Venom: The Odd Couple’, it’s really limited. Even a feature entitled ‘Tangled Webs: Easter Eggs’ that may appear tantalizing for tie-ins for future films lacks meaningful content beyond the obvious teases. (Sorry, Sony. Cletus crushing an actual spider does not qualify.)

With all that being said, Venom: Let There Be Carnage may be utter madness but it also might be one of the best comedies of the year. Wild and wacky, Serkis has bizarrely created an Odd Couple-esque relationship out of one of Marvel’s more sinister villains yet hits the right notes to keep it entertaining. So, bring on another entry.

I, for one, am actually interested to see where this relationship goes.

To hear our conversation with Venom creator Todd McFarlane, click here (audio).

Venom: Let There Be Carnage is available on 4K and Blu-ray on Tuesday, December 14th, 2021.

Spider-Man: Far From Home – Starting Over

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The post Endgame era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is here.

After the universe changing events of Avengers: Endgame, Marvel ushers its new era with their next solo star, Spider-Man, on his own is a multi-million dollar marketing machine. Ever since Tom Holland’s first appearance as Spidey/Peter in Captain America: Civil War, he has exemplified what had been missing on screen with the character. He’s all Peter Parker and all Spider-Man at once. This film is no different.

Spider-Man: Far From Home brings together both the witty humor of Marvel and Spidey. The film’s action and visuals are stunning and provide ‘edge of your seat’ fun. The adventure and, for the most part, the story is good. Jake Gyllenhaal gives a superb performance as Mysterio and gives us a great example of being aware of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. (I mean, it is Mysterio after all.) As Matthew 7:15 reads, we need to beware because things aren’t always what they appear. In the Marvel world, with all that has gone on, it is easy to let one’s guard down, especially when you have a burden that is too hard to carry. Still, if you do fall for someone’s lies, we must have the strength to get up and trust that He who put you there believes in you and knows it is not more than you can handle.

Spider-Man in Columbia Pictures’ SPIDER-MAN: ™ FAR FROM HOME

Overall, the film offers exactly what you’d expect from Marvel–and therein lies the problem. As the first film beyond Endgame, one would expect some emotional carry over, especially considering the relationship they’d established between Tony and Peter. However, the film was a bit too much about Tony and not enough of just Peter. And as good as Gyllenhaal was, what motivates his character is the same trope as the first Spidey film and all three Iron Man films basically. By giving the same cookie cutter villain after they nailed it with Killmonger and Thanos leaves one feeling unfulfilled in a film that could (and should) be great and memorable. In a sense, this was the film to be free of the “Stark Crutch” and it partly felt it was more about Stark than Peter.

Spider-Man: Far from Home is a fun and action packed adventure and, if you love Marvel films, you’ll love it. 

5.09 Is MARY POPPINS RETURNS Practically Perfect?

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After 60 years, Mary Poppins Returns! With Emily Blunt stepping into the legacy (and Oscar-winning) legacy of Julie Andrews, Poppins automatically has massive expectations to live up to the charm of the original Disney classic. But, is the result practically perfect? Or does the sequel ‘go fly a kite’? In a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious conversation, I’m joined by Seeing and Believing co-host, Kevin McLenithan to discuss whether or not this film ’steps in time’ to the original, power of perspective, and—in a special segment—our Top 3 Movie Moments of 2018.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, SoundCloud or on Spotify! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts, Google Play or more!

5.09 Mary Poppins Returns

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

Thanks Kevin for joining us!

GIVEAWAY: AVENGERS – INFINITY WAR!

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The War has begun…

In Avengers: Infinity War, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk and the rest of the Avengers unite to battle their most powerful enemy yet — the evil Thanos. On a mission to collect all six Infinity Stones, Thanos plans to use the artifacts to inflict his twisted will on reality. The fate of the planet and existence itself has never been more uncertain as everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment.

The winner will receive a copy of the Avengers: Infinity War 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Steelbook Edition.

To enter, simply like or share our post on Facebook and answer the following question in the comment section: Which Infinity Stone (Time, Space, Soul, Power, Mind or Reality) would you use first and how?

For a bonus entry, like or share the post on Twitter and Instagram.

All entries must be completed by 11:59pm on Monday, August 13th, 2018.

 

Avengers: Infinity War will be unleashed on Blu-Ray on Tuesday, August 14th, 2018

Meet The Rocket Man: 1on1 with Sean Gunn (AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR)

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While he is perhaps best known from his time playing the affable Kirk Gleason in Gilmore Girls, Gunn has stepped into the forefront recently for his role as Kraglin in the Guardians of the Galaxyfilms. However, he has also found himself in the unique position of serving as physical stand-in for CGI fan-favourite Rocket the Raccoon as well. As Gunn prepares for the return of Rocket in Avengers: Infinity War, he credits his brother, Guardiansdirector James Gunn, for bringing him into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“Really, it was when my brother got involved,” he starts. “I know that my brother, James, was at a point in his career where he was a little down on directing movies because it was such a hard job to get it on one of these big tent-pole movies. Then, when he ended up being up for Guardians, getting that job, I was totally ecstatic for him.”

“I play both Kraglin on-screen and I also play Rocket [the Raccoon] on-set. That kind of came about during the first movie. [James] and I had worked together so much on various things in our career and he knew that he wanted an actor that he knew, trusted and had worked with to be able to play Rocket on set so that he’d have a real actor there to do it and not just a tennis ball on a stick or a PA holding up script in their hands or something like that. So, he asked me to do it and we ended up kind of figuring out on the go what the method was for that to work. Then, it turned out that it was basically me just getting down on my hands and knees and playing Rocket just as though he was there and it was really helpful to the other actors and the visual effects team. They weren’t able to use me for reference them when they started to animate the character and then I think it was a matter of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. So, then you know, it worked so well for the first movie that I ended up doing it again for Guardians Vol. 2and then for both Infinity Warmovies as well.”

Though most people associate Rocket the Raccoon with Bradley Cooper who supplies his voice, it’s Gunn’s work that lays the groundwork for the performance. By providing much of the physical acting for the character, Gunn appreciates the hard work of the animators who can take his movements and bring Rocket to life.

“I play Rocket the entire time on-set…,” he recalls. “Then, the visual effects team then goes in and they start to put together a draft based on what I did–our movements, hand movements, and particularly my face, some facial expressions, things like where Rocket’s looking… For just little things like that, the animators will use what I’m doing as a reference. Then, later Bradley Cooper comes in and he does the voice of the character and they can change things then. He’ll flesh the character out and sort of put his thing on it and then if they want to make some changes based on either what he’s doing or some combination thereof, they can make those changes at that point as needed.”

Of course, playing two different characters within the same film brings its own set of challenges as well. During scenes where Rocket and Kraglin shared screen time, Gunn claims that he had work twice as hard in order to be prepared.

“There are four different scenes where [Rocket and Kraglin] are not only together [in Vol. 2], but they both have dialog. We really would just kind of shoot around each character and plug me in as much as we could. I always think that the preparation and focus are the most important components to go to acting on set and I had to sort of double my preparation and double my focus on those days. It wasn’t easy because I can’t really squat down as Rocket in Kraglin’s wardrobe. So, I was also having to do these costume changes where I would get and jumpsuit, which is a little stiff and hard to maneuver, and into my Rocket sweats, which is basically a track suit that I’m wearing. So yeah, we’d just have to go back and forth. We’d really have to just take a little longer to shoot and I would be doing the scene twice from the point of view of each character.”

Of course, the Guardians franchise signaled a shift in tone for the Marvel Cinematic Universe upon its release. While offering more humour and brighter colour schemes than other franchises (and not to mention the best soundtracks in the MCU), the most interesting thing about the Guardiansfranchise has been its ability to help audiences fall in love with the anti-hero. When asked about whether he feels this franchise looks for the good in the ‘bad guys’, Gunn argues that the backstories of characters like Rocket gives them the chance to explore what it means to be a hero.

“Well, I certainly don’t view them as bad guys,” he explains, “but they’re not motivated by altruistic qualities the way that the Avengers are certainly… But, I agree with your premise that over the course of the movies, I think the arc of those characters are still learning to identify the goodness that’s already inside of them. I think they’d had lives that have encouraged them to squash the goodness, like Quill living with the Ravagers or Rocket having been where he’s been, sort of lonely most of his whole life. They’ve been encouraged to not think about the good inside of them so I think part of the movies is them finding that.”

Having worked with an ensemble cast on Guardians, his experience on Avengers: Infinity Warmoves to another level entirely. Billed as the ‘largest cross-over event in history’, the film features most (if not all) of the major characters that Marvel has introduced to audiences over the last decade. Nevertheless, Gunn believes that the film honours each character and hopes that the fans agree.

“There are a lot of characters and I think that that’s handled particularly well over the course of the two movies–which, if I can’t talk about the first one, imagine how little I can say it about the second one,” he muses. “We filmed them back to back. There’s still some additional photography to do for the second movie as is always the case and but I think the way that that issue of all these different characters participating in one story is really interesting and I think it works really well. We’ll have to wait and see what people think about. It certainly is a lot of balls in the air to juggle.”

Providing the motivation for the Avengers to assemble this time is the impending threat of alien overlord, Thanos. Hell-bent on destroying the universe, Thanos’ quest for the Infinity Stones is rumoured to give the film a darker tone than other entries into the MCU. Despite its intensity, Gunn also feels that Infinity Waralso balances it with Marvel’s trademark humour.

“I haven’t seen the movie yet so I’ve got to start with that,” he begins, “but I do think that it has a heaviness to it that I think is super cool. I think it’s warranted, personally. I mean you can’t have all these disparate franchises that you’re tying together under one massive banner and be sort of glib about it. I think that these movies are going to be serious. There’s certainly plenty of comedy though. I mean, you know, we have the Guardians in there. We’ve got the crew from Ragnarok in there. I think there’s a lot of laughs, but I think the overall tone of piece is not super light. I think fans will like that because it’s pretty serious. Thanos is serious business.”

Furthermore, one of the highlights for Gunn of working on Infinity War was the opportunity to combine the Guardians crew with a more diverse cast, allowing new interactions and conflicts.

Says Gunn, “I think every actor in one way or another helps define who the character you’re playing is, particularly from Rocket’s point of view. Rocket has been in space his whole life. He knows very little about Earth or the people who live there other than what he knows through his friendship with [Peter] Quill. So, his whole relationship to the earth is based on what Quill has told him and when he comes across any of these people from the Avengers universe, he has a very different perspective of them than any of us would have of them from down here. If anything, I think they’re not quite so impressive to Rocket.”

With his success in the Marvel Universe and Gilmore Girls, one might wonder what Gunn hopes to do next. Still, rather than get preoccupied with what is to come, he prefers to simply focus on looking for great stories to help bring to life.

“I try not to prognosticate or wish too much about where my career is going to go because then you’re only setting yourself up for disappointment. I’ve been very, very lucky to work with incredibly talented people with my brother in Guardians, with the Russos and everyone else they’re working with on Avengers and the list goes on and on, but also with Amy Sherman-Palladino and her husband, Dan, on Gilmore Girls. They’re such great writers and I’ve been so lucky and I really just try to chase the words. I think story is king still. Good stories and good content still rule the day and I just want to keep doing stuff like that. I’d love to revisit Kirk on Gilmore girls if we ever make more, which I don’t think would happen anytime soon. I’d take a look at the character again at some point down the line. I’d love it.”

To hear full audio of our conversation with Sean, click here.

Avengers: Infinity War opens April 27th, 2018.

3.25 Coming Home to SPIDER-MAN HOMECOMING

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This week, Steve teams up with Peter Percival (YouTube’s Bearded Movie Guy) and Jeff Baker (Geek Orthodox podcast) to talk about SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING!  Peter Parker has swung back into theatres (and the Marvel Cinematic Universe) with his 6th film in the last 15 years.  Have his web-fluid gotten stale?  Or should our spider-sense be tingling to get to the theatre?  In a fun conversation, the guys get to talk about coming-of-age, the importance of the ‘small’ and their favourite ‘Spider-Moments’.

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

3.25 Spiderman Homecoming

A special thanks to Peter and Jeff for coming on the show!

 

Spider-Man theme song composed by winner Paul Francis Webster and Robert “Bob” Harris.  Copyright 1967

Spider-Man -Homecoming: Webswinging Fun

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With great homework comes great responsibility.

Spider-Man: Homecoming brings us back to Peter ‘s high school years (he’s fifteen) as he tries to balance his family, friends, homework, and an ongoing application to join the Avengers.  Publicly claiming to be a member of the ‘Stark Internship’, young Peter is secretly being mentored by Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in the ways of being a ‘friendly neighborhood’ superhero.  However, when Peter stumbles across a plot to sell pieces of alien technology to local criminals, he is drawn into a battle that forces him to ask hard questions about his identity and calling.

Although he made his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in last year’s Civil War, Homecoming is Spidey’s true introduction to the world of the Avengers.  In a move that many felt would never happen due to Sony’s ownership of the film rights, allowing Spidey to join the MCU was easily the smartest decision that the company could have made.  By joining forces with Marvel, Sony frees itself of rebooting their franchise for the second time while also allowing access to iconic characters such as Iron Man and Captain America to make appearances.

Through its heavy emphasis on Spidey’s high school adventures and Holland’s contagious enthusiasm, Homecoming manages to pull off the one thing that seemed impossible for this franchise: it feels fresh.  Similar to his experience on the original Iron Man, Downey Jr. has compared the environment behind the scenes as one of freedom and creativity and the results appear onscreen.  This film has all the pop and flash of other Marvel entries yet also carries with it the teen angst of a John Hughes ‘coming-of-age’ film.  (In fact, there is even a brief reference to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.)  In other words, despite the Avengers, alien technology and a villainous Vulture (an energized Michael Keaton), it’s the realities of Spidey’s youth and inexperience that are front and center here.

As the film opens, Peter is filled with excitement and the mammoth aspirations of becoming an Avenger.  With superhero glory in full view, Peter has begun to lose sight of his everyday life and responsibilities. (“I am so far beyond high school right now,” Peter argues.)  Desperate to prove that he’s more than ‘just a kid’, Peter feels boxed in by Stark’s ‘training wheels protocols’ and tries to force his way up the superhero ladder.  (“I hate that Mr. Stark keep treating me like a kid!” he exclaims.)

But Peter’s immaturity prevents him from recognizing the value of the ‘small’.

In a world of Galaxy Guardians and Incredible Hulks, Homecoming is a reminder of the importance of those things and people that so many believe to be unremarkable.  Though Peter may be able to hold a ship together, he also must do his homework.  Though he wants desperately to be fight alongside Iron Man, he also needs to stop a local bicycle thief.  Though Vulture is stealing alien technology, so much of his motivation lies in simply getting by financially.  Gone are traditional MCU tropes like world domination and government conspiracies in favor of dinners with Aunt May and struggling to pay the bills.

In a story that echoes Jesus’ call to let the little children come to Him, Homecoming reminds us that everyone’s story matters, regardless how small.  The responsibility to care for the most seemingly insignificant people of the world carries the same importance as saving the entire planet.  (In fact, one of the film’s most subtle but significant moments comes through Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), Stark’s driver, as he confesses to Peter that, “I really don’t know what I would do without this job [working for Tony].”  Despite the fact that we’ve known him to do amazing things with his superhero billionaire, he too is simply a man who needs help.)  Moreover, as Peter realizes the value of the ‘small’, he is solidified as a true hero, not just to the world but to everyone.

Because there is power in being the ‘friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man.’

Captain America Civil War: Friendship vs Vengeance (SPOILERS)

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For months now we have seen the Civil War marketing ask us one question: whose side are you on? #TeamCap or #TeamIronMan has taken social media by storm and it allows fans to have a different sense of interaction before the film releases. It also brings about the inevitable “how does the film compare to one that was released not too long ago that also had a hero vs hero battle?” So let’s get that out of the way. Where Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice fails Captain America: Civil War succeeds. The story is deeper, the conflict more believable, and no one stops fighting because of Martha! Does that make this film a perfect film? Of course not! However, Civil War may just be the best superhero film to come out since The Dark Knight. And in my opinion, make no mistake about it, this is not Avengers 2.5; it is very much a centralized Captain America film.

So here we go . . .

But first I will warn you: this is a spoiler filled review. As I sit back and think of the film, I can’t do my review justice without going into great detail as to why the film is great and where it was also lacking. In other words….

***SPOILERS AHEAD, WATCH THE FILM FIRST OR BE SPOILED***

As I said in my preview, Civil War comes from the comics, but the details and story is completely different. The foundation is there, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe creates a new story that frankly has been building up for quite some time. In Avengers, New York suffered and lives were at stake and possibly lost. But the Avengers saved them and they were grateful. Then Winter Soldier brought about destruction in Washington D.C. and the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. More lives lost and in the middle of it, people with superpowers. Then Age of Ultron brought us Sokovia, and the devastation to a small country already hurting from years of wars takes the Avengers off American soil and into international borders. In all of this, there was always a conflict in terms of people’s ideologies, and it always came down to Steve Rogers and Tony Stark (the conservative vs the liberal). However, there was always something that brought them back together in an understanding that they are friends and on the same side. But what happens when they come to a fork in the road and they are forced to choose which road to take?

Avengers at Headquarters
The Sokovia Accord (It’s Just Politics)

That is how Civil War starts. An Avengers mission led by Captain America with his new Avengers team (War Machine, Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, Falcon, Vision) and the worst thing that can happen does. Innocent lives are lost and the world governments have had enough. But let’s be honest here: this isn’t about all the lives that were lost as if it is a humanitarian effort. This is about which lives were lost. Among the dead were missionaries from Wakanda, a small but powerful African nation that lives in seclusion. Missionaries that are rarely out since Wakanda keeps to itself are lost, and that driving force causes the world leaders to determine action needs to be done immediately in order to not have full backlash from the situation. This is a political agenda all the way through. I do wish, though, that what makes Wakanda so important to the United Nations would have been touched upon more. I guess that is for another film . . .

When presented with the Sokovia Accord that tells the Avengers to either be soldiers for the United Nations or quit, Steve Rogers is against it (no surprise here). His whole life as Captain America has dealt with nothing but corrupted governments and people with political (or worse) agendas. If he signs, his right to choose is gone. His moral obligation is put in check if the United Nations decides he can’t go and help somewhere. Meanwhile, Tony thinks the opposite. Too many lives have been lost because the Avengers are not put in check. Steve and some others decide that it is in their best interest to just quit. But when we are called for something greater, even when we want to walk away, we are pulled back in.

Friendships Gained; Friendships Lost

Enter the real conflict of the film–not a political stance of whether the conservative or liberal is correct. This is because Civil War does a great job in leaving you at 50/50 when it comes to #TeamCap or #TeamIronMan. The real conflict in the film is fueled by both friendship and vengeance. The King of Wakanda is killed at the UN signing of the Sokovia Accord. It is believed that Winter Soldier did it, and Steve can’t believe it. He is quickly back in gear in an attempt to find his childhood friend before General Ross and his soldiers find him first. This act now makes him a criminal since he is acting outside of the law, but he needs to know if it really was Bucky or if someone is controlling him again. On the flip side, Black Panther makes his appearance as he seeks vengeance for the death of his father. In the middle is Tony Stark trying to save his friend Steve while also doing his job and capturing Bucky. It brings about some great and intense chase scenes and battles between all the heroes.  The conflict increases as Cap stops Panther from killing Bucky, and both (along with Falcon) are taken into custody.

#TeamCap Fights

Of course, the other wrinkle to the story is added in, and Bucky escapes (as do Cap and Falcon)–but not before Cap discovers that someone else is responsible for everything. He finds Bucky, finally in his right mind, and puts together his team (Winter Soldier, Falcon, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, and Ant-Man) to go after the real villain. They understand that by doing so, they are outside of the law. What makes Rogers such a great leader is that there is a confidence and understanding that he wouldn’t go outside of the law if not for good reason. It is why Hawkeye comes out of retirement. It is why Ant-Man is willing to fight by his side. And it’s also why Scarlet Witch is willing to put away her fears and follow him. They all have reasons not to help Bucky, and those would all be good reasons. However, if Cap vouches for him, then a new friend is gained and they are willing to fight by his side.

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Meanwhile, Tony is given 36 hours to bring Cap and his team in or a shoot to kill man hunt will follow. He discovers where they are and brings his team (War Machine, Vision, Black Widow, Black Panther, and Spider-Man). This brings about probably the best on screen superhero battle in a while. It was simply amazing how they were able to centralize some of the fights. One on one battles between Black Panther and Captain America, Spidey and “insert whoever,” and best of all, watching Ant-Man go all Giant Man (YES!) was simply amazing. Of course, for me, Spidey stole the scenes as his young banter was Spider-Man to a T. It’s possibly the best representation that showed his strength, humor, agility, and weaknesses all in one. He’s a teenager that had no business in the fight, but held his own against them all (oh, and his intelligence really helped as well). The airport scene was simply a joy to watch even though the heroes are on two different ends of the spectrum. In the end, Cap and Bucky get away as the rest of the team is left to sacrifice themselves for the greater good (i.e they are captured and put in a supermax prison). What was once the mighty Avengers, for now, is over. Conflict has brought about catastrophe.

Vengeance Destroys All

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So here we are, the final act of the film. Friendships have been torn, but over what? Captain’s whole mission is to save his best friend, even if it meant separating from his other friends. His cause is righteous even if it means going outside the law to prove it. The others only see a man trying to save his best friend from his crimes. They think Bucky is guilty until Tony finally uncovers the truth. Bucky is innocent (of at least this incident), so he goes on his own as a friend. You see, friendship is a strong rope that many can cling on to. Sometimes it can get slippery, but it’s there. However, there is always someone who prefers to cut the rope than to see a strong bond remain strong. And in this final act, a survivor from Sokovia from the Zemo family has been doing exactly that. They cut the rope until in the final act, it finally goes through. The truth of how Howard Stark and his wife died is shown to Bucky, Cap, and Tony. Of course, Tony finds out that Cap already knew: Winter Soldier killed Tony’s parents. The cord of friendship is cut. Vengeance now fuels Tony, and frankly, watching two different super soldiers fight a man in a suit of armor is pretty great to see. It is an extremely bloody fight that in the end no one really wins. Sure, Cap beat Tony, but he didn’t win. Nothing was gained from it, and that is sad. It is my gripe with the film in that there was no redemption for either Tony or Cap. Both accepted the outcome, but their friendship is never going to be the same. Cap chose Bucky, he then breaks his team out of prison, and although Tony may have visually come to a point of acceptance, there is no doubt that forgiveness is still far away.

Redemption Found

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It is in the midst of this fight that my favorite character of the film truly shines (and he’s truly great throughout the whole film). Black Panther followed Tony to the compound. Vengeance still fueling his mission, until the truth is discovered, he captures Zemo, but not before an outstanding monologue on the very dangers of that vengeance. It fueled Zemo, it fueled Black Panther, and it fueled Iron Man in the end. This brought about great catastrophe as it spiraled around. Here was the message of redemption. Here we find the truth and parallel of sin. Left unchecked, it devours not just the person, but much more. There is a reason why God tells us to leave vengeance to Him: man is not equipped to handle it. Our decision process is thrown off course and until the truth is presented to us, we destroy things in our path. The truth is the cure to all evil and is a hard pill to swallow sometimes, but life in the truth ultimately is more peaceful and better than life filled with lies. Jesus said He is the way, the TRUTH, and the life…because life in Him makes life easier to handle (note: not easy, just easier).

Civil War is an action packed blockbuster with an outstanding story. I think that’s what made it so great. It took what was already there, then expanded on it. The conflict was not forced but very real and very believable. So much went on that I couldn’t even touch on the Vision and Scarlet Witch relationship! With all the characters in it, it was still very much a Captain America film with a centralized story that revolved around him and his virtue; the others were just bonus.

Like all Marvel films, I hope you stayed for the credits. I can’t wait to see those two have their solo films!

So what did you think of Civil War?

Captain America: Civil War — Conflict Breeds Catastrophe

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#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.)