Of course this film is #13—a number that is often disliked for fear of bad karma or evil spirits. And we kind of have both in Captain America: Civil War. What makes this film uncomfortable is the fact that we’ve had 12 films that build two main characters’ arcs as heroes, and now we have to choose a side—meaning that one of our heroes is wrong.
I honestly haven’t watched Civil War other than once in the theater and then a few parts for chapters that I write about Pepper Potts. It hurts me, and I can’t bear to actually watch the brutal way that—emotionally—Tony and Steve pummel each other in the final battle sequence. Bruises on the skin will fade, but the bruises on their hearts will take much longer to heal.
This time around, though, I had no choice but to watch, as that is part of this process of our blog creation. I talked endlessly about the fact that I didn’t want to watch the film, and I was more and more vocal as I saw the film creep up closer and closer on our list.
Watching the film right now, in the political climate that we’re in, really lends itself to an analysis of the film as a metaphor for the depressing mess that we’re in as a country. We have two sides, and the divide grows larger rather than smaller.
On one side, the film focuses on how Tony is rudderless without Pepper. He can’t finish a speech when her name appears on a teleprompter. He has regressed after making such progress at the end of Iron Man 3, destroying his excess suits and vowing to be more present in their lives. Instead, he is still traumatized by the events of Avengers and takes the news hard of how many people have died as a result of Ultron’s attempt to “save” the world. After the devastation that happened in Sokovia, shouldn’t there be some accountability for the loss of life? Part of Tony's thinking is regret for his part in Ultron’s creation, but part of his decision is that he is fueled by the idea that the Accords might help him “split the difference” in world view that he has with Pepper. He’s not wrong.
On the other side, we have Steve, a man also lost without his love, Peggy. What crushes him even more is that she dies—and he, like Tony, feels rudderless. I wrote about how in Winter Soldier, Steve visits the museum to see those he knew, frozen in images and statues and interviews on a loop. He wants that connection to what he had, badly, and when he realizes Bucky is out there and could be killed, Steve not only wants to do the right thing, he also wants to get back one piece of what made him who he is. He also has an internal sense of what he believes is right. Sharon’s words at Peggy’s funeral cement his thoughts that the Accords are wrong: “Compromise where you can. Where you can't, don't. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye, and say 'No, you move.’” Steve isn’t wrong either.
In “Red and Blue: An Analysis of Captain America: Civil War,” the author argues that “Tony Stark and Steve Rogers have good points, and both are making these good points for bad reasons” (https://observationdeck.kinja.com/red-and-blue-an-analysis-of-captain-america-civil-war-1775265715). Both are working off of their emotions, and they are trying their best. I feel for Tony’s loss, and I hurt for Cap as he struggles to stay true to his ideals that make him feel like a square peg in a round hole.
That’s what makes this film interesting to study in the context of our current election. We have two sides, both with positives and negatives. We have two candidates—and honestly, no debating specifics here; I’m not even naming them for a reason—and we can see that there is only one outcome from all this fighting: more separation and distance.
In Civil War, the end isn’t a sunset and a clear resolution that brings everyone back together again. The moral of the story is that when we are separated, when we increase the divide, it’s never good.
Let’s hope that we as a country can narrow the divide and work together to avoid our own war. Because, as the film painfully reveals, when war erupts, no one ever wins.
I honestly haven’t watched Civil War other than once in the theater and then a few parts for chapters that I write about Pepper Potts. It hurts me, and I can’t bear to actually watch the brutal way that—emotionally—Tony and Steve pummel each other in the final battle sequence. Bruises on the skin will fade, but the bruises on their hearts will take much longer to heal.
This time around, though, I had no choice but to watch, as that is part of this process of our blog creation. I talked endlessly about the fact that I didn’t want to watch the film, and I was more and more vocal as I saw the film creep up closer and closer on our list.
Watching the film right now, in the political climate that we’re in, really lends itself to an analysis of the film as a metaphor for the depressing mess that we’re in as a country. We have two sides, and the divide grows larger rather than smaller.
On one side, the film focuses on how Tony is rudderless without Pepper. He can’t finish a speech when her name appears on a teleprompter. He has regressed after making such progress at the end of Iron Man 3, destroying his excess suits and vowing to be more present in their lives. Instead, he is still traumatized by the events of Avengers and takes the news hard of how many people have died as a result of Ultron’s attempt to “save” the world. After the devastation that happened in Sokovia, shouldn’t there be some accountability for the loss of life? Part of Tony's thinking is regret for his part in Ultron’s creation, but part of his decision is that he is fueled by the idea that the Accords might help him “split the difference” in world view that he has with Pepper. He’s not wrong.
On the other side, we have Steve, a man also lost without his love, Peggy. What crushes him even more is that she dies—and he, like Tony, feels rudderless. I wrote about how in Winter Soldier, Steve visits the museum to see those he knew, frozen in images and statues and interviews on a loop. He wants that connection to what he had, badly, and when he realizes Bucky is out there and could be killed, Steve not only wants to do the right thing, he also wants to get back one piece of what made him who he is. He also has an internal sense of what he believes is right. Sharon’s words at Peggy’s funeral cement his thoughts that the Accords are wrong: “Compromise where you can. Where you can't, don't. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye, and say 'No, you move.’” Steve isn’t wrong either.
In “Red and Blue: An Analysis of Captain America: Civil War,” the author argues that “Tony Stark and Steve Rogers have good points, and both are making these good points for bad reasons” (https://observationdeck.kinja.com/red-and-blue-an-analysis-of-captain-america-civil-war-1775265715). Both are working off of their emotions, and they are trying their best. I feel for Tony’s loss, and I hurt for Cap as he struggles to stay true to his ideals that make him feel like a square peg in a round hole.
That’s what makes this film interesting to study in the context of our current election. We have two sides, both with positives and negatives. We have two candidates—and honestly, no debating specifics here; I’m not even naming them for a reason—and we can see that there is only one outcome from all this fighting: more separation and distance.
In Civil War, the end isn’t a sunset and a clear resolution that brings everyone back together again. The moral of the story is that when we are separated, when we increase the divide, it’s never good.
Let’s hope that we as a country can narrow the divide and work together to avoid our own war. Because, as the film painfully reveals, when war erupts, no one ever wins.
Hi Sandy. I think this is my favorite movie of all of the MCU movies (although there are some close second places) because it's such a reflection of real life. It gives me all of the good and bad emotions, and although the fight between Steve and Tony is not a high note, it ends with them trying to mend fences. Steve gives Tony the phone to contact him, Tony won't reveal his conversations to the prison guards. You see that although they had their differences and were divided, they still care about each other. In the context of today's world, that gives me hope that we can come back from the brink of civil unrest if we can ultimately remember that there was love or friendship or respect there at one time. Ultimately Tony and Steve shared the same morals and wanted the same outcomes, but they let their differences of opinion on how to achieve those outcomes divide them. I also appreciated the character changes and the depiction of how easy it is for people to be manipulated (but you can read about that in my comments on Gian's and Alex's posts). When you go back and look at these movies, it's almost like Civil War warns you, "If this hadn't happened, maybe things would be different in Infinity War. Look what happens when you're divided." But I still think that Civil War would've been the best way to end phase 1. I like that it was epic without trying to be overly epic, and it was real.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely feels real, and as I love both characters, it's hard for me to watch--especially because I can see that both are right, and both are wrong. I just wish they had gotten more time to mend fences and be the best friends, the yin to each other's yang. Their loss moving forward will be palpable.
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