Post #4
Have always like mindless superhero movies/cartoons as a kid and even now for that matter. Grew up following the Spiderman, Avengers, X-Men, Iron Man series etc.
It's easy to just escape to a world where good and bad is just so clearly defined. A righteous hero kicking the ass of some maniacal, flamboyant villain who most of the times wants to demolish the entire planet earth.
That way, Captain America 3: Civil War was quite different from the films of this genre. It dealt with a whole host of super-heroes maneuvering their way in the real world where collateral damage is a reality. In super-hero movies, when escaping into a brilliant spectacle where buildings get destroyed by the droves, cars get smashed up, who really thinks about those unfortunate souls who somehow are in the wrong place in the wrong time bang in the middle of the mega fights between the heroes and villains and lose their lives in the process.
There are 2 points in this film which kinda actually made me wrestle with conflicting feelings about how I felt about the situation:
Conflict #1: Pretty much right at the start of the film, the superheroes get divided into 2 camps. The first camp led by Tony Stark (Iron Man) feels that as the Avengers have gone out of control and are despised by the world as 'US based vigilantes' who have no regard for collateral damage, they need to kept reigned in by an accord signed by the 100+ nations of the UN. Under this accord, they no longer can operate independently and have to operate under controlled conditions according to the mandate of the UN accords signed.
The second camp led by Steve Rogers (Captain America) believes that the Avengers being controlled by an external body like UN is an awful idea because an external body consists of people with agendas and agendas can always change. In short they will be puppets and will always be at the biding of their political masters which won't always ensure that they do the right things that needs to be done. They regret the collateral damage which happens due to their activities but are of the opinion that it's better to save most people possible than to save none at all.
To be honest, I think both are extremely compelling arguments. On one hand there has to be accountability when there is collateral damage. On the other hand about the point of people with agendas and agendas changing, I do believe it to be true given the experience I have had till now in a public set up
It's confusing really - weirdly enough my head sides with stand taken by Iron man and my heart with that of Captain America!
This conflict sort of has a political undertone. Have realized that its just SO much easier when you strongly believe in a certain type ideology like those rabid left or right wingers who go on barking covering their ears refusing to even listen to a diverse point of view. You get screwed if you are a moderate who is willing to be open to both sides of the argument.
Conflict #2: So the 'villain' in this film is probably the most sympathy inducing villain in any superhero film/cartoon I have seen. He lost his entire family including children, wife and dad who were civilians who got caught in the middle of a battle between the Avengers and Ultron. He is hellbent on revenge and thinks that the best way of getting rid of the Avengers is stoking infighting between them. Again this is such a grey area. It's a classic case of of the Joker quote "Why should I apologize for the monster I have become? No one ever apologized for making me this way?" Even in real life, it seems to me that at the heart of most of the conflicts in the world are such 'monsters' who at some point have been wronged. Again, most people aided by an unethical media choose to take the convenient option of viewing such conflicts through the narrow lens of nationalism, religion, regionism etc and pontificate on what's right and wrong
When you are a kid, you sincerely believe that everything is black and white and if you are a decent person, your hope is that you'll always strive to do what's right. And when you do finally grow up, you realize that so many times, what is right and wrong is just a matter of perspective.
Think that the best part of the film was despite its serious themes, the light hearted humour was quite a delight not to mention the breathtaking action sequences. In my opinion that's why this film scores over the Dark Knight films which was of course are very thought provoking and brilliant but too darkly intense and draining
I guess at the end of the day, adopting a humorous approach towards life certainly is the best weapon to avoid being overwhelmed by the seriousness of it.
Empathy too is a very powerful tool when 2 opinions are on the opposite sides of the spectrum. Even if it does not dissolve barriers, atleast it manages to dissolve the bitterness surrounding it which still leaves the possibility of resolution of the conflict open.
This is summed up perfectly in the last few lines of a letter by Steve to Tony at the end of the movie which reads
"I wish we agreed on the Accords, I really do. I know you're doing what you believe in, and that's all any of us can do. That's all any of us should...so no matter what, I promise you, if you need us - if you need me - I'll be there.
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