(Photo Credit: Marvel Studios)
The Dream Team Divided
The 1992 men’s Olympic basketball team, better known as the Dream Team, assembled to avenge previous losses in international basketball competition.
Although they began as friends, their epic battles in practice sometimes led to all out war on the basketball court.
Likewise, the Avengers assembled to protect the world from the wrongs of life. But in “Captain America: Civil War,” circumstances lead them towards all out war in spite of their friendship.
In “Captain America: Civil War,” the Avengers are not heroes to many because of their vigilante ways.
While trying to save humanity, they have become responsible for the deaths of many innocent human beings.
When a group of criminals attempt to steal a biological weapon in Lagos, Nigeria to give to terrorists, the Avengers swoop in to save the day.
However, they cause their usual destruction to innocent lives in the process.
Governments from around the globe agree to the Sokovian Accords to try to limit the work of the Avengers.
Based on the agreement, the Avengers would need government approval to fight crime and injustice in over 100 countries around the world.
However, when terrorists strike at the most vulnerable of times, the Avengers have to decide whether or not to abide by the Sokovian Accords or abide by their own intuition to right the wrongs in society.
In “Captain America: Civil War,” the Dream Team of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Charles Barkley has been replaced.
The replacements, obviously, include the usual suspects like Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson), War Machine (Don Cheadle) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner).
But the scene-stealer in “Captain America: Civil War” is Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman).
Like veteran actors Cheadle, Boseman is one of those rare talents who guarantees a flawless performance, but has not graduated into worldwide icon status.
It seems that Cheadle likes avoiding the limelight, and maybe Boseman does too.
But a talent so marvelous (please see his performances in “Get on Up” and “42”) should be box office magic if talent is the true indicator of a bona fide movie star.
Boseman’s performance as Black Panther will leave Marvel fans chomping at the bit for the “Black Panther” film directed by Ryan Coogler (“Creed” and “Fruitvale Station”).
The actor’s African accent seems authentic and not overdone like Will Smith in “Concussion.”
Downey and Mackie bring their usual good comedic timing to “Captain America: Civil War.”
Furthermore, it is commendable that so many filmmakers are incorporating the world’s current war with terrorism into their screenplays.
Unfortunately for “Captain America: Civil War,” the title character Captain America (Chris Evans) is overshadowed by his sidekicks.
His role leaves him in the same precarious position as musician Harold Melvin from Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.
Melvin was given top billing in the group, but drummer Teddy Pendergrass overshadowed him and ultimately became the star attraction.
Despite Melvin getting shafted for Pendergrass, they still made hit records for many years.
And while they were not actually the Dream Team of R&B music in the 1970s, they were still an excellent group.
Contrarily, “Captain America: Civil War” is an excellent movie and the characters are a Dream Team.
But like Pendergrass from Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, the star (Boseman) will have to leave his group for bigger and better things.
And if “Black Panther” is anywhere near as good as “Captain America: Civil War,” the Marvel Dream Team will be around for many decades like the United States men’s Olympic basketball team.
REGAL RATINGS
FOUR CROWNS=EXCELLENT
THREE CROWNS=GOOD
TWO CROWNS=AVERAGE
ONE CROWN=POOR
