Let's just get right to this one okay? I have a Pavlovian YES response to all Captain America sightings but let's do our duty and breakdown the trailer for levels of anticipatory glee and nerves, shall we?
This job. We try to save as many people as we can. Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody. But you don't give up.
Yup, I'm in. Pairing Captain America's savior complex with this image of his beloved, Bucky, still looking first appearance dangerous is a smart move. Instant emotional hook.
No. But then we're watching clips of three different past movies. "Previously on..." retreads aren't fun. At least pretend you're a movie instead of the most expensive and and shortest-seasoned TV show of all time.
New York (The Avengers). Washington (Winter Soldier). Sokovia (Age of Ultron)
Maybe So. Still, the good Captain speaking up when he sees Scarlet Witch's reaction to memories of Sokavia is so warming. Shut those disaster porn clips down. Hero.
No. As it turns out, Iron Man and the government want to keep the superheroes in check because of all the collateral damage... all those cities falling while they tried to save the world. Which is kind of how the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer plays out too with Man of Steel city-levelling guilt informing the plot. Here's a tip for screenwriters of superhero movies: don't strive for realism. People are already flying and using magic and not dying when the Hulk punches them and such. Suspension of disbelief is required to enjoy ourselves. If you ground it too much by telling us city-wide body counts and such it won't be any fun.
No. Tony Stark says he wants to punch Steve Rogers in his perfect teeth. The correct want is to kiss him on his perfect mouth. They argue.
YES. Worm's eye view shot of The Black Panther leaping on to and off of a car in hot pursuit of The Winter Soldier. Too quick for screencapping but well staged and new since we haven't yet seen this character in action.
YES
This quick attack and block and Tony Stark recoiling with disbelief that the Beloved Soldier nearly shot him in the head is so KAPOW baloon impactful. It practically comes with Smell-O-Vision its so gunpowder combustible.
Yes. Winter Soldier shoots War Machine out of the sky. Nice pietà there as Stark cradles the Body of Rhodes. But like the Christ he will surely rise again, right? Superheroes never stay dead for long.
I was wrong about you. The whole world was wrong about you.
Maybe So Unless Off the Rails You Go. We don't know who is saying this or about whom... so there's no telling if it's good dramaturgy. I am not wrong about Captain America, My Superhero Husband. So if the film tries to tell me otherwise, I shall revolt and dislike the movie.
They're coming for you.
YES. You don't come for The Black Widow. She comes for you. Watch your back.
Maybe So. After two films of film-elevating thankless workby Joss Whedon and Scarlett Johansson (who still doesn't have her own movie), together or separately in The Avengers and Winter Soldier, the Age of Ultron had difficulty going deeper. Will Scarlett win the fans back this time? How will the screenwriters justify Natasha turning against both her best friend Hawkeye and her pseudo partner in crime-fighting Captain America?
Maybe but I'm confused. Why is The Black Widow threatening Tony when she's clearly switching allegiances based on later images in the trailer? Hmmm.
Yes. Captain America tries to talk Iron Man out of a fight but this weapon building billionaire playboy (he's really like Bruce Wayne right, without the daddy issues and the gothic angst) well he aint having it. He wants war.
sure. War right out of his shoulder pads!
YES The Black Panther looks dangerous and masculine and fast -- costumes that don't let you see actor faces are always problematic (I mean is that even Chadwick Boseman? -- but the dark sleekness makes a beautiful silhouette. Though maybe there's a little overkill on the slicing sound mix whenever his claws are out? He's not Wolverine. Maybe vibranium's just noisy.
No no no Black Widow. Cool guys girls don't look at explosions.
YAAAAAAS BI--WITCH! The shot of The Scarlet Witch doing some sort of crazy potent hex with The Vision on his knees is insane. What the hell is going on? Is he melting? What if he was about to propose you crazy bitch? This is no way to treat your future babydaddy.
Sure, it was inevitable. Lots of individual shots of heroes attacking other heroes. We all knew it would come to this. Since the Marvel Cinematic Universe has had relatively lame villains, hero vs hero is probably the only logical way to go. And that's always a popular trope in comic books.
Yesssss. Tony vs. Steve
- Stay down. Final Warning.
- I can do this all day.
I know this is supposed to be dramatic rather than arousing but... ahem.
MAYBE SO
They're really going to have to have proper characterizations and motivations and agendas (i.e. strong scriptwriting and acting) to make these two teams of friends at war a believable scenario.
TEAM IRON MAN: War Machine, The Vision, Black Panther, Black Widow, Spider-Man (apparently)
TEAM CAPTAIN AMERICA: Winter Soldier, The Falcon, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, Ant-Man
NO the sets look awfully bare and undramatic, right? Is there more to this movie than like 3 or 4 skirmishes between former allies in nondescript locations?
YES. Our senses are tingling. The trailer ends with a spoiler -- Tom Holland's Spider-Man (Or at least Tom Holland's voice emanate from a CG character.) ! Spidey or "Underoos" as Tony calls him, cleverly robs Captain America of his two best weapons (shield and fists).
The question is this just fan service circle jerk like we're all essentially playing with our action figures and pitting them against each other is there an actual story? Is this the end of the fight or a tiny breather? Is this the middle setpiece with something they're not showing us at all or the climax itself?
I'm a full YES with Maybe So nerves because Winter Soldier is going to be really hard to top and Civil War looks far more like an Avengers movie than a third Captain America film.
How about you?
And what's with Spidey's mechanized squint?