The rise and fall of Marvel is a topic that scholars and fans will debate for years to come. The success of Iron Man in 2008 launched the most ambitious cinematic universe Hollywood had ever known. The interconnectedness of these films encouraged fans to watch each one, fueling anticipation for larger-scale team-up projects like «The Avengers» . For a while, it seemed like every major Marvel movie was destined to make at least a billion dollars at the box office. However, after «Avengers: Endgame» Everything collapsed: box office receipts fell, some projects became unprofitable, and the previous excitement gave way to decline, all due to so-called "superhero fatigue.".
All this is well known. What's less well known is how it all began. Which film marked the beginning of the end for Marvel's continued success? It's easy to blame high-profile flops like «The Eternals» и «Miracles» , but the decline secretly began with one of the most beloved films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The 2016 film «Captain America: Civil War »" (now available on Hulu) is a comic book fan's dream, featuring all our favorite heroes battling it out in one awesome action scene after another. Unfortunately, the film's success convinced the studio that audiences mostly wanted funny cameos and CGI fights, which soon turned Marvel into multiversal chaos.
Violence between heroes
Plot of the film «Captain America: Civil War» The series begins with the UN drafting the Sokovia Accords, which would effectively turn superheroes into government agents after Scarlet Witch accidentally kills several bystanders while trying to stop a villain. Iron Man supports the idea, believing that great power must be accompanied by strict oversight and accountability. Captain America opposes the plan, fearing the government will use superheroes as a World Police. Meanwhile, a new villain has figured out how to turn Bucky back into the Winter Soldier, and the secrets he uncovers threaten to tear the Avengers apart, putting the entire world at risk.
To be honest, in the movie «Captain America: Civil War» There's a lot to love about this film, which is why it currently holds a high rating on Rotten Tomatoes with a 90% critic score. It's a film that introduces audiences to some beloved Marvel Cinematic Universe characters, including Spider-Man and Black Panther. It's also a fairly solid adaptation of one of Marvel Comics' best storylines. The film is also action-packed, from the early showdown with Crossbones to the heart-pounding battle between the various superheroes at the airport. It all culminates in a stunning battle between Captain America and Iron Man, which serves as an emotional culmination of the film's complex themes: superhero responsibility versus autonomy.
An awkward situation
Acting in «Captain America: Civil War» is flawless in every way. Newcomers Chadwick Boseman and Tom Holland command attention and charisma from the start, bringing much-needed depth to their cameos. Daniel Brühl effortlessly transforms Helmut Zemo into the most likable villain in Marvel history. William Hurt exudes confidence and bravado, playing the very good guy who seems more like a villain. Elizabeth Olsen, meanwhile, is particularly adept at playing a character haunted by her own mistakes, and these early traumas help set the stage for her subsequent mental breakdown, which we see in WandaVision and «Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness» .
However, no one revives «Captain America: Civil War» like the holy trinity of Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, and Robert Downey Jr. Evans perfectly shows us the other side of Captain America's patriotism, as he holds personal freedom sacred. Downey, for his part, imbues Tony Stark with a kind of wrenching vulnerability we haven't seen since «Iron Man 3» , and we see how deeply personal the theme of superhero responsibility has become for him. Stan plays Bucky as an unpredictable character. He's a hero who can't escape being turned into a weapon and technically bears no responsibility for the crimes he committed under the influence of his brainwashing as the Winter Soldier, but Tony can't forgive the blood on his hands.
The beginning of the end
In the film «Captain America: Civil War» There's so much to love, but why do I think it's effectively the beginning of the end for Marvel? First, it ushered in an era where almost every MCU movie felt like a watered-down version of «The Avengers» . We stopped getting cool solo character explorations like in Captain America: The Winter Soldier« , and began seeing endless distracting cameos. The first Spider-Man movie was supposed to be an Iron Man movie, and the third Thor movie was supposed to be a Hulk movie. Later films, like «Spider-Man: Homecoming» и «Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, They ended up burying potentially interesting plots under a series of distracting cameos.
The last two films focused on the Multiverse, and fans eventually found Marvel's obsession with the concept tiresome. But why was the studio so obsessed with the idea? It's simple: they thought they were simply giving fans what they wanted. Audiences loved seeing multiple superheroes in a single film, so Marvel embraced the concept of the Multiverse, allowing us to see countless different versions of fan-favorite characters like Loki. The studio didn't understand that simply making cameos for the sake of making cameos was detrimental to storytelling. This inevitably turned off those who wanted more than just a two-hour clash of action figures.
Everything is falling apart
It all started, of course, with «Captain America: Civil War» . If we hadn't applauded so loudly at that airport fight, «Multiverse of Madness» wouldn't have cluttered its plot with cameo appearances by characters like Professor X and Mister Fantastic. If we hadn't all welcomed the appearance of different Spider-Men in «No Way Home , That at Loki's« There wouldn't have been a first season whose plot boiled down to "stop hitting yourself." Now Marvel is putting it all on the line in "Avengers: Doomsday."« (Avengers: Doomsday) , a film that assumes we'll care about this brand-new villain simply because he wears Tony Stark's face. Why bother making anything original if your audience just wants more mindless, fan-pleasing nonsense?
Unfortunately, Marvel learned the hard way that audiences really We need more than silly cameos and computer-generated fights. We honestly need more than this has to offer. «Captain America: Civil War» . This film replaced the daring genius «Captain America: The Winter Soldier» A plot that offers little to no entertainment other than skintight suits, flying, and fighting. Is it fun to watch? Absolutely, and even when watching on Hulu, it's still as easy to digest as your favorite candy. But what if you're looking for something other than a sugary bomb?
Sorry, baby: because of the movie «Captain America: Civil War» All this saccharine nonsense is the best that Marvel has to offer.