Marvel’s latest take on a classic comic book is Captain America: Civil War. In their most recent installment the super heroes find themselves as collateral damage resulting from an incident in Lagos, one of the states in Nigeria. As a result of the events, the super heroes have to make a choice that pits friends against one another, making for a cinematic overload of excitement. In this movie, the Russo Brother’s gave the audience an experience of a lifetime after introducing new characters such as Crossbones and breathing life into lesser-known characters such as Vision and Scarlet Witch. Of the newest characters, the most intriguing is that of Tom Holland’s character, Spider-Man, and Chadwick Boseman’s gripping portrayal of Black Panther.
Most people are aware of who the famous web-slinger is, and for those who are not, he is one of the staple icons of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His appearance in this movie is a shocking one due to the fact that Sony owns the rights to his character; whereas Captain America is a Disney movie. At first glance, he looks like the typical “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.” However, the character is played so well by Holland that for fans of the classic comics, it is exciting to see him brought to real life. Those who have not yet had the pleasure of experiencing the new movie are only left with the Peter Parker imitators as played by Tobey McGuire and Andrew Garfield. Though their movies were box-office breakthroughs, the two never gave the character the attention to detail that it deserves. Tom Holland, for those who do not know, is a 19 year old playing a 15 year old Peter Parker, the youngest version the character has ever been portrayed as. By doing so, the Russo brothers effectively displayed the sharp wittiness that the teenage web shooter should have. At every chance he was given, he made a sly, sarcastic, or amusing quip that only propelled his character to the forefront of most fans’ enjoyment. It was refreshing to see how this current rendition brought a new life to the character, which even garnered an over joyous response from Tobey McGuire.
In typical comic book fashion most characters are drawn to the vigilante life based on some horrific incident that propels them to take up a mantel of justice. Chadwick Boseman plays the infamous Black Panther, the prince of Marvel’s fictitious Wakanda. According to Wakandan legend, if you hold the power of the King it is your due-diligence to protect the people that you lead. After events at the beginning of the movie lead to the current king’s death, T’Challa follows in his father’s footsteps and dawns the black vibranium suit of pure power. For those that do not know, the material that is used for his suit is the same as that of Captain America’s shield. To put it bluntly, it's bad-ass. As Boseman put it, “you never quite know where he stands, there is always a bit of concealing and mystery.” Boseman demonstrated this through his entire cinematic debut. Black Panther is hell bent on revenge for his father’s death and does not plan on stopping his pursuit until those responsible pay with their lives.
From the film's stand point, he does not choose a side, but rather stands alone. However, he does fight for Team Iron Man in one of the greatest fight scenes Marvel has ever put on the big screen. His indifference towards the entire situation and his unwavering need for revenge allows for this character to be pushed to the forefront of all of the fight scenes. Each of his scenes is so professionally executed that, while watching, it wouldn't be inconceivable to feel as though he is an actual super hero. Since Boseman has signed on for a five film contract, it will be interesting to see what he will be able to do in the forthcoming movies.
