Recently, I watched the new Captain America movie because I’m a big fan of Marvel/superhero movies. I another reason I saw this movie is because of people who criticize new Marvel movies due to “wokeness”, but criticize this movie in particular for Captain America being Black. The MCU version of Steve Rogers is my favorite Captain America, but I do also like Sam Wilson and what a Black Captain America could represent.
Honestly, I really do think this movie was good. It may not be the best Captain America movie compared to Winter Soldier, Firt Avenger, or Civil War, but it definitely is a good Captain America and Marvel movie. I think it’s a great and fun superhero movie, there were times where it was cheesy and stereotypical with it’s lines but it was still fun to watch.
Some things I wish the film did differently is it’s very soft and fluffy portrayal of racism. Like, I just truly think the film would’ve been better if people reacted to Sam being Captain America in a more racist/microaggressive manner. The way they went about it in the film was like “No one likes Sam as Captain America because everyone misses Steve!” No, I want people saying the new Captain America is ‘ghetto’, I want people not taking him seriously, questioning how good and competent he is, I wanted citizens in the Marvel Universe defacing murals of Captain America.
I wanted to see Captain America be treated the same way people in real life are treating him, saying Bucky should’ve been Captain America, that a Black Captain America “doesn’t represent America or make sense!!” But instead, the movie gives a very soft version of that. It gave comments from people saying “I was hoping it was the other Captain America, but you’ll do.” It had people doubt and not view Sam as Captain America while still having those people contradictily view him as Captain America. I was just disappointed how they somehow ignored Sam being Black, and overall the Black male struggle in America, while also making it a plot point. Also having Isaiah Bradley, a Black man who had been abused by the prison and government system for his whole life, suddenly be chill and friends with a character, Sabra, who represents oppression and wanted him dead was genuinely weird and gross to do. It felt like they were trying to say “See two people who were against each other can still get along! Why can’t we all be like that America!” with two characters who didn’t just get along, but with two characters who fundamentally, and for what they represent, go against each other. Also, speaking of Sabra, I have no clue why she was ever meant to be in the movie, both before and after rewrites, I don’t see why her character has any business being in this movie.
That was a lot of words it just, really grinds my gears how they side stepped him being Black while making it the elephant in the room. Maybe if they had dont a TV show they could’ve done more, but even in Falcon/Captain America and the Winter Soldier show, they still tip-toed around it as not to upset Marvel’s White fanbase.