ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2: RISE OF THE PANTHER

ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2: RISE OF THE PANTHER (2006):

“ I'm not going back to being a 2-inch superhero.”

- Ant Man/Giant Man

 

 

The story begins with Herr Kleiser, Cap’s old Nazi enemy, attacking and killing King T'Chaka of Wakanda. Prince T’Challa now inherits the throne of the isolated African nation. He takes up his father old Black Panther mantle and seeks out the Avengers to repel the impending invasion. This is despite his council’s wishes, as they don’t want outside help.

Meanwhile, Captain America assists military police in a warehouse raid. Nick Fury asks if he’s crazy, and he is asked to rest, but he can’t since he’s been fighting for so long. Nick Fury tells Cap about what happened in Wakanda with Kleiser, and wants Cap then, to lead a team down there. He accepts, and meets with the Avengers and T’Challa in secret.

During all this, Hulk is in containment, being interrogated for attacking the Avengers in the last movie. The room fills with a sedative when he claims he’s innocent. He demands to see Betty, but even she doesn’t trust him. Like everyone, he can’t come to terms with the past and ask for help. There are many times here where I felt the theme was appropriate to disability theory. All the heroes need to learn to ask for help. Ant Man wants to never shrink again and permanently become Giant Man. Iron Man again struggles with his armor and weak heart.

T’challa tells Cap of Wakanda’s experience in WWII, and though Kleiser promised peace, what they got was war. So, Wakanda became reclusive. After that, Black Panther reveals that underneath the nation is a mountain of vibranium, which can be fashioned into any weapon. Kleiser’s Chitauri army invades and blankets the world in an energy shield that blasts down the Avenger’s jet. The Wakandans retaliate with laser turrets. Iron Man and Wasp are critically injured, and Tony switches suits. (His own version of letting go of the past, and asking for help.) He becomes War Machine, a Iron Man outfitted with huge guns. If only my own chair could upgrade itself.

Thor sees in a vision that the Avengers will die, so he flies to SHIELD to help only to find out that it’s under attack, and the team is in Wakanda. Dr. Banner figures out (while watching the video of his rampage.) that gamma radiation weakens vibranium and uses it as a secret weapon against Chitauri ships and alien soldiers. Betty Ross rigs a gamma generator, blasts them all, and returns the generator to Wakanda. The heroes battle there until Betty arrives with the generator and now Hulk is with them too, smashing away.

Finally, Cap knocks Kleiser into a pit and, buries him. War Machine takes out the cannon with a gamma blast, and a few missiles. Ant Man has finally resigned himself to shrinking down so he can fit into War Machine’s gun barrel. What follows is one heck of a battle. For a movie about change, it doesn’t skip on the action, or depiction of death. There are casualities, but no spoilers here.

Overall, I liked this one way better than the first. It was better for disability theory (asking for help.) action, and held together as a fun movie. Plus, it had a Nazi get his butt kicked by Cap.
What we can take from this is that we’re never as alone as we think we are. We have traumatic experiences that may drive us away, but we can’t hide from the world. By focusing on tomorrow we improve today. Tomorrow can always be better. And Nazis can always be punched! Definitely worth your time, though maybe not suitable for children 12 and under.