Photo Credit: Spider-Man Homecoming/Marvel Studios
13. Captain America’s PSA (Spider-Man Homecoming)
When done correctly, breaking the “fourth wall” (talking to the audience) can an entertaining and effective plot device.
Captain America achieved both in his Public Service Announcement following the conclusion of Spider-Man Homecoming.
Instead of getting a grand post-credit scene that teased where the Marvel Cinematic Universe was heading to next, the screen goes white and Captain America himself appears and stares into the eyes of the movie theater.
“Cap is breaking the fourth wall??” we all thought, wondering what exactly what he was going to tell us. Everyone in the movie theater was hanging on his every letter, and when he opened his mouth, we leaned forward with wonderment.
What Captain America wanted us to talk to us about was “patience,” as in, why we would wait around in the theater, waiting for something to happen. After he got explaining the virtue of patience, he stopped talking and the screen faded to black.
At that point, our “patience” ran out, and everyone burned and pillaged the movie theater, deprived of our post-credit scene goodness that we were spoiled with. Okay, so maybe that’s a stretch, but many were upset by this post-credit scene. When you think back on it, Captain America’s PSA was a stroke of genius by Marvel, poking fun at all of us who sit in our chairs, patiently anticipating the post-credit scenes.
Touché Marvel, touché.