Captain America: Civil War

[alive she cried]

First reviews are in.

 

Very mild spoilers

 

 

Who needs a villain when you have Steve and Tony? Both protagonists. Both antagonists. And drawing other power-people to their cause in surprising ways. The clashes go far beyond the set-up squabbles of Avengers Assemble. Or even that other big 2016 superhero showdown. Forget Batman v Superman. Here you get Ant-Man v Spider-Man, Hawkeye v Black Widow, Scarlet Witch v Vision, The Winter Soldier v Black Panther and (well, duh) Captain America v Iron Man, all rolled into one. And that is what you call the ultimate Marvel superhero event. Matching its blockbuster scale and spectacle with the smarts of a great, grown-up thriller, *Captain America: Civil War* is Marvel Studios’ finest film yet. There. We said it again. [5*]

 

Empire Online

 

That epic runtime is the only problem. It's generally well-paced, but there's one too many plot swerves as you wait for the gang to suit up and throw down. There’s also a slightly icky and completely unnecessary romantic beat that torpedoes the MCU’s best love story, and it’s a shame that the trailers (and LEGO) gave away quite so many of the film's surprises. If there’s a risk of the Marvel ‘formula’ becoming stale, there isn’t any evidence of that here. Civil War isn’t just a damn-near-perfect popcorn crowd-pleaser; it doesn’t offer any easy answers for its combatants, or the world going forward. Team Cap or Team Iron Man? The real winner here is Team Marvel. [5*]

 

Games Radar

 

Arriving so quickly on the heels of “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” there’s a temptation to treat this Marvel sequel as a rebuttal to DC's recent effort. The pitched battle between two primary heroes, set against the backdrop of a world concerned about super-powered accountability, is remarkably similar. However, the two films couldn’t be more different in their perspectives and methods. 'Civil War' is effective thanks to a focus on character, with the film's extended roster serving to explore and underline absorbing ideas about family, friendship, and the use of power. As big as this movie is, “Captain America: Civil War” thrives on a smaller, human scale. Striking and consistently engaging, the Russos deftly craft compelling blockbuster entertainment out of a a moral and emotional conflict, and that’s more impressive than any overblown display of loud and vulgar power. [A-]

 

The Playlist

 

Call it “civil war” or call it brand extension; call it a “cinematic universe” or a corporate behemoth — the latest Marvel extravaganza furthers the studio’s cross-pollination of action franchises in a way that’s sure to satisfy devotees. Posing serious questions about violence and vigilantism while reveling in both, Captain America: Civil War is overlong but surprisingly light on its feet. It builds upon the plotlines of previous Avengers outings, bringing together known marquee quantities and introducing the Black Panther and a new Spidey in winning fashion.

 

The Hollywood Reporter

 

Captain America: Civil War feels like a pinnacle for Marvel. Like, I can’t imagine their movies getting any better. This feels like the crescendo. This feels like the movie this series has been building towards for eight years. After all these movies, Marvel earned this fight. This is the best Marvel movie so far. This is not hyperbole. I have my doubts they can make anything better. This is as close as things come to “superhero movie perfection.” This movie made me really happy.

 

Uproxx

 

In the almost-too-smooth fashion that has come to define even Marvel’s non-Joss Whedon-directed entries, a steady undercurrent of droll, wisecracking humor punctures the tension at key intervals, to continually amusing if somewhat ingratiating effect; it’s a bit deflating when Iron Man at one point actually invokes “The Manchurian Candidate,” rather than simply allowing the obvious reference to speak for itself. All of which is to say that this clean-burning cinematic engine may qualify as a peak Marvel experience, but it isn’t a transcendent one; transcendence simply doesn’t factor into the calculations of a franchise dedicated more to its long-term survival strategy than to the quality of any individual chapter. “Captain America: Civil War” doesn’t break the mold; it burnishes the brand, and sets a high but not insurmountable bar. Let the games continue.

 

Variety

 

Featuring what's arguably the best ever screen depiction of Spider-Man as well as a cool new hero in Black Panther, Captain America: Civil War can't quite recapture the emotional and cerebral strengths of its predecessor, The Winter Soldier. Its central villain is ultimately lackluster and its final act, while dramatic, lacks the energy and effectiveness of the central action set-piece that assembles the Avengers in instant-classic fashion. [7.8]

 

IGN

 

Between the political issues, explosive battles and a nefarious plot by new villain-on-the-scene Helmut Zemo (Daniel Brühl), Civil War is overflowing with story. It's a gold mine for Marvel nerds that may be dizzying for the rest. Yet the central conflict between superfriends Steve and Tony stays in focus, even escalating in a real and tragic way as the plot progresses and weaves in Winter Soldier’s history of breaking bad to tear them apart even further. Rather than rooting for the fisticuffs, it hurts to watch these men, brothers in a sense, punch and blast each other into oblivion — a testament to two actors totally on their game but also to audiences’ investment in these characters paying off in dramatic fashion.

 

USA Today

 

The film tangles itself up with fears of endless war and the annihilation of innocent humanity, and in doing so it continues to validate the ongoing series. It’s a fact of movie history that films are created as both a response to, and a product of, the larger world. And superhero movies, which are the current cinema’s site of obsession over anxiety-making issues of global safety, must continue to address the unthinkable if they’re to be more valuable to culture than mere moneymaking products on an assembly line, or retreats into childhood nostalgia that only pretend to be making sense of the environment that produces them. “Civil War” strikes that admirable balance: serious-minded action that never forgets to indulge in serious fun.

 

[Mr. Hakujin]

Best part of that MTV clip (which was full of awesomeness) was T'Challa pulling down Cap's shield and the look on Cap's face. Someone (Axels) needs to do a Lion King meme/.gif of the hyenas saying "T'challa" instead of "Mufassa" combined with that shot.

[alive she cried]

Four words:

 

Actually, more words needed. This is without a doubt the most accurate portrayal of the spectacle of classic comic book action. I watched this with my cousin who has been reading Marvel since the 70's and the two of us just sat there (during one scene in particular) with beaming smiles across our faces. Just sheer unbridled joy.

 

That said, it wasn't just pure escapism. There is real emotion in this, you feel for these characters, there are no easy decisions made. Marvel worked for and earned this payoff. This is the new peak for the MCU (excluding Netflix)

 

9/10

[Da Cap'n 2099]

Need. This. Movie. NOW!

[alive she cried]

Ha ha, oh and just to rub it in, Spider-Man is fucking perfect (bar the minor costume details we've already discussed). By far the best live action adaptation.

 

[Jumbie]

So, I got to see this and liked it a lot. Not as much as a lot of people did though. Not as much as I liked Captain America: Winter Soldier even.

 

Civil War did all the things Marvel movies do well so I won't go into specifics, but the characters were on point with everyone pretty much having a motivation that made sense and interactions that made sense. The tone, which is the HUGE strength of all Marvel movies is excellent and especially with the way it changes in the different segments.

 

Things I didn't like (but these are light medium complaints):

 

--Action fatigue. I'm starting to tune out these long superhero fights. The last fight, thankfully was short and to the point, but the tunnel sequence and a few others felt too long and stunt-y.

 

--In the big fight, where was Vision? Up til he and Antman have their encounter, I kept thinking, 'Everyone's paired up, this is cool. Widow and Hawkeye, Spiderman and Cap, wait, who's got Vision?" and then that distracted me.

 

--Too crowded. Not a good sign for Infinite Thanos parts 1 and 2. I got a headache following all the characters. It's less of a problem in comics,since crossovers are spread out, but in a movie, everything flies by fast. I hope they figure this formula balance soon. It seems like they may have done so, given how they wrote out a few characters already and added potential for others to go out kinda easy too.

 

Things I liked:

 

--Villain. Kurt Loder complained in his review of the movie that Bruhl didn't do enough villainous scene stealing, but given how things turned out at the end, it was a) the best choice and b) a good change from the previous villains starting to be too similar in villainy. Besides, everyone knows Tony was the real villain of this movie...

 

--Plot twist.

I figured it out from the third time the car crash came up in the movie, which was pretty early, but then I forgot all about it when I got caught up in the 'Tony's gonna go help them kick some ass' and forgot, so I ended up being surprised anyway.

 

 

--Spiderman. I hear some fans have complained that he's portrayed TOO young. But I bought it. With a lot of these guys like Thor, Widow, Iron Man, Cap, Hawkeye, Falcon etc there was a veteran vibe from the start or it was established very quickly.

 

I want more of that insecure-but-powerful goofball trying to fit in on a team of veteran soldiers vibe like when Kyle Rayner was on the JLA back when.

 

- - - - -

 

Aside from good parts and bad parts, most of the talk about this movie is probably over the argument about right and wrong. And there was even less gray area in the movie than the comics.

 

Captain America sees how dumb the accords are:

 

"What if they send us someplace we don't want to go? What if we need to be somewhere and they don't let us?"

 

I know they don't want to get too real world here, especially with the international box office being so important, but this would have been a perfect spot to mention that China has a UN security council veto. As does Russia.

 

Also that the UN human rights council has been headed by Iran and Ghadaffi's Libya and a lot of other people the Avengers would find themselves in conflict with under normal circumstances.

 

On top of that, the Nigeria incident didn't seem like it was big enough to warrant the accords. I mean, Sakovia (!) wasn't. And on top of that the incident wasn't the kind of thing where the Avengers could be seen to blame. Criminals stole a bio weapon. Anything that happens after that is pretty much the fault of the criminal, not the person trying to stop them.

 

The writers could have saved this so easily by having Cap learn that the bio weapon was secure and then continue his fight with Crossbones in the middle of the city and then when the bomb blows he shares responsibility for not ending the fight near the civilians with the threat of the bioweapon element removed. Then they could personalize it on him so that he would feel some guilt over it and then his standing like a tree or whatever stance would be more heroic because going to principle would hurt him more.

Edited May 8, 2016 by Jumbie

[Iambaytor]

I think the Nigeria incident was so much more of a big deal than Sokovia (though I have no idea why the Hulk/Iron-man fight from Age of Ultron wasn't even mentioned once) was because it dealt with delegates of Wakanda. Wakanda being the most technologically advanced and reclusive nation that happens to be sitting on a vast supply of the strongest metal in the universe means they had a bit more pull than Greyishbleakistan did as far as incidents go. Also worth mentioning, the only Avenger who deserved to face charges for the Sokovia incident (Tony Stark, he is responsible for Ultron after all) was the guy who was pushing the hardest for control yet never volunteered himself to be jailed for his crimes. Basically fuck Tony Stark, his response in the final battle was way the fuck out of line and he deserved far worse of a boot in the ass than what he got.

[Keth]

My biggest gripe was the lack of Nick Fury. Other than that I thought it was pretty damn great. Now I really wish Black Panther wasn't pushed back to favor Spidey, as fucking awesome as he was in the movie.

[Iambaytor]

I don't think Fury could've added much to that, besides they're saving that big reveal for a much larger event surely: likely the re-introduction of S.H.I.E.L.D. Besides, the spinning plates act they managed here was already a lot to take in, didn't need another person muscling in on the action.

[Jumbie]

Sam Jackson costs money per minute like crazy and they already shelled out the bank for RDJ. Tom Holland came cheap.

 

(Like your mom.) *

 

I forgot about the Wakandans. But that brings me back to an issue I had after the fact because of something I was expecting and didn't get. After we realized Zemo was manipulating events, I expected that the first two things to drive Tony away from Cap would be revealed as Zemo's doing too (Nigeria and Alfre Woodard at the elevator)

 

But Zemo didn't have a hand in those.

 

So on the minus side that means we have a heavy coincidence that Zemo's plan went into action just after the accident that causes the accords and then the other incident that makes Tony support the accords. When you think about it, Zemo's whole plan only worked because of the accords, didn't it?

 

(I suppose he might have been intending his plan to work without even knowing about the accords i.e.

frame Bucky and pretend to interrogate him while really planting bait for Cap and Iron Man to go to his party in Siberia... but without the accords, all the Avengers would have shown up and Tony vs Cap wouldn't have been on the cards)

 

 

On the PLUS side, it's good to see that Zemo isn't manipulating everything in the conflict over methodology because it shows the casualty issue is real. Having it all be a villain's manipulations like in Batman/Superman makes it seem like collateral damage was never a valid concern to begin with.

 

In the end, I can't forgive that coincidence, however, and I hold it against them because I know they could have written the Woodard/Nigeria stuff as non-Zemo without having it be critical to Zemo's scheme's success.

 

*Happy Mother's Day!

Edited May 8, 2016 by Jumbie

[Iambaytor]

Maybe it wasn't a coincidence, we only see Zemo making his machinations well after the inciting action so maybe he was just waiting for one such event to set his plan in motion.

Edited May 8, 2016 by Iambaytor

[Keth]

 

Thinking more about it, I'm kinda pissed they killed Crossbones. Frank Grillo was fucking awesome and that voice of his added so much. I get he was a plot device and he had to go out somehow, but damn if he had stuck around just to fuck with Cap in other movies would have been so cool.

 

Real glad they spared Zemo though. Daniel Bruhl did a great job and if they bring him back he could honestly be the best villain since Loki. Then again it's not hard to do that since they kill almost all of their adversaries (see Crossbones).

 

[Jumbie]

Thanos will need underlings in his movie besides just having some kind of stormtrooper/alien army like in Avengers 1. People with personality.

 

I suspect Zemo and others will get promotions and augmentations so there can be preliminary fight scenes, dialogue with witty banter etc Maybe Red Skull will come back. Loki too, depending on how they choose to close out the Thor movies

[Little Nemo McFly]

Finally saw the Civie War!

 

 

 

 

 

It was boring. I had superhero-punch-fatigue during that massive battle at the airport - which was cool. That shit is gonna be on loop on my tv for days when it's out on blu. The action sequences were seamless and masterful - but, ah dunno...I guess I got desensitized toward the end w/ so much super-humaness goin' on. (Guess my brain had too much running, jumping, flipping, twisting, shit breaking...lol - it was a lot!) Oy - Vision could've taken everybody out and ended that airport battle in seconds - I kept looking for him and wondering who in the hell was foolish enough to think they could take on Vision. What the hell was he doing?!

 

 

At the end, when Stark kept asking Cap if 'he knew'...best part of the flick. When Cap said, yes - my blood went cold and my brain said, 'Shit just got real.' I loved it. The fight meant something - I fucking felt it. Heaviest, most anything I felt so far in all of the MCU. That huge battle at the airport...I was like, 'Are they seriously going to fight to the death? Are they really trying to kill each other?' Felt...like beautiful eye candy. Nothing more. I couldn't wrap my brain around: After all they've been through, just like that, they're ready and willing to kill each other. WTF.

 

I think the universe agrees: best representation of Spider-man EVER put on film. BUT - I felt he was completely out of place. He's in it - 'cuz people love Spider-man. Ant-man was also out of place and pointless. (Dorks sitting next to me were fist-pumping when he showed up and belly-laughing at every...word...he said. Ugh.) I actually thought Spider-man was going to be a part of the story - contribute to the plot. As awesome as he was - he felt needlessly shoe-horned.

 

Overall - like at the end of the Civil War comic, I didn't feel like the issue was resolved at the end.

 

Zemo caused a real beef between Cap and Stark - that was my take away. If anyone cares to explain the cinematic resolution w/ the Sokovia Accords - I'd appreciate it, 'cuz it didn't take w/ my brain. Did nothing change in the end - not being accountable, still made you a criminal? It was still in effect at the end - and Cap broke everyone out? Was that it?

 

Also - I thought Matt Murdock was gonna be in it!

 

 

 

Edited May 26, 2016 by Little Nemo McFly

[Keth]

Ok... my take on the end, which seems to be alot of people's issue with the movie is this

 

 

I Think this is the movie that transforms them from something more than just "comic book movies". This is a legitimate alternate Marvel universe now, and we have to wait until the next issue to see how things have changed. That ending, which is rightfully compared to The Empire Strikes Back by alot of folks, is just a transition into the next issue. Everybody knows this isn't the end, I think we just need to be patient for things to be explained a little better. Between Spider-Man: Homecoming, which has Tony Stark returning, and Black Panther, who has The Winter Soldier in Wakanda now, we're gonna get some answers. I think Spider-Man especially will go into a little more detail on the Accords, esp with Tony there.

 

[The NZA]

Nemo...

 

you felt things were left unresolved, because they were

 

and why did you expect my boy DD to be in it?! haha i'dve loved that of course, but if you didn't feel Spidey or Ant-Man had a place, matty really might've stuck out like a sore thumb

 

[Little Nemo McFly]

Yeah - the issue just didn't feel...resolved. LOL - that's the best way the put it. I don't think they even really made an effort to resolve it. I guess that's where I was expecting Matt Murdock.

 

Maybe not a full-blown DD appearance to punch heroes he never met - but a quick cameo to make a case for or against in court or something...maybe in defense of Spidey? (I envisioned Spidey getting busted for fighting crime) I guess I kind of expected more focus on the...(shrugs) issue - LOL.

 

Also, a cameo from the MCU US President would've been nice - making a statement on the matter. I also expected a Senate hearing like in Iron Man 2 - pleas for and against. I think the movie needed that kinda stuff.

 

Edited May 26, 2016 by Little Nemo McFly

[Da Cap'n 2099]

Not DD proper, but I did expect Hell's Kitchen or "the heroes of Hell's Kitchen" to be mentioned. Sad when it never came.

[The NZA]

see, i'm dying ot see the netflixverse & the MCU cross up too, but i just don't expect it much. seeing Coulson in Iron Fist is gonna be surreal! the shows always reference the movies, the other way around seems less likely...

 

aside: i was legit bummed the rumor about Kingpin being in the next spidey flick didn't pan out. i'll be honest, though: part of me would rather they stay separate (though a nod like panch is talking about would be so cool) than say, having the TV & movie universes so disjointed that characters from one are cast entirely differently for the other (like DC's doing with its current shows).

[Visitant]

I don't know if you've kept up with the news on it but the TV personalities have been kinda upset because they feel like they carry the weight of the MCU (yes the movies do well blah) but they are not as integral as they once were.

[The NZA]

when were they integral before, though? Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was pretty much dead until Winter Solider gave it direction, and that's even with a Sam Jackson cameo. it's clear that show follows the MCU's direction more than the netflix ones, but i'm not sure how great a role they felt they played.

[Mr. Hakujin]

I don't know if you've kept up with the news on it but the TV personalities have been kinda upset because they feel like they carry the weight of the MCU (yes the movies do well blah) but they are not as integral as they once were.

I read one article about the chick who plays Daisy/Skye throwing shade, but haven't seen any other TV types complaining. You got any links to where other TVMU people have shown displeasure with their lack of integration into MCU proper?

 

Personally, I'm on Team TVMU Popping Up in MCU. Even a mention of the Inhumans in Civil War would've been nice b/c the Sokovia Accords are all that was mentioned in Agents of SHIELD. But I'm guessing the "BIG" "GIANT" event in Civil War technically took place after the SHIELD S3 finale.

 

Also, I'm not sure where the whole Netflix/Marvel Knights shows are fitting into the timeline of the films. JJS1 & DD S1&2 all seem to take place prior to Age of Ultron, right?

[The NZA]

i don't know, we just didn't see anything mentioned about Ultron...whereas the events of Avengers 1 were clearly in DD season 1. what's the gap between avengers flicks in their timeline, again?

[Mr. Hakujin]

You've got Iron Man 3, Cap 2, & Thor 2 between Avengers films. So I'm guessing about 12-18 months in-universe between Avengers 1 & 2, no? I'd guess even less than that (2-6 months) in-universe between Sokovia/Ultron and Civil War. There's gotta be a website/link for this out there. *pause for googling*

 

Hmm. I can't seem to find "in universe" timelines like we're looking for. Just the standard watching order and chronological order/overlap stuff. :/

Here is the wiki timeline. And here is a lengthy cnet list that includes everything ("Ev-er-ry-thing-ah!") including the DVD/BR one-shots!

 

One thing we do know is Vision states in Civil War that it's been 8 years since the end of Iron Man 1 to Civil War. Which that is technically stating in-universe time is mirroring real time (2008-2016).

Edited May 26, 2016 by Mr. Hakujin

[Little Nemo McFly]

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR COMING TO BLU ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

 

 

"Super Hero Movie Perfection"? Jeez - Civil War really struck a cord w/ someone. I'd say Raimi's Spider-man 2 is closer to super hero movie perfection. (shrugs) LOL!

 

I'll be picking this up - this is a movie I hafta watch a few times to really give it a fair shake.

 

 

Best part for me was the end fight w/ Cap n' Tony - the only part o' the entire flick I felt had any real substance.