Captain America: Civil War

• Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo
• April 12, 2016 (Dolby Theatre) / May 6, 2016 (US)
• Based on Captain America created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby

A disagreement over international oversight of the Avengers splits the team into two factions with one led by Captain America and the other by Iron Man.

Captain America: Civil War is emblematic of what I dislike most about the current Marvel films. This like so many others now are packed full of cameos and supporting characters from the other Marvel films that have little to nothing to do with the title character. I recall it was said at the time this was released that it was basically an Avengers movie which it is. Pretty much the whole team to that point stops by to say “Hi” to the viewer. Yay? The first two had a lot more focus on Captain America, but this one is filled with so many other characters that he kind of gets drowned out.

I’m also a little annoyed that to start the movie off Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are sent on a mission that would probably best/appropriately handled by trained intelligence agents. They aren’t facing off against a more than human threat. Brock Rumlow/Crossbones (Frank Grillo) for all his bluster is not physically superior to Captain America (Chris Evans) or even Falcon/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) with a jet pack on. 

I am bothered by Vision’s (Paul Bettany) discussion of the Sokovia Accords. It reeks of simplicity and juvenile thinking. It boils down to that all the problems the Avengers are dealing with are because they exist and have power. So suicide of all members would make the world a better place? What is he advocating? That retirement of the team would make the baddies good?

Civil War movie was more of a way to introduce T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and even the MCU’s version of Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland) more than it was tell a Captain America story. Iron Man’s (Robert Downey, Jr.) recruitment of Peter is not only a long moment in a Captain America movie without Captain America but tonally feels like it belongs in a totally different film. It has nothing to do with Captain America’s story at all.

That’s only one moment in this movie where Steve Rogers is not even part of the film that has his hero name on it. Remove those bits and you might have had some confusion as well as making the movie about half its runtime if that, but it would’ve been a story focused on Captain America. I want a Captain America story. Comic book writers for decades have been doing individual character stories that have contributed to larger narratives in inter-woven universes like the MCU. It shouldn’t be too hard to transpose those same skills to film.

Re-watching this film I was struck by how totally forgettable it was. I had watched Civil War before but so much of it felt brand new because I didn’t recall it at all. A few moments stuck out such as the bombing that killed King T’Chaka (John Kani) and the scene at the airport along with the small tidbit that Scarlett Johansson was the only one actually there because everybody else needed CGI. Events were another matter.

The fight scenes are great. They are big and very super heroic. That doesn’t make it a great Captain America film. It just makes it good spectacle. Civil War is a series of action sequences strung together with a loose story but beyond that it’s not too much. It can even be lazy in its writing. Captain America and Iron Man despite having gone head to head with various bad guys who were quite intelligent and dangerous are quite easily manipulated into fighting each other. The person behind the death of Tony’s parents conveniently creates conflict when everything is going well. Which brings me to an exchange between Iron Man and Captain America.

This is when Iron Man wants to beat/kill Bucky (Sebastian Stan) after learning Bucky-as-Winter-Soldier killed his parents. Captain America in reference to Bucky says “He’s my friend” with Iron Man saying “So was I.” How does Tony think he can compete with the only living link to the world into which Captain America was born? Not only that but Bucky was Cap’s oldest and dearest friend who always looked out for Steve and protected him. He built up a life debt. I would think Tony might understand that.

From an action standpoint Captain America: Civil War is excellent. From a Captain America standpoint it’s not much of a Captain America movie. It’s entertaining enough but if you want another Captain America movie where he is the main character I would recommend the Albert Pyun film from the 90s before I would recommend this.