Civil War The Captain America: Civil War CRITIC REVIEWS Thread (TAG Spoilers)

[BatsDC]

Post all reviews of Captain America: Civil War here!

Empire:

When the Avengers first assembled four years ago, it felt like a grand culmination, the ultimate Marvel superhero event: its Big Four characters united (well, eventually) against a colossal planetary threat. Since then, the studio’s ever-expanding Cinematic Universe has delivered sequels of varying quality and introduced new heroes in stand-alone movies (well, as close to stand-alone as Marvel can ever get), but it’s never quite matched the ensemble-balancing finesse and Earth-quaking action scale of Joss Whedon’s initial assembling. Certainly not in his clunkier, team-gathering follow up, Age Of Ultron. Not until now.

Captain America: Civil War is the best Marvel Studios movie yet. There, we said it. First, and most importantly, it does what the best Marvel films do: juggling multiple characters so each is allowed its moment in a story that pushes forward the series’ overall continuity, while also forming and concluding its own cogent plot. So here Scarlet Witch (Elisabeth Olsen) wrestles with the consequences of her immense power; Vision (Paul Bettany) starts getting to grips with being ‘human’; Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) finds herself torn when the battle line is drawn; and supposed retiree Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) just can’t stay out of the fight.

Then there are the new recruits: Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman, playing it gravelly and furrow-browed), nimble protector of a secretive African nation who has his own beef with Bucky; and a quippy kid from Queens (Tom Holland) who crawls up walls in a red-and-blue outfit and can shoot webs at people. His introduction to the action is resoundingly joyous, the reboot the character truly deserves. (“I don’t know if you’ve been in a fight before,” he’s told by one opponent, “but there’s not usually this much talk.&#8221 Even Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man receives more than a tokenistic ‘hey it’s him!’ cameo, and in spectacle terms at least, is given the film’s biggest scene.

At its not-so-soft-and-gooey centre, though, is the friendship between Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), two war buddies out of time, one of them out of his mind. Stan remains, for the most part, as blank and frosty as he was in The Winter Soldier, allowing only the occasional warm glint of ’40s sidekick Bucky. Evans, meanwhile, further hones a role he’s effortlessly owned for five movies now, pushing Steve to impressive new depths and reminding us that his straight arrow still has a dangerous edge. The Steve/Bucky thread stretches back to the first Captain America, and is what makes this Cap Three rather than Avengers Two-and-a-half. But built around that is the bigger conflict that, despite the title, does place it as a direct sequel to Age Of Ultron.

In a similar way that Zack Snyder’s DC-world reacted to Superman’s ascension and the emergence of its “metahumans” — though here it is more lightly and elegantly handled — the world of the Avengers has had enough of these “enhanced” agents wreaking collateral havoc and decided, not unreasonably, to bring them to account. So US Secretary Of State William Ross (reappearing for the first time since he was just a monster-chasing General in The Incredible Hulk) presents the Sokovia Accord, signed by 117 countries, which states the Avengers should be answerable to the United Nations. Wracked with guilt over his Ultron faux-pas, Tony Stark’s all for it, and Robert Downey Jr burdens the still occasionally glib hero with a weight-of-the-world weariness that is well matched by his own MCU mileage. But stubborn Steve, distrustful of the post-war world’s version of ‘authority’, refuses to sign on the dotted line.

It’s bold of writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely to place their title hero in the most obviously dubious position. If the Avengers don’t answer to the UN, who should they answer to? And Steve’s defence of Bucky is questionable: he may be his childhood friend, but now he’s a lethal, robot-armed killing machine forever in danger of being reactivated. It’s fair enough that he should be brought to heel, right? Then again, there are flaws in Tony’s arguments, too, especially the problematic evidence on which he rests them. Who the audience should agree with is hardly a clear-cut matter.

It’s even bolder that the conflict at the film’s heart doesn’t pander to genre convention and become sidetracked by a grandstanding supervillain plot. And this is the second way Civil War earns our ‘Greatest Marvel Yet’ accolade: by rising above the series’ greatest weakness. Too often, the snappy writing and slick action in these films is undermined by flimsy big bads and formulaic final acts. Yet there is no Loki or Ultron (or, for that matter, Lex Luthor) equivalent this time. Not a whiff of Thanos, or any more of those forgettable Marvel sub-baddies with ‘The’ for a middle name. There is a meddling manipulator — of course there is — but, interestingly, their agenda is as blurred as Steve’s and Tony’s. Arguably just as sympathetic, too. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo don’t just want to rocket your heart into your mouth with their action sequences, which have the tight choreography of a Greengrass Bourne, and the brutal flair of a Gareth Evans rumble; they want to keep your brain firmly engaged, too.

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.

5/5

 

[Spidey220987]

5/5 from them too

 

[BatsDC]

GamesRadar / TotalFilm:

It’s all been building to this. From the three-way forest throw-downs and Hulk-shaped sucker punches of Avengers Assemble to Civil War’s savvy, hashtag-powered marketing campaign prompting True Believers to pick a side, the prospect of Marvel's mightiest going toe to toe in a superhuman dust-up has been irresistibly enticing. That it arrives in cinemas little more than a month after DC’s own clash of the titans failed to land a knockout blow feels all the sweeter because, rest assured, Civil War delivers on the promise of that title in a major way.

Part Captain America threequel, part Avengers 2.5, part cinematic intro to two of the MCU’s most intriguing new faces (more on those later), Civil War is a miraculous juggling act. The globetrotting plot kicks off in Lagos, where Cap and the new-look Avengers are on a mission to take down Winter Soldier survivor Crossbones. If 2011’s The First Avenger was a war movie, and its 2014 sequel a paranoia-fuelled thriller, Civil War starts as a muscular crime movie in the mould of Michael Mann's Heat, the Russo brothers significantly upping their game in terms of high-impact, shield-slinging action.

The mission is a bust – the latest in a laundry list of collateral-damage catastrophes from the battle of New York to the near-apocalypse in Sokovia. “Victory at the expense of the innocent is no victory at all,” says secretary of state Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross (William Hurt, reprising his 2008 Incredible Hulk role) leading to the creation of the Sokovia Accords, a decree to put the super crew on ice (metaphorically) unless an international governing body gives the green light. Having lived through oppressive times, Cap takes a stance against the agreement; Tony Stark, wracked with guilt over the creation of Ultron, sides with Ross and the Accords. Battle lines drawn, matters are further complicated by Bucky Barnes, who’s implicated in a terrorist attack that puts both sides, and a certain Wakandan prince, on the Winter Soldier’s tail.

In many ways, Civil War is the Marvel team-up sequel Age of Ultron should have been. If The Winter Soldier was about SHIELD being ripped apart from the inside, Civil War pulls the same trick with the Avengers themselves, screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely carving out satisfying character arcs, or at the very least moments, for every major player (minus the MIA Thor and Hulk). Crucially, despite the colossal cast of characters and sprawling runtime, the oft-repeated assertion that this isn't just Avengers 2.5 holds true – it's also a Captain America movie through and through, further exploring The Winter Soldier’s major theme – the cost of freedom – while Bucky is even more integral to the plot than he was in the film that bore his own name.

As you might expect, it's one of the MCU’s more serious entries, tonally a world away from the party-time antics of Age of Ultron. But that doesn’t mean it’s humourless; far from it. Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson can be relied upon for laugh-out-loud one-liners whenever he’s on screen, the Vision’s stylish new wardrobe is comedy gold and Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang is huge fun in a relatively brief appearance – utterly enamoured by Steve Rogers and overjoyed just to have been invited along.

As a piece of superhero storytelling, it doesn’t bring anything particularly innovative to the table either – the idea of a thin line between heroes and vigilantes is invoked again, for example. But importantly, given the callous loss of life going on in other comic-book movies, the human cost of the Avengers’ actions is keenly felt and addressed in a meaningful way. It makes DC’s efforts to tackle the same idea with Batman v Superman seem thunderously dunderheaded in comparison.

“It always ends in a fight,” says Bucky. Of course it does. And Civil War builds to an unforgettable main event. After waiting a good 90 minutes for each side to suit up you can’t help but brace for a mammoth letdown, but the airport-set Battle Royale ranks among the most inventive and fun scraps ever committed to superhero celluloid. Everyone gets a moment to shine, not least of which Tom Holland’s friendly neighbourhood wall-crawler and Rudd’s amazing miniature man who run away with the lion’s share of the battle’s memorable moments, the super-barney consistently surprising with deliriously gleeful beats. The characters may be pulling their punches – after all they’re the good guys, and with one key exception they don’t want to see each other dead – but a later, three-way fight massively raises the emotional stakes, because after eight years and 12 films you can’t help but care about the people on each side of the divide.

Chris Evans is dependably superb as Steve Rogers – the stoic heart and soul of the MCU. And though he doesn’t have as much to chew on here as he did in The Winter Soldier, there's little doubt why anyone would risk being branded a fugitive to follow him into battle. Even better is Robert Downey Jr, who shows a different side to Tony Stark. “You're being surprisingly non-hyper-verbal,” Black widow quips. It's a wittier riposte than anything Tony musters in the entire film. He’s less the swaggering snark merchant of movies past here and more the elder statesman, reflecting on the consequences of his actions and looking to make amends. “I’m trying to keep you from tearing the Avengers apart,” he pleads. The brilliance of Downey Jr’s sympathetic performance is that even if you’re staunchly Team Cap you still feel for him.

As for the other players: Bucky is more tortured soul than Terminator this time round, and though he can still feel more MaGuffin than character at times, you buy why he’s worth saving because Sebastian Stan and Chris Evans sell their life-long friendship so well. Daniel Bruhl’s shadowy Zemo is the film's Lex Luthor – the master manipulator pulling the strings from behind the scenes – but unlike Jesse Eisenberg’s aggressively annoying braniac, Bruhl gives Zemo gravitas and pathos. There are hints of a blossoming romance between the Vision and Scarlet Witch, who struggles to deal with the implications of her immense power; Hawkeye comes out of retirement in a satisfying continuation of his Age Of Ultron arc; Black Widow has fun playing both sides, even if there's none of the joyful frisson with Cap this time around; Falcon gets to show off what those wings can really do; and War Machine takes the hardest line for the Accords, ever the iron patriot.

More importantly: how do the MCU’s new players stack up? Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther has a bigger role than you might expect. Arriving fully formed, Boseman plays the prince of Wakanda with regal airs, charm and forceful determination. For Very Important Story Reasons he's quite sullen in Civil War (hopefully he’ll lighten up for the standalone Panther flick) but in his vibranium suit T'Challa is just as capable and acrobatically dazzling as any of the MCU's super-folk, with a set of razor-sharp claws that even Cap's shield can’t withstand. “Dude shows up dressed like a cat and you don’t want to know more?” exclaims Falcon after their first run-in. On the basis of Civil War, we’re champing at the bit.

Better yet is Marvel’s all-new Spider-Man. In a surprisingly substantial appearance, 19-year-old Tom Holland not only makes a case for being the best screen Spidey so far, but also threatens to steal the entire film. His Peter Parker is perfect – nervy, goofy and instantly endearing. In the airport fight however he's truly spectacular, holding his own against the best the MCU has to offer, using his webs in entertaining and creative ways, while his motor-mouthed (and charmingly naive) wisecracking couldn’t be better. “There’s usually not this much talk,” says Falcon. You’ll be grateful there is, and desperate to see more of Holland’s sensational web-slinger the moment you leave the cinema.

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.

5/5

 

[Double B]

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.

Christ. No wonder they're downplaying Cap/Sharon in the press for this.

 

[BatsDC]

CinemaBlend:

Marvel has a better grip on Captain America than any of their heroes, and it can be said with confidence that the three movies come together to create the greatest superhero trilogy of all time.

At this point, the team-up film is Marvel Studios’ bread and butter. They set the world on fire back in 2012 with Joss Whedon’s The Avengers, and in the years since then have repeatedly orchestrated creative groupings and pairings that continue to demonstrate the tremendous, fun and inventiveness that comes from bringing engaging, interesting characters together. They repeatedly set a high bar in this area, and are not only constantly reaching for it with each new project, but basically have the entire industry doing it too. Now, however, we have Joe and Anthony Russo’s Captain America: Civil War, which succeeds in raising the bar higher than you’d think it could go.

Functioning as both a sequel to Captain America: The Winter Solider and The Avengers: Age of Ultron, the film is the most comprehensive Marvel Cinematic Universe chapter to date, and while that put a great deal on the plate of writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the movie soars because the challenge is accepted and responded to in brilliant and entertaining fashion. Bringing together tremendous character dynamics; bold structure; an emotional narrative earned after years of story work; and spell-binding, fun action sequences, it’s everything a blockbuster should be.

Loosely based on the 2006-2007 Marvel Comics event series with which it partially shares a title, Captain America: Civil War picks up with its titular character (Chris Evans) working with his Avengers teammates – Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), Vision (Paul Bettany), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and War Machine (Don Cheadle) – to stop terror around the globe. After a mission in Africa winds up causing a tremendous deal of collateral damage, however, the team suddenly finds itself under scrutiny and the subject of controversy.

In order to put the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in check, Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt) presents the team – as well as former members Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) – the opportunity to sign the Sokovia Accords: a document named after the destroyed city from The Avengers: Age of Ultron that would force The Avengers to work under a United Nations panel that would determine exactly when and where the team would go into action. This idea is supported by some, including Tony, Vision, Black Widow and War Machine, but Captain America, Falcon and Scarlet Witch are not shy about their resentfulness of the idea.

The Sokovia Accords is the powder keg, and it winds up being Bucky Barnes/The Winter Solider (Sebastian Stan) who lights the fuse. A terrorist attack is pinned on Captain America’s best-friend-turned-assassin, and while Cap is instructed to leave the situation alone, it’s an order that he rebels against – turning him into a fugitive. All the while, a mysterious man named Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) operates in the shadows, searching for key information tied to Bucky’s past.

Captain America: Civil War features what is unquestionably the largest ensemble we’ve seen yet in a Marvel Studios movie, and while the narrative isn’t quite as strong as Captain America: The Winter Soldier, where the film makes up for it is in its tremendous character work – both in its understanding of who these pop culture figures are at their core, and having them play off of each other. There’s no better example of the former in the film than Chadwick Boseman as the newly introduced T’challa a.k.a. Black Panther, who is every bit as regal, intelligent, bold and passionate as the hero is on the page. And while they don’t have as much screen time as some of the other Avengers characters, there is nobody in their right mind who will walk away from the blockbuster not loving the absolutely brilliant return of Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man, and the long-awaited arrival of Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man (who in just a handful of scenes fully encapsulates everything we love about the beloved hero and overwhelms us with excitement about the future of this iteration).

This film isn’t just about singular impressive performances, however: it’s an opportunity to see how these heroes both relate to each other and act when they are at odds, and the work done by the Russo brothers and Markus and McFeely is stunning. The headliner, of course, is the key conflict between Captain America and Iron Man - whose emotional battle will tear at the heartstrings of every fan like they’re watching their own parents go through a messy divorce – but the truth is that this is a feature where you can throw a rock and hit amazing character dynamics. As best friends of Cap, teammates, and former opponents, Falcon and Bucky have one of the most complex relationships in the movie, and it actually translates to a ton of laughs whenever they’re paired up. On the more serious side of the story, Wanda and Vision are wonderfully brought together, not only because of their relationship in the comics but also because there is a bond between them as “newborns” in the superhero realm. Somehow everybody a moment with everybody, and yet has zero fat and never swings too far away from the central plot.

All of this couldn’t be pulled off within the basic superhero movie structure (heroes meet villain; heroes get beaten by villain; heroes recuperate; heroes defeat villain in large-scale showdown), so it’s a good thing that Captain America: Civil War burns that book in favor of a much more unconventional and risky approach. Without giving anything away, the film trades out a big, splashy, blockbuster finale (putting that sequence in the second act) in favor of something much more intimate and personal that works because it’s been earned over the last eight years of Marvel Studios storytelling and the audience really cares about the characters. The movie takes some big swings, but that’s just how it’s able to knock it out of the park.

It’s easy to respect Captain America: Civil War because of the emotional and thoughtful approach it takes towards its characters instead of just having them punching and kicking each other – but the punching and kicking happens to be pretty phenomenal as well. In terms of action sequences, Marvel features have come a long way since the mediocre final battle in the original Iron Man, and while Joe and Anthony Russo blew us away with battles and set pieces in Captain America: The Winter Solider, their sequel ups the ante in every away. From the Avengers’ explosive mission at the start of the film to Cap and Winter Soldier’s attempt to escape from a building teeming with cops, it’s all intricately crafted and incredibly memorable. It should be noted, however, that every scene in the movie pales in comparison to the airport-set hero vs. hero battle in the second act – which I do not hesitate to call the greatest scene in the history of the comic book movie genre.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe on the whole is filled with great films and blockbuster gems, but between The First Avenger, The Winter Solider and now Civil War, it’s been firmly proven that they have a better grip on Captain America than any of their heroes, and it can be said with confidence that the three movies come together to create the greatest superhero trilogy of all time. The new film is equally thrilling, fun, engaging, emotional, smart, and thought-provoking, and really everything you want from summer entertainment.

5/5

 

[MyDudeSpidey]

Three 5/5 reviews in a row?!

 

[Jeight]

Trailers didn't ruin anything. It's one of the best marketing campaigns i have seen in a while. Cool shots and wow moments without giving away the plot. If anyone sees the trailers he wouldn't know where each scene takes place and how it's connceted to the story.

 

[daddydivine]

Three 5/5 reviews in a row?!

I feel like this might be Avengers level freshness.

 

[LucDisfilm19]

We have two more 5 star reviews from CinemaBlend and Total Film/Games Radar.

 

[TeeKay]

Kevin Feige right now...

 

[smashmode]

Correct me if I'm wrong but empire is pretty stingy with the 5's for comic book movies yes?

 

[BatsDC]

Some UK outlets seem to have a different Embargo, but we have about 75 minutes until the floodgates open and the full Embargo is up, and we get a huge load of reviews. It shall be fun!

 

[BoredGuy]

great to see the positive reviews

There’s also a slightly icky and completely unnecessary romantic beat that torpedoes the MCU’s best love story

that is a bit unfortunate that it comes off 'icky'
they might've been better off having them fall for each other on the battlefield, then revealing the lineage, as opposed to the other way around

 

[BatofGotham]

Can anyone tell me when the embargo is going to lift and all the critic reviews are going to come out?

 

[smashmode]

Can anyone tell me when the embargo is going to lift and all the critic reviews are going to come out?

I thought it was 2pm PST

 

[flickchick85]

great to see the positive reviews



that is a bit unfortunate that it comes off 'icky'
they might've been better off having them fall for each other on the battlefield, then revealing the lineage, as opposed to the other way around

I doubt it "comes off" icky so much as is inherently icky. No matter how natural and romantic they make it, you can't erase the knowledge in the back of everyone's heads that yes, this is the grand-niece of a woman he was very much in love with. And that knowledge in and of itself is "icky" for most people no matter how well you spin it.

 

[Sevprince]

I doubt it "comes off" icky so much as is inherently icky. No matter how natural and romantic they make it, you can't erase the knowledge in the back of everyone's heads that yes, this is the grand-niece of a woman he was very much in love with. And that knowledge in and of itself is "icky" for most people no matter how well you spin it.

Yeah, is inherently icky. Not sure why they couldn't recon that part from the MCU.

 

[an_ewok]

I doubt it "comes off" icky so much as is inherently icky. No matter how natural and romantic they make it, you can't erase the knowledge in the back of everyone's heads that yes, this is the grand-niece of a woman he was very much in love with. And that knowledge in and of itself is "icky" for most people no matter how well you spin it.

The crazy part is that this relationship was even skeevier in the comics. Wish they'd not bothered with it.

 

[BoredGuy]

I doubt it "comes off" icky so much as is inherently icky. No matter how natural and romantic they make it, you can't erase the knowledge in the back of everyone's heads that yes, this is the grand-niece of a woman he was very much in love with. And that knowledge in and of itself is "icky" for most people no matter how well you spin it.

To the fans, who know and don't like the comic story, maybe

but to the GA,

Spoiler

if they fell for each other while working, then at the end of the film you found out she was a great grand-niece (might be helpful to change Sharon's last name), it could come off as "Well Cap just has a connection to those Carter women"

but instead, if you have a funeral and Cap and Sharon start dating after Cap finds out, then it seems like "Cap just really wants to put his penis in a Carter"

it's not perfect, but it could be done in a more tasteful and understandable way
If Wanda getting with an android who's technically 12 months old isn't creepy, this doesn't have to be either

 

[MbJ]

I knew this was gonna happen.

But if Sharon is the only weak link in the movie, then they still did a really great job. With this many moving parts it's astounding they made so much of it work.

 

[Ms. Marvel]

To the fans, who know and don't like the comic story, maybe

but to the GA,

Spoiler

if they fell for each other while working, then at the end of the film you found out she was a great grand-niece (might be helpful to change Sharon's last name), it could come off as "Well Cap just has a connection to those Carter women"

but instead, if you have a funeral and Cap and Sharon start dating after Cap finds out, then it seems like "Cap just really wants to put his penis in a Carter"

it's not perfect, but it could be done in a more tasteful and understandable way
If Wanda getting with an android who's technically 12 months old isn't creepy, this doesn't have to be either

This is purely anecdotal but myself and some people I know consider that as the creepy potential relationship in CW.

I'm sure people are going to have a different viewpoint in regards to both relationships anyway.

 

[Sharkboy]

Correct me if I'm wrong but empire is pretty stingy with the 5's for comic book movies yes?

Ones not directed by Chris Nolan, yes! I don't think they've given a single 5 star review to any MCU movie. My body is trembling with excitement....hold me.

 

[flickchick85]

To the fans, who know and don't like the comic story, maybe

but to the GA,

Spoiler

if they fell for each other while working, then at the end of the film you found out she was a great grand-niece (might be helpful to change Sharon's last name), it could come off as "Well Cap just has a connection to those Carter women"

but instead, if you have a funeral and Cap and Sharon start dating after Cap finds out, then it seems like "Cap just really wants to put his penis in a Carter"

it's not perfect, but it could be done in a more tasteful and understandable way
If Wanda getting with an android who's technically 12 months old isn't creepy, this doesn't have to be either

Both scenarios are icky, lol. But it's ok, I'm not bothered by it. I'm just prepared for other people to be, and that will be perfectly understandable as well.

 

[Sevprince]

Never understood the Wando/Vision thing. He is freaking robot for goodness sake. Both are icky. I'm just going to ignore it.

 

[BatsDC]

Yeah, the Cap/Sharon thing always has and always will be weird