An Inconsequential Blockbuster with Great Action

Rating: 8/10 (19 May 2016)

In the 13th installment of what has become the majorly successful and popular Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America invites conflict within the Avengers by going against the wishes of the world's nations in pursuit of his own ideals. The terms of agreement within the NATO sanctioned accords proves to be polarizing, leading to the formation of two separate teams bound to battle each other ideologically and physically. Spearheading these contrasting viewpoints is Steve Rogers and Tony Stark, and what begins as a calculated political dispute descends into violence and climaxes as an emotionally driven brawl between the two uncompromising men.
I left the empty theater following the second after credits scene, satisfied and with a smile on my face. I had a good time. This is mostly due to the extraordinary spectacle the Russo Brothers brought to life remarkably well; the action sequences were superb. Few other films felt so genuinely "comicbooky" with such dynamic fight choreography and a sprawling battle sequence that seemed to perfectly encapsulate the two page spreads found in the comics that bombard the reader with so many super-powered heroics on display. Black Panther and Spiderman were standouts as new entries to the MCU, but every character was well utilized in combat. The blockbuster provided overwhelming spectacle with so many of our protagonists converging on each other simultaneously while also having a more intense and personal one-on- one fight that pleasantly surprised me with its relentless brutality.
Humor played its role throughout the film's script as usual, and the comedic levity was well executed for the most part. Certain scenes here or there felt a tad bit too forced, but Paul Rudd's Ant-man and newcomer Tom Holland's Spiderman consistently delivered in this department and always left me laughing.
However, a MARVEL film being comedic or action packed isn't news to anyone. The question of going beyond the summer blockbuster appeal into becoming something impactful, emotionally provoking, or resonating remains to be answered. And in my humble opinion, Captain America: Civil War attempts to respond to this better than any of the previous films comprising the MCU. Captain America's motivations follow the themes of comradeship and loyalty, while Iron Man wrestles with accountability and safety. The film presents a fascinating issue of responsibility but unfortunately declines to answer it in any conclusive way, which is where the film's shortcomings come in for me.
The conflict's catalyst and core surrounds the topic of consequences yet the film is mostly inconsequential as a whole. Steve is still active and is shown freeing those that stood by him, Tony is up and about at the Avengers headquarters, Rhodey isn't completely immobolized and will probably suit up just in time for Infinity War, Bucky is taking a nice cryogenic nap rather than being prosecuted as a criminal, and the Sokovia Accords which gave birth to this conflict is entirely abandoned by the film's narrative in the third act. Of course not everyone got off scott-free, there's all the casualties mentioned in the first act and T'challa's father is dead, but in hindsight they all seemingly exist just to further the plot and are forgotten as signaled by that "uplifting" ending. Zemo is imprisoned. The bad-guy was defeated. Business as usual for the Avengers.
As previously mentioned the action was visually great, but thematically speaking the Civil "War" aspect was astonishingly shallow and short-lived. The only characters with legitimate motivations are that of Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Panther all the others just seemed to tag along and the constant lighthearted back-and-forth undermined the stakes involved. The airport skirmish played out like a display of abilities rather than an uncompromising stand for their beliefs. Which is why I've come to appreciate the final fight between Tony, Steve, and Bucky so much more in the context of the story. There was weight in those blows, passion in their pain, and raw emotion and rage in Tony's eyes, and I wanted to see more of that tone.
Contrary to the popular consensus, I actually did end up enjoying Daniel Brühl's Zemo as the film's antagonist quite a bit. His motivation and plan's execution were all well realized despite being a dramatic departure from the Zemo found in the source material. Hearing his wife's final and tragic voicemail multiple times humanized what could have been a very clichéd "you killed my family prepare to die" villain, and seeing him delete it in preparation for suicide was a nice touch. Having him actually follow through with the suicide, however, would have contributed to Zemo's resolve and the Black Panther's unforgiving nature but that's more personal preference and ultimately Baron Zemo is a solid addition to the MCU's villains roster in my opinion.
Some gripes I had with the film included:
>there being a conveniently placed camera on the countryside road to record Bucky's assassination of the Starks
>how often is an airport terminal completely abandoned?
>Tony feeling guilty about the death of an aspiring young man, only to enlist an aspiring 15-year-old into his war moments later
>inconsistent power levels
>realizing that in Captain America's third film, I wholeheartedly side with Iron man and believe him to have more logically sound and compelling motivations
Ultimately, Captain America: Civil War, despite many drawbacks that prevent it from reaching its full cinematic potential, is a solid superhero film. As a crowd pleasing and fun blockbuster, it passes with flying colors, but is not a "genre defining masterpiece". It has however taken the place as my favorite MCU film of all time and should be considered a great indication for good things being in store for this universe and this genre of film.
Pros + great action sequences +humor is on point +Zemo is a solid antagonist +Spiderman is shoehorned beautifully into the movie +great premise and themes
Cons - inconsistent tone - inconsequential nature - completely forgettable score
8/10