A Team Divided

Rating: 8/10 (16 July 2016)

Captain America: Civil War is a comic based movie (for those who don't know) and is the third installment in the Captain America. Released in 2016, grossing over $406 million in the United States alone (placing it in the #2 spot for 2016. When I review movies, I like to break it up into different categories, discuss them, and then wrap it up in a conclusion.
Story: I don't like to spoil movies often (especially Marvel releases), so I'm just going to talk about the continuity of the plot. Being that this is a sequel, it could be a little to follow the storyline if you haven't seen the previous installments (or read the comics), but I feel like the story is relatively simple and most audiences can catch on. Being that Captain America (as well as over half of other Marvel characters) are ultimately owned by Disney, it's interesting to see a grittier and darker film. I personally liked the vibe that was given off of the film. This movie was more than a slug-it-out film like Thor or even Iron Man and offers significant material that puts you in a place where you think and relate to the characters and their struggles. There were very few plot holes in the plot, but one thing that did bother me is that some of the newer characters that were introduced had shallow backgrounds and (if you don't follow the Marvel Cinematic Universe or comics) could make you wonder why they are even there. 8/10 Characters: Most of the MCU characters from previous installments are back with the addition of some other characters like the Black Panther and Spider-Man. When there is multiple significant characters in one movie it is easy for characters to get sidelined, but "Captain" does a good job of this. I probably should have mentioned this is the story category, but while I'm on the topic of characters, I feel like the title didn't really fit the movie. It doesn't really feel like a Captain America film, it feels more like an Avengers 2.5. Anyways, the established characters show some growth and the new additions are very entertaining and add to the film in many different ways. I'm just going to say that I'm not even sure who the villain is in the movie, it feels to me that it is a matter of interpretation. 8.5/10 Action: Marvel Studios always does a good job when shooting action scenes and "Civil War" is no different. I really enjoyed how the characters' powers were incorporated into their fighting style and the film definitely offered some memorable moments that will not be forgotten. With a strong combination of choreographed and CGI fight scenes, the movie has a very strong visual appeal. 9/10 Special Effects: As I mentioned briefly in the previous category, the overall special effects in the film are pretty solid, but I really don't know what to say when I saw Spider-Man's costume on the screen. The whole thing looks like a glossed over, CGI mess and to me became very distracting and looked really out of place. Being that the rights for Spider-Man were acquired shortly before shooting for the film started, it's understandable ... not really. Hopefully Spidey's suit will look better in his upcoming solo film "Spider-Man: Homecoming". 8/10 Conclusion: I honestly believe that this is one of the better films in the MCU, and definitely the best of the Captain America installments. I give this movie an 8/10. If you haven't seen the previous Captain America movies I recommend you watch them (except for the first movie. It wasn't that good, but it is important for his back story) and then wrap it up with "Civil War". Highly recommended.