The rating of this review may surprise some readers. Reactions such as “What!? Civil War is awesome!”, “This reviewer is mistaken!”, and “It grossed $1,153,304,495!” might be common. The latter sentiment likely originates from sources like Box Office Mojo. Allow me to elaborate on my perspective.
Following the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron, a mission undertaken by our heroes results in significant collateral damage and casualties. This incident becomes the catalyst for global concern, leading to the belief that superhuman activities require regulation and oversight. Iron-Man (Robert Downey J.R.) supports this top-down management approach, while Captain America (Chris Evans) opposes it. This ideological divide results in a conflict, with each leader enlisting other superheroes, culminating in an epic confrontation. However, it soon becomes apparent that a hidden manipulator is orchestrating events.
The concept of heroes battling each other is a recurring theme within the genre. Initial encounters often involve clashes, as seen when Thor appears in Avengers, or during the fight with Hulk in Avengers: Age of Ultron. While typically brief, this dynamic is unfortunately prolonged in the 2 hour and 27 minute duration of Captain America: Civil War.
Before focusing on the film’s shortcomings, I want to highlight some positive aspects. The introduction of Tom Holland as Spider-Man, particularly his scenes with Tony Stark, is well-executed and humorous. It effectively establishes their important relationship within the broader film series. Additionally, the initial action sequence in Captain America: Civil War, where the heroes engage with actual villains, is engaging and well-choreographed.
Regrettably, the film declines thereafter. A comprehensive critique would be extensive, so I will focus on the “epic” battle between our “heroes” at a German airport. [[Spoiler alert for those who have not yet seen Captain America: Civil War.]] The core justification for the Sokovia Accords, which mandates superhero regulation, stems from the extensive damage and casualties caused by previous uncontrolled actions. Therefore, why would they choose to engage in a conflict at an airport? Despite the evacuation, it is implausible that a battle of this magnitude would not attract onlookers at a major airport.
The film appears to expect the audience to find humor in Hawkeye dropping a parking garage full of cars on Iron-Man, potentially causing internal injuries. Similarly, Ant-Man and Captain America’s use of a tanker truck against War-Machine, followed by a lighthearted comment about mistaking it for a water truck, feels misplaced. Considering the events of Avengers: Endgame, the conflict between Black Widow and Hawkeye feels incongruous. Their being on opposing sides is questionable. Giant-Man tears off an airplane wing, and Vision severs a tower that collapses towards Captain America. While Captain America evades the debris, Vision’s intention seems to be lethal. Furthermore, Vision’s accidental downing of War-Machine only exacerbates the situation.
However, the most egregious moment, in my opinion, occurs during Captain America’s encounter with Spider-Man. He throws his shield, causing a gangway to collapse upon Spider-Man. The subsequent lighthearted exchange is intended to be amusing. The problem is that Spider-Man’s existence is unknown to these heroes prior to his arrival at the airport in his new suit. They are unaware of his abilities or his resilience. Captain America’s action of dislodging the gangway onto this sixteen-year-old could have resulted in serious injury or fatality, as Captain America had no prior knowledge of Spider-Man’s capabilities.
Furthermore, none of these so-called heroes ever suggest relocating the battle to a less populated area. One might expect them to say: “We cannot fight here and risk further destruction, which is the very reason we are being held accountable. Let’s move to that open field over there and continue our dispute like the responsible heroes we are supposed to be.”
During my initial viewing, I remained hopeful that the film would improve towards its conclusion. Unfortunately, the ending delivers an even more disappointing narrative twist in the third act. This twist would have served as a more compelling catalyst for the preceding events. Had Iron-Man discovered the information he receives at the end earlier, and acted decisively against the instigator, the ensuing conflict between Captain America and Iron-Man would have been more logical and meaningful, reflecting the consequences seen in the comic book Civil War.
In the comic book, numerous characters died, and others became lifelong adversaries. In the film adaptation, Iron-Man readily forgives Captain America due to script requirements. Black Widow and Hawkeye remain close friends, and Scarlet Witch, despite pushing Vision through the floor during the conflict, is later in a relationship with him in Avengers: Infinity War. War Machine sustains a significant injury from falling in his steel suit, but the consequences are minimized. The film squanders the opportunity to create lasting and impactful consequences.
The UHD 4K edition of Captain America: Civil War is among Disney Nordic’s early, affordable releases. However, as with the Captain America: The Winter Soldier UHD edition, the picture exhibits lag during fast-paced sequences, suggesting a potentially low bitrate. The black levels, however, are improved. The audio is powerful, and despite my reservations about the film, its effects-heavy nature provides ample material for audio and visual systems. The supplemental content includes several worthwhile documentaries and a blooper reel. Conversely, a promotional segment praising Audi for its vehicles and their role in facilitating action scenes feels out of place and diminishes the overall quality of the disc.
In summary, Captain America: Civil War contains numerous questionable plot elements, and I have highlighted the most significant ones. The Ultra HD edition represents an improvement over the first Nordic Marvel UHD release I evaluated, but it still exhibits deficiencies. A better presentation would have elevated the grade, but it ultimately ranks as one of Marvel’s weaker films to date.
