Captain America: Civil War was Marvel’s 2016 box office hit. With its biggest competition being Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, it was no surprise when it became a winner with audiences and critics alike. Sounds like a pretty open and shut case, right? Unfortunately, that’s not entirely the case. You have been lied to, dear reader. Captain America: Civil War is not the masterpiece you think it is. Do not misunderstand, the film is quite good, but it isn’t the legendary masterpiece that everyone paints it to be.
The biggest problem with the movie that it immediately followed Avengers: Age of Ultron. Arguably one of Marvel’s lesser well-done films, Age of Ultron featured some of the weakest character development of the franchise as a whole, which leaves Civil War with a lot of ground to make up for.
The biggest problem the movie faces, the one that everyone apparently refuses to address, is that of Iron Man’s complete role reversal, which is the exact opposite of what it was in Age of Ultron. Where Stark had previously been nonchalant in his actions, not caring for the consequences of his actions so long as the ends justify the means, in Civil War, he suddenly seems to think that they must all adhere to policies set by the United Nations. With seemingly little transition, the audience is asked to believe the change in Stark’s personality.
The second biggest problem the movie faces is Spider-Man. Make no mistake, the character is great, and a lot of fun, easily one of the best parts of the movie, but that’s the problem. The addition of that character in particular in a movie that’s meant to showcase the conflict between Captain America and Iron Man distracts from the point of the movie. And while I once again say that Tom Holland’s portrayal of the character was top notch, the simple fact is that his introduction feels entirely too much like a marketing ploy and nothing else. Not just for Civil War, but to get everyone excited for Spider-Man: Homecoming. People seem to forget the amount of excitement generated for the movie after the first trailer featuring Spider-Man was released. Prior to that point, people were certainly interested in seeing it, but it wasn’t as deeply imbedded in people’s minds as it was afterwards.
Was Civil War a good movie? Absolutely. But does it deserve the amount of hype everyone has built up for it since its release? Absolutely not. The paper-thin character transition for Iron Man should not go unnoticed. If people are going to be so quick to criticize the “Martha scene” from Batman v Superman, then why have they not been so quick to do the same thing to Civil War? The answer is simple: one was Marvel, the other was DC. Everyone is far too quick to forgive Marvel’s mistakes, and tear DC apart for theirs. Captain America: Civil War? More like Captain America: Let’s Face It, You’re Only Here for Spider-Man.
