Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Superheroes.
Most superheroes started out as slightly above average people who spent their spare time tracking down muggers and bank robbers. Captain America started out fighting the Axis Powers during World War Two. Somewhere along the line, fighting crime became a little too boring. Superman could catch every criminal in the world if he really wanted to, so we have to throw something bigger and badder at him.
Captain America: Civil War takes the easy way out. Who are the only people who can challenge superheroes? Other superheroes, of course. It’s the same path of least resistance that Superman V Batman took.
The main thread running through Captain America is that our heroes are rogue agents and need to be a part of some government agency that will keep them in check. This leads to half the team voting to join and half voting for independence.
This led to a lot dull fighting. The bulk of CA:CW is invulnerable immortals hitting each other to little or no effect. I have to admit that I did like a few of the sight gags, such as when Bucky stole a passing motorcycle and twisted it in midair before roaring off in the opposite direction. But for the most part, the action was tame and predictable. The CGI was not as offensive as usual, but it was still a film that didn’t seem to have a single frame that wasn’t manipulated by someone sitting at a computer console. And yeah, that is a problem, I get no sense of danger from cartoons bouncing off other cartoons.
But since Captain America:Civil War has raked in a bit over a billion dollars worldwide, my humble opinion on the action and the plot don’t matter. So long as people keep spending obscene amounts of money to see these things, the studios will happily crank them out like the old time Series that inspired them.
I liked it, but I didn’t love it.
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