Captain America: Civil War (film)
Captain America: Civil War is a sequel to both Captain America movies and the Avengers movies before it, released in May 2016. It is the thirteenth film released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe continuity, and it's the first film of its Phase 3. It is based on the Civil War limited series comics, though on a severely lesser level.
After one particular disastrous mission of the Avengers in Lagos, Nigeria, over a hundred nations sign the Sokovia Accords, which would turn the Avengers from a private enterprise into basically the enforcers of the United Nations. Tony Stark and Steven Rogers find themselves on the opposite side of the issue: Rogers doesn't want personal responsibility being taken away from him and given to politicians he doesn't trust, while Stark feels guilt from all incidental victims of the Avengers' actions and says they will be no different from villains if they are still independent.
The signing of the accords in Vienna, Austria is bombed by someone whom authorities identify as Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier. Locating Bucky in Berlin, Germany, Steve goes after him while fighting off German police without any kind of authorization. Thanks to the signing of the Accords, that makes him now a criminal.
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo. Produced by Marvel Studios. Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
- Adapted Out: Magneto, even albeit he's the Maximoff twins' biological dad in the comics. Since at the time 20th Century Fox owned most things X-Men, including the term "mutant". Instead, both Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch had different background, MCU Dad and Mom died from a bombing, and their powers came from them being used as test subjects.
- The Atoner: Ultron's creation weighs heavily on Tony's decision to agree with the Accords, specially after being confronted by the mother of one of the killer robot's victims.
- Bad Boss: Crossbones tries to kill Black Widow by throwing a grenade inside a truck where he throws her that he closes, with two of his subordinates inside.
- Big Bad: Baron Zemo. The Accords is a question of ethics but Steve and Tony would never come to blows if Zemo hadn't framed Bucky for the terrorist attack on Vienna.
- The Cameo: Stan Lee is the FedEx mail man who shows up at Stark Manor to give Tony a package.
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Stan:"Are you Tony Stank?" |
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- Contrived Coincidence: The Big Bad's plan needed several of these to work.
- Darker and Edgier: This movie is this for the entire franchise.
- Fan Service: In the helicopter scene of all places. Chris Evans even admitted that they shot that scene in such away that it showed off his biceps or in his own words ""bicep porn"".
- Foil: Ant-Man and Spider-Man are two novice invertebrate-themed heroes that know little what is happening between Tony and Steve and that also are unknown to the other side of the Berlin Airport Battle, nulling the other's element of surprise. Scott however has the edge of maturity and experience of fighting super-powered people over Peter.
- Genre Savvy: Everett Ross is completely unfazed by Zemo's comment that he won and has dissolved the Avengers, and seems to be already counting that the Avengers will be back on action someday, likely to face the same kind of global threat that reunited them in first place.
- Manchurian Agent: It's revealed that certain codes can trigger the Winter Soldier to go in his killing spree. All these codes are in a book and one has to read them in front of him.
- Mythology Gag: Sharon Carter's eulogy during Peggy's funeral is word-by-word quote used by the comics version of Steve to justify his actions to Spider-Man during the original Civil War comic book.
- Sequel Episode: To Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Ant-Man.
- The Stinger:
- In the post-credit scene, after sharing some final words with Bucky, Captain America leaves him in Wakanda to be healed.
- Aunt May tends to her nephew, Peter, who was describing the fight with some "huge bullies". Once she leaves and closes the door, he admires the spider-signal which is coming from his web shooters.
- Taking You With Me: After being defeated by Steve, Crossbones decides to simply blow himself up.
- Ten-Minute Retirement: Hawkeye has apparently retired between Age of Ultron and this movie. He is quick to come out of it once he learns of the Sokovia Accords and seems particularly angry at Tony for agreeing with it and for making him leave his family as consequence.
- Workout Fanservice: While Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson are jogging around Washington. Though when the camera goes up close we can see Steve's abs and biceps, despite wearing a shirt.
- Zettai Ryouiki: Wanda wears a class A from the middle of the movie on, in a rare American media example of the trope.