Captain America: Civil War Movie Facts + Review

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This post was written by Julie

I previewed Captain America’s new Marvel movie, Civil War, in 3D with my thirteen-year-old son. I love the comic book “brought to life” movies, but I have to be honest; I can hardly keep track of so many of them. Admittedly, I am not a comic book expert and do not have the background knowledge that some other, more dedicated moviegoers have, but I enjoy them just as much. I am not a big 3D fan, but this movie had a lot of action and appropriate scenes that made the 3D experience very enjoyable.

The movie starts off with a unique and interesting scene depicting a young Tony Stark/Ironman (Robert Downey Jr.). I thought it was like stepping back in time with a very realistic representation of Robert Downey Jr. This sets the stage for what happens throughout the movie as Tony Stark’s parents die and the dominos fall into place afterward. The storyline is realistic and believable rather than something straight out of the comic books. The cast of characters is consistent with the previous Marvel films I remember, so you can continue growing with each character. The movie is nearly two and a half hours long, but I enjoy long movies, especially ones that keep the action going, have an interesting plot, and mix in humor.

Captain America (Chris Evans) and his team, which included The Falcon, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, Ant-Man, and The Winter Soldier, held their ground in their conviction to save mankind but without government oversight. Ironman (Robert Downey Jr.) and his team, which included Black Widow, Vision, War Machine, T’challa, and Spider-Man, also wanted to look out for mankind but felt that there needed to be a governing body keeping them in check.

Throughout this adventure, I found myself switching sides several times. I have no real allegiance to any of the characters, as I like all of them to varying degrees, so this made it easy for me to jump around. In addition to the battle between the two divided groups of Avengers (Captain America vs. Ironman), there was also an interesting external plot that tied these two groups together. I had no idea which way this journey was taking me.

I thought the movie took a fun and interesting turn when Tony Stark/Ironman sought out help in the form of a young Spiderman. Also, I loved that this movie had Marisa Tomei as Peter Parker’s Aunt May. What a change from previous Spiderman movies! From this point forward in the movie, someone seems to hit the humor button. I really enjoyed the intelligent and gut-busting, at times, humor that followed and was mixed in well with all the action.

Overall, I enjoyed this adventure and look forward to the new adventures that will spin off this part of the journey. I will also check out some previous Marvel films to bring things full circle in my understanding of these unique superheroes. I highly recommend this film for the casual superhero fan who enjoys a good comic book brought to real-life film and movie viewers of all other interest levels.

CAPTAIN AMERICA CIVIL WAR FUN FACTS

• To bring “Captain America Civil War” to the big screen, the filmmakers had to figure out which Avengers would side with Team Cap and which would ally with Team Iron Man. After careful consideration, the filmmakers decided on a split of characters that would find Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes, Hawkeye, Ant-Man, and Scarlet Witch following Captain America, with Black Widow, War Machine, Vision, and Black Panther following Tony Stark.

• With the “Captain America Civil War” story taking place all over the world, the production would find itself based in familiar territory, anchoring at Pinewood Atlanta Studios with various units shooting in Germany, Austria, Iceland, Puerto Rico, Indonesia, Brazil, and the United Kingdom during the film’s production schedule.

• In addition to the soundstages at Pinewood, filmmakers were able to utilize locations around the Atlanta area for several scenes. One such location was a big, empty gulch in downtown Atlanta, where they built Lagos, Nigeria. Between the locations team, art department, and set decorators, filmmakers brought an authentic texture to the environment, and by casting hundreds of extras, it came alive as the vibrant city of Lagos.

• On June 18, 2015, on the backlot of Pinewood Atlanta Studios, the first scenes of the historic Civil War mash-up began shooting, pitting the Avengers against each other with teams led by Captain America and Tony Stark. Filmmakers nick-named the classic battle the “Splash Panel” because it was like a double-panel illustration in a comic book. The “Splash Panel” is one of Marvel’s most epic scenes, and it has the most interaction ever seen in a Marvel film. The sequence was shot on IMAX cameras to give fans an unforgettable immersive experience.

• The film also features one of the most advanced automobiles in the world, which T’Challa/Black Panther drives. The filmmakers turned to Audi, who provided the production with their newest hi-tech concept car for the shoot. The stunning car has all the newest technology that Audi has, but it has never been put into production. Keep an eye out for it in the movie—you won’t see it anywhere else.

• The German portion of the shooting schedule was a homecoming for cast member Daniel Brühl, who lives in Berlin and owns his own restaurant in the city. Shooting in Berlin allowed Brühl to return some of the southern hospitality he was shown by his 2 fellow cast members in Atlanta by inviting them to his tapas restaurant for a night of dining and fun.

• In Captain America Civil War, a new superhero is introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe: T’Challa, the Black Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman. The highly anticipated character does not agree with either side in the Civil War because he has his own agenda. Black Panther will feature in his own standalone film in 2018.

• Captain America’s fighting style is based on old-school martial arts like Judo, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Aikido. But Black Panther, one of the best martial artists in the Marvel Universe, has a more flowing style based on Capoeira, a form of Brazilian martial arts that combines acrobatics, dance, and music. His style also has a Chinese influence with the use of kung fu.

• The Black Panther costume was carefully designed to incorporate a panther, cat-like vibe with African aspects in the embellishments. It also has a ninja feel, with minimalist shoes that add a stealth element and root the costume to the ground.

• Hawkeye returns with new weapons, including a collapsible baton for close-in fighting. His iconic bow has also undergone some modifications. It is now left-handed for the actor, lighter in weight, and easier to handle. He also sports a different look, with a full-sleeved jacket instead of a vest and a return to the more traditional purple color.

• Brock Rumlow/Crossbones, played by Frank Grillo, has new jackhammer-type gauntlets that amplify the power of his punches.

• Anthony Mackie is very happy with the upgrades to his Falcon suit. Now that it is more high-tech and streamlined, it makes him feel much more like an Avenger, not to mention his favorite part—some flashy red on the wings.

• With Scarlet Witch now a full-fledged Avenger, Elizabeth Olsen’s costume received an upgrade equal to her new status. She now wears a leather superhero outfit with a coat designed for movement.

• Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man suit received some tweaks for “Captain America: Civil War.” The new suit is streamlined and looks more high-tech to fit the times. The helmet no longer has cables that snap into the back, and antennas shoot up from the bottom. The regulator also has no dial on it.

• When a wire rig could not be used, Paul Bettany used an AirBoard to float around as the Vision. The AirBoard is pressure-plated with the toes and heel, mimicking a hoverboard, and can go up to 12 miles per hour. It took Bettany only a few minutes to learn how to use the AirBoard, and it definitely helped to frame the character’s intangible floating.

STAY CONNECTED:

• Like on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/CaptainAmerica
• Follow on Twitter: www.X.com/captainamerica
• Check out the Website: marvel.com/captainamerica
• Find Related Captain America Civil War Products on Amazon

Have you seen the movie yet? What did you think?