Review: 'Captain America: Civil War' sets standard for superhero team-ups
Still, after a stretch where superhero movies have produced headache-inducing sequences with almost abusive computer-generated imagery, "Civil War" maintains a sense of humanity. The fights are fast, frenetic, and crowd-pleasing, but mostly avoid the trap of becoming hollow animated constructs. In that, the Russo brothers seldom lose sight of the fact it should feel like there are people underneath those masks and armor.
Nor should the movie's sheer scope be taken for granted. This marks a significant departure from the genre's past, even as recently as a few years ago. In those days, lone crusaders would usually be introduced -- complete with origin story -- and battle a single threat. Superheroes were James Bond, just with a more garish wardrobe.
What's changed? Special effects have obviously made the spectacle of multiple characters feasible. Growing international box office has also emboldened studios by increasing the likelihood that they'll see a return on these massive investments of $200 million or more on production.
While the idea of a DC-Marvel rivalry has been overstated -- as in the comics, there's room for both -- the former hurried the process in "Batman v Superman," while Marvel assiduously built up to it. The result is a film that honors its comic-book origins while feeling like a massive spectacle. Moreover, "Civil War" touches on darker thematic elements without becoming grim or weighted down by the density of its mythology.
Simply put, when it comes to juggling multiple superheroes in a single movie, Marvel's latest comes close to setting the standard. And the studio, as well as the villagers, should have cause to rejoice.
http://money.cnn.com/2016/05/05/media/captain-america-civil-war-review/
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