Tetrarch

Captain America: Civil War is one of THE most pretentious films I have ever seen. The movie's execution of its themes is infantile, and the plot is just a gaudy mess. The film adaptation is but the hollowest shadow of the source material it borrows (very, very loosely) from. The comic book was a very contemplative read, both Cap and Iron Man's ideologies were both represented clearly, neither was faultless and both had some very understandable human rationale behind them. The comic book almost serves as a deconstruction of the mainstream perspective on the super hero genre: glorified cartoony violence where the real world consequences are tossed to the side, worlds of bright colors and childish comprehensions of morality. In the Civil War COMIC the consequences have a very real effect on the Marvel Universe. Heroes die, Tony and Cap do some things their not proud of, the wider world of non-powered civilians and the government tie in with the scenario appropriately. But not here, not in this pretentious film. Two many extraneous elements are shoved into the movie. A new Spider-Man, serving as an attractive lure for more ticket sales, denied the proper attention his character deserved. Ant-man is torn from his obligatory solo movie and dropped here. The beginning of an obligatory Vision/Scarlet Witch romance is awkward, unexplained and out of place. Hawkeye is reintroduced, as is another forgettable and obligatory Marvel Villain. Black Panther, self-explanatory. The Marvel brand of comedy is here in spades, detracting from the very serious ideological conflict at hand. That grand ideological battle itself is built on a cheap foundation. In the MCU, Tony and Steve's relationship was never cemented firmly. Hardly was Steve and Bucky's relationship. Why should I care what these people do to each other. There was no weight to the conflict and its finale rang dry. For all the rising tension, only B-rate character War-machine is left scarred, and why should any one care, no one knows who he is, relegated to the backdrop of the MCU an obligatory sidekick for Iron Man. What really irks me about the MCU is that the world is terribly inconsistent. Marvel tries to be both charming and 'funny', while simultaneously attempting to juggle heavier thematic content. The Daredevil Netflix show, with its more grounded take, does not belong in this web of obligatory kid's films. You can't have a supposed 'political thriller' like the CA: Winter Soldier exist in the same universe where Iron Man invites his gang of good-guys to shawarma after NY has been ravaged by God-danged aliens. What irks me about all the pseudo YouTube critics and the brainless fanboys is that if they were to be approached with the question: "Are comic books for kids?" they would almost unhesitatingly answer with a conviction-less 'yes'. If that is the case, why all the absurd hate towards Batman v Superman. Why are Marvel's juvenile ensemble of films exempt from criticism and so thoughtlessly adored.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]