“Captain America: Civil War” Roundtable Discussion

Spider-Man (Tom Holland):

Lyndsey: I didn’t know that the third iteration of Spider-Man in 15 years would be a Spidey I genuinely liked! Tom Holland was adorable as Peter Parker. I won’t watch another origin story film on the kid, but I’d be happy to see him show up in other movies for certain.

AJ: He plays the character well, but as I said before, I felt he was unnecessary to the story.

Arlene: As I said before, I adored him. So Adorkable. And fresh – thank goodness we don’t have to go through the origin story again. And I like that Aunt May is hot.

Jenni: Best Spider-Man yet! I’m glad they finally got the character right; he’s supposed to be funny, not emo like the fifty million films already out there.

Sam: Super cute, and his slightly nervous, slightly fanboyish bantering with Tony made him a great fit for the Avengers. He brought some much-needed child-like wonder to the film which helped balance out some of the film’s seriousness. He was just adorable. Can’t wait to see him again!

Jay: I love this rendition of Spiderman, even though I was skeptical when it was announced. I think his sense of comedic relief is new to the ongoing series, and I’m excited for his film and for him to have his own story and grow up a bit.

Shadia: Tom Holland was great and watching him play Peter Parker was all-in-all refreshing to watch. He brought awesome humor and he played the character very, very well.

Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman):

Lyndsey: T’challa was one of my new favorites to come out of this. I was so glad he resolved things for himself the way he did, and I’m also glad he did it fairly independently of the others. I may also now ship him and Natasha because I felt like he was totally turning on the charm for her. Definitely going to be seeing the Black Panther movie.

AJ: Well played, nuanced, and ready for his own standalone (at least in my opinion).

Arlene: Badass. But a true hero in that he admitted when he was wrong and then went out of his way to make things right. He’s also quite good-looking and his suit was the bomb.

Jenni: I NEED MORE.

Sam: Damn. He’s got that prince vibe down. Loved him, loved his passion and ferocity and probably loved his zen the most, how his drive to kill Zemo immediately changed as soon as he saw the heart of him; someone who, not unlike himself, was exacting revenge out of grief and loss. He had a superb strength of character. Damn. Chadwick Boseman had such poise and spirit. I had no prior knowledge of the Black Panther character, but now I’m pretty excited to see him in his own film.

Jay: I think the character has real potential, but he was one of the heroes I could’ve done without. His story has a great set-up now, but it took so much time from Cap and the focal point of the plot that I’m apprehensive of the character’s story now.

Stadia: I loved everything about him! The suit, the actor (Chadwick Boseman) and his arc in the movie. Did I mention the costume? Yeah, because that suit was fire.

Favourite Action Scene?

Lyndsey: Bucky’s escape scene from his apartment by far.

AJ: The opening scene was spectacular, almost to the point where the big, climactic fight scene in the airport was overshadowed. I’m torn between the opening scene and the scene where Captain America goes to assist Bucky in his escape attempt. Not the whole escape scene, though — I kind of thought the car chase part of the scene was drawn out a little too long.

Arlene: When Bucky jacks the motorcycle and it flips in the air and he lands a perfect landing. Of course, the fight at the airport with Ant-Man and Spider-Man was fantastic.

Jenni: Black Widow trying to take down Bucky with her “sit on his shoulders” move.

Sam: The airport scene was the most fun I’ve had in a long time, but it was probably Black Widow’s fight scene in the marketplace as she took down Crossbones’ multiple agents that sticks out to me. I was practically tearing my face off in joy to see her really finally fight, without any of the hair flipping and slinky feline stuff she’s had in previous outings. She was legit grounding and pounding and it made her probably the most impressive fighter of the film, in my eyes.

Jay: Black Widow, Steve, and Bucky fighting toward the beginning of the film. It’s hard to see such close friends fight, but I actually enjoyed all of the beginning with the new Avengers team kicking ass, even after Wanda’s unfortunate mistake.

Shadia: Bucky in that motorcycle scene!

Favourite Emotional Scene?

Lyndsey: Steve getting that text message. I’ve heard a lot of people decry Evans’ performance in this as wooden compared to RDJ, and I don’t think it’s fair. Steve Rogers is not the same kind of person as Tony Stark. Tony is very extrovert and outward projecting of his emotions. He’s practically a neon sign. Steve, in contrast, is very introverted, and has always tried to seem in control because he’s acutely aware people rely on him. He’s the kinda guy who tries really hard to suppress what he’s feeling on his face and keep his voice calm, even when he’s feeling devastated. I think Evans deserves a lot of credit for that.

AJ: When Bucky was fighting against the programming Hydra put in him. He clearly didn’t want to be a slave to that part of himself. He was in agony knowing that he could be put to use for evil deeds yet again.

Arlene: Most Emotional Scene was without a doubt Peggy Carter’s funeral.

Jenni: Any scene where Bucky and Steve look at each other. I’m a Stucky shipper.

Sam: Wanda saving Steve’s life from Crossbones’ bomb and then having to watch as her bravery became a national disaster was upsetting. Bucky fighting his way out of his holding cell to stop Zemo before he could fall back under his Hydra conditioning – and then as he failed and the Bucky we all love disappeared again beneath the mindset of the Winter Soldier. Ooof. Also, the scene between Natasha and Steve after Peggy’s funeral and how she said she was there because she didn’t want him to be alone. She’s come such a long way in how she thinks and feels, and it was a lovely continuation of the trust and respect her and Steve built between them in The Winter Soldier.

Jay: Wanda realizing what everyone thinks of her after the accident. Elizabeth’s acting was fantastic and you could tell she was really struggling with the aftermath of that decision and the losses she inflicted.

Shadia: When Tony found out it was Bucky that murdered his parents when he wasn’t in his right state of mind and Steve knew all along.

Favourite Plot Point?

Lyndsey: Uhhh does the ending count because T’CHALLA. Talk about setting yourself up for involvement, sir. You’re not like your father, that’s for certain.

AJ: Not sure. I enjoyed the whole Bucky part of the plot, but it made the movie seem like the “civil war” was about who wanted Bucky arrested and who wanted Bucky freed, not about the Sonovia Accords. I kind of forgot about the Accords for the most part unless they were being referenced directly.

Arlene: When both sides realize they’ve all been manipulated.

Jenni: I love that the entirety of the movie (mostly) is all about Steve’s love for Bucky and how he would never abandon his friend.

Sam: Zemo and his whole side of the film. He was brilliant. He’s been the most subtle (and probably the most human) villain ever in a Marvel film, but he’s probably caused the most damage too. I always find psychological warfare infinitely more intriguing and suspenseful than a villain wielding physical war.

Jay: Can I say none? No? I guess Steve leaving at the end because he refused to sign the Accords.

Shadia: When Natasha (Black Widow) was on Team Iron Man!

Favourite Character Moment?

Lyndsey: Vision trying to cook for Wanda! Probably followed by any moment with Bucky and Sam mutually giving each other a bad time, or Scott being so excited that Captain America needs his help. HIM. ANT-MAN.

AJ: Scarlet Witch kicking ass. She may not be the most stunt-involved character, but her powers are amazing and she more than proves her worth to the team.

Arlene: Cap and Sharon Carter kiss and Bucky and Falcon are in the car with those silly grins on their faces.

Jenni: When Zemo is trying to activate the Winter Soldier with the codewords and Bucky is upset and tries to resist.

Sam: I think this film thrived on multiple character moments. I enjoyed the growing friendship between Vision and Wanda, Hawkeye actually being useful, and badass, and funny during a mission for a change, Bucky and Falcon’s epic anti-bromance. Ant-Man probably ended up being my favourite of the lot. Like, he’s essentially the new guy, the outsider in a team of superheroes and he knows very well that he’s just a dude in a wacky suit. But he threw himself headfirst into Team Cap and did what needed to be done without knowing all of the details, and he was the first to throw his hand up and say ‘hey, let’s try this! Might kill me but it might work too!’. He was helpful, and willing and pretty damn fearless, and his ‘newbie’ energy felt like a great addition to the team. I’ll readily admit that I think Ant-Man is one of the dumbest ideas for a superhero ever, and I wasn’t keen on him becoming part of the MCU, but Paul Rudd and Marvel have somehow made it work and he’s now one of my favourites.

Jay: Same as plot point. I loved that even throughout the entire mess, Steve stuck with his beliefs and didn’t sacrifice that to make anyone else happy.

Shadia: Spidey and Tony’s dialogue.

Moment That Made You Cheer?

Lyndsey: Natasha dealing that blow to Tony’s ego. He needed that, and she was clearly itching to give it the whole movie.

AJ: Hmm. I didn’t have any one particular “woohoo!” moment in the film, but I guess I was most excited over Tony’s about-face and realizing his mistake in agreeing to the Sokovia Accords.

Arlene: When Stan Lee shows up asking for Mr. Tony Stank.

Jenni: Ant-Man went giant!

Sam: Ant-Man slipping through into the Iron Man suit and just unplugging shit left, right and center. The entire cinema around me was cheering and cry-laughing. Then when he went giant we were all whooping and applauding. Go Tic Tac, go!

Jay: The Sharon and Steve kiss, plus the reaction from Steve’s friends after! I love the idea of Steve and Sharon, and I hope they get more time together to build that relationship (they cut a coffee date scene of the pair meeting after Peggy’s funeral) and develop Sharon a little more as a character, which they did a bit in this film.

Shadia: When it was time for the real Civil War! How that scene came about was just crazy to watch, seeing all of your faves about to go at it.

Lyndsey: I felt most of the team Tony had behind him were doing it less of personal loyalty to Tony (minus say, Vision and Rhodey) but more because they understood the modern world better than Steve possibly ever will. Nat clearly sympathizes with Steve’s feelings but, as she puts it, agrees with signing in the hopes of having some modicum of control over the destiny of the Avengers versus the governments of the world dominating them and forcing control upon them. Tony, I couldn’t help but feel rushed into the decision because ultimately, he can’t stomach taking personal responsibility for these casualties that occur on the sidelines of these big conflicts he’s involved in. He wants to have someone higher up he can point to and ultimately, hide behind. Rhodey is of course, already somewhat beholden to the military, so to him this decision doesn’t feel out of line with what he already does. Overall, I could understand where they were coming from, even if I didn’t think they were taking some of the concerns Team Cap had a seriously as maybe they need to.

AJ: Wrong. They were wrong. At least Black Widow and Tony realized the error of their ways.

Arlene: Tony Stank – I mean Stark – thinking once again he knows it all because he’s just so arrogant and entitled. Although he did show a conscience regarding the collateral damage.

Jenni: I was very conflicted that Vision was on Team Iron Man. I mean, yeah, it makes sense, but he loves Wanda (comics spoiler!) so it was hard for me to see them separate.

Sam: Team Iron Man were clearly all of the same mind. No one wanted to fight or have the problem get as big as it did, but each had their motives and morals for signing, even as their mutual agreement seemingly began to split their team apart at the seams. The energy at the airport scene kind of said it all – they signed, they were there to back their words with actions, even as they all kinda tried to talk each other out of it at the last-minute. Even as I disagreed with them, I couldn’t find fault in Team Iron Man.

Jay: I hate Iron Man. I can’t answer this unbiased. I was surprised that Black Widow was on his side though.

Shadia: I thought they were a good team. Tony did have a point in his ideology of being limited by the government as Avengers.

Lyndsey: I think it was very interesting that Team Cap was a bunch of individuals who were outcasts and also at some point, confined. Sam’s military, but Sam also left due to PTSD unlike Rhodey. Wanda’s feared for her powers and like Steve was a science experiment. Scott’s a thief. Bucky is well, Bucky. Anyway, my point is many of these characters faced controls put in place by other, more powerful entities. The Avengers offered them more freedom than a lot of them ever had before; remembering their own pasts, each chose to help others and protect people, in the hopes that things they suffered wouldn’t happen again. It’s a tall order of course, especially in the modern era. But I can see why the thought of a group of world governments dictating what they can and cannot do is worrisome to these people. They don’t want to protect 170 countries, they want to protect everyone, and have the freedom to prioritize as they choose to. There’s no guarantee they wouldn’t be used as a weapon against another country. That said, Steve, I don’t think a good way of addressing your fears about this is to pick fights with Tony.

AJ: Team Cap all the way! Yeah, there was considerable collateral damage, but no governing agency should treat human beings (and whatever Vision qualifies as) like they’re WMDs.

Arlene: All about the loyalty.

Jenni: Team Cap will always be the best. I’m in love with Hawkeye and Wanda is awesome so it makes sense that I would choose Cap’s side.

Sam: Yeah, I was with Team Cap’s views of the situation, and because I knew Bucky was innocent of what he’d been framed with. No government should have control over something as powerful as a superhero. It’s all for the greater good of the world, but the line is thin there and you can’t always be sure of who dictates what it stands for.

Jay: They all made sense for me. Each of their character’s had a reason for being against the Sokovia Accords, but I would’ve expected Wanda to go over to Iron Man’s side, if not only to appease her guilt.

Shadia: I also understood where Steve was coming from in not having to have a limit on when they should and when they shouldn’t save lives.

What team were you on prior to seeing the film? Did that change afterwards?

Lyndsey: I went into this on Team Cap because Steve is still one of my favorite MCU characters. That didn’t change, because I did think the movie did a good job of showing that both he and Tony had good points, both for selfish and unselfish reasons. Cap dug his heels in and resisted I feel partly out of his grief of losing Peggy and fear that he may also lose Bucky. I feel for the most part, still with Cap, because even an international coalition has its own in-fighting and wants to prioritize their needs versus others. There’s gridlock, there’s rivalries, and not every world government is even a member of the UN. I don’t think there should have been a ‘take or leave it’ approach with the Sokovia Accords – I mean what, a week? A week to review? That struck me as very reactionary. I think optimally what should have happened was a collaborative effort of legislation WITH the Avengers, because I think the reaction presented was a fear-based knee-jerk, primarily at Wanda’s powers at that.

AJ: Team Cap. So no, no change (laughs).

Arlene: Always Team Cap/Team Bucky. It didn’t change.

Jenni: I was Team Cap going in and Team Cap coming out. TEAM CAP FOREVER.

Sam: I was firmly Team Cap before seeing the film, but afterwards I was more in between. I completely agreed with Steve’s views on the Accords and the slippery slope they’d inevitably lead to, no doubts there, but when that woman slapped that photo of her dead son on Tony’s chest and blamed the Avenger’s tunnel vision for it, I knew it wasn’t going to be as black and white as I expected. Just call me Switzerland.

Jay: Captain America, before and after. I see the use of the Sokovia Accords, but like they explained in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., if this were to get in the wrong hands, a lot of people could be in danger. Not likely the Avengers would be, but Inhumans and other powered people that don’t work in the light. (Jessica Jones, possibly?)

Shadia: Honestly, I was in circles. Prior to the movie, I was Team Cap because I am a big fan of Captain America. However, as the film continued, I just kept thinking, Tony does have a point here and all Team Cap did was refuse to listen to him, and so I went on Team Iron Man’s side. I know, I know, I am so indecisive for saying that but making a decision was hard for me.

Thoughts on where the MCU may go after the events of Civil War?

Lyndsey: Oh gosh, I guess everybody’s going to Wakanda. But I do think Natasha’s going to go look for Bruce and maybe Steve becomes Nomad like he did in the comics.

AJ: Another “hmm” question. I don’t like trying to figure things out ahead of time. I’m not the type who looks for clues to the answer while the movie is still asking the question. I like to let myself get immersed in the story. Why speculate when I can see it unfold in front of me?

Arlene: I think the MCU is going to do a few films – new Spidey, new Guardians of the Galaxy,  another Ant Man, another Thor…where all these films lead will determine the next Avengers. It has to have something to do with the gems.

Jenni: I still want my Captain Marvel movie and am sorely disappointed that it got pushed back yet again for another Spider-Man movie.

Sam: The mid-credit scene with Bucky being put back on ice in a lab in Wakanda felt like a set up for Black Panther. Bucky helping out T’Challa is a working partnership I didn’t know I wanted. Please can we have it?

Jay: I don’t know. I think it’ll still be split and somehow the heroes will have to come to a consensus that benefits them and lets them work together without having such a drastic riff between them.

Your Captain America: Civil War rating (out of 10)?

Lyndsey: 8/10. Like I said, I enjoyed myself. A lot in fact. But I do think there was just a bit too much going on at the end of the day.

AJ: I’d give it a 7. As I said before, I think the story was a little scattered. The Sokovia Accords were more of an afterthought than the actual reason for all the infighting. That kind of plot neglect disappointed me in a way.

Arlene: I give the film a good solid 9.

Jenni:10/10.

Sam: 8/10. It was a fantastic, mature addition to the MCU and another sign of great things to come from the Russo brothers, though it wasn’t as punchy and cohesive or nearly as Captain Rogers-centric as The Winter Soldier.

Jay: Probably a 5. I wasn’t that impressed and I left the cinema with superhero overload. It’s going to take some time to readapt to wanting to even watch a MCU film again. I still love superheroes, but it’s really being overdone.

Shadia: Giving it a 9/10!