For my full review of Captain America: Civil War, please go check out my post on Avenging Force, where I write regularly about movies, television, and fandom.
This weekend, I saw the much-anticipated newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America: Civil War. Twice.
I mean, I had to see it once to make sure it was okay for my kids, and then obviously I had to actually bring the kids. (For the record, though they both went in thinking they’d be Team Iron Man, one of them came out Team Cap.) So it was only reasonable that I see it twice.
I had, as you can imagine, a lot of thoughts. And while I put them together in a much more coherent actual review over on Avenging Force (and then delved even deeper into the little details of the movie here), I figured that over here, I’d post all my reaction tweets that I wrote immediately after coming out of the theater the first time. Because not all of you follow me on Twitter, and I tweeted enough about this movie to pretty much equal a full-length review anyway.
DUDE CIVIL WAR, Y’ALL
— Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
#CivilWar did everything I wished Age of Ultron had done. Clear motivations, solid character development, seamless ensemble work. — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
That said, #CivilWar is by no means Avengers 2.5. It’s a Captain America movie that happens to have a crapton of Avengers in it. — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
I think it’s in my DNA to always be #TeamCap, but I got where both sides were coming from, & why each character picked their side. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
Like, there wasn’t one character whose motivation felt weak to me. Not a one. Every single one was just so, so solid. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
The big fight scene — you know, the one in the trailer — SO FANTASTIC. Everything I want in a superhero smackdown. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
And while I stand by my position that we didn’t NEED another on-screen Peter Parker…Spider-Man was really awesome. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
I wish we could somehow reduce the number of already-existing Spider-Man movies so that the #CivilWar Spidey could feel fresher. — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
Because I LOVED Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. (And I love Peter in general!) Just wish I could leave behind all my Sony baggage. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
(For more of my thoughts on Spider-Man, Peter Parker, and the MCU, see this post)
A couple small gripes: Too much shaky-cam (glad we didn’t see it in 3D, I’d’ve been motion sick) & the #CivilWar trailer gave away too much. — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
Tonally, yeah, it’s dark, but for me, it wasn’t anything out of line with the rest of the Captain America franchise. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
And honestly, I was braced for much darker than what it winded up being, because…comics. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
And for a really intense movie, I laughed a LOT. The humor isn’t blatant, but sprinkled in small, effective doses throughout. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
Every character in #CivilWar is my favorite character. — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
Like hooooow did they give a cast that large each their own arc and meaningful story beats and moments to shine HOW DID THEY DO IT #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
I’m…very much shipping two characters now. I figured I would, and…yup, I am. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
Whose dad did Vision copy to learn how to dress like a human, because it was definitely someone’s dad. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
I mean look at this
I hope #CivilWar will get more people to go watch Ant-Man, because Scott Lang is a treasure. — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
Natasha 🙌🙌🙌🙌 #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
Seriously the last 2 Captain America movies have let Natasha shine in a way Avengers never did and I love her so much. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
Clint Barton and Scott Lang should’ve been saved as surprises for the movie, THE TRAILERS GAVE AWAY TOO MUCH. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
T’CHALLA, Y’ALL. Y’ALL. BLACK PANTHER IS GOING TO BE SO GOOD. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
After seeing #CivilWar I stand by what I said in this post about Sharon being a Gryffindor but not sure abt T’Challa https://t.co/yUC1kJbevr — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
Like he very much might still be a Slytherin but there is a looooot of Ravenclaw there. I’mma have to ponder this. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
I don’t think #CivilWar unseats Guardians as my FAVORITE Marvel movie, but…it might be in 2nd place for me. Multiple viewings will tell. — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
Also, two end credits scenes. Stay with the movie until the end of the line. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
#CivilWar did the thing I wish more movies did — every character sympathetic, but with goals that are fundamentally at odds w/each other. — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
Like there is no WRONG side to be on in #CivilWar. Both sides make sense. Both sides are driven by both emotion and logic. Both are valid. — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
I personally find this kind of story leagues more compelling than a mustache-twirling supervillain. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
So while I know many find it unsettling that #CivilWar is good guys vs good guys, for me, that’s part of what made it so incredible. — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
ALSO: #CivilWar actually acknowledged the complicated continuity of all the movies that came before. *side-eyes Age of Ultron so hard* — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
And shaky-cam aside, I think #CivilWar had some of the best action sequences of the entire MCU. — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
Poor precious Hufflepuff cinnamon roll Bucky Barnes to be thrown into the middle of this mess. #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016
70 years of brainwashing and super-soldier enhancements and yet it didn’t occur to anyone to get Bucky a dang ponytail holder #CivilWar — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 9, 2016
Overall, for me, #CivilWar delivered beautifully on every front. I am so satisfied, and though it ends on a bittersweet note, I was smiling. — Lauren Thoman (@LaurenTHCW) May 7, 2016