BLU-RAY REVIEW: CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
9/11/2016

OVERVIEW: Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” has conquered both audiences and critics, debuting to $179.1 million—the fifth-biggest domestic opening of all time—and earning a 90% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. “Captain America: Civil War” is the highest-grossing film of 2016 domestically, internationally and globally, earning more than $1.14 billion at the worldwide box office. It also continues Marvel Studios’ winning streak as the 13th consecutive film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to debut at #1 at the domestic box office.

More than 60-minutes of thrilling, exclusive bonus material includes: an inside look at the evolution of lead characters Steve Rogers and Tony Stark, a behind-the-scenes exclusive on the making of Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War,” never-before-seen deleted scenes and hilarious outtakes. Plus, home audiences can learn more about the latest additions to the MCU and get an exclusive, first look at Marvel’s “Doctor Strange,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch, coming to theaters Nov. 4, 2016.

SYNOPSIS: The most explosive clash to ever rock the Marvel Cinematic Universe ignites a firestorm of conflict in the game-changing epic, Captain America: Civil War. In the wake of collateral damage, government pressure to rein in the Avengers drives a deep wedge between Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), causing a catastrophic rift that escalates into an all-out feud. Against a backdrop of divided loyalties, their fellow Avengers must deal with the fallout. Pick a side in this spectacular adventure, packed with mind-blowing action, suspense and exclusive bonus content!

FILM REVIEW:

Steve Rogers: Sorry, Tony. You know I wouldn't do this if I had any another choice. But he's my friend.

Tony Stark: So was I.

Well now, that was a fantastic movie. Have you been hearing the hype? Have you heard the rumor that this is the best superhero movie ever? I wouldn’t go quite that far. I still believe that Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight edges it, and I do mean by the edge. The Dark Knight series is more “real” and dramatic, while Marvel flicks do have some drama, but their focus is more action based. So in actuality, in different ways there can be more than one greatest superhero movie ever. Now, the argument can be presented that this is the best Marvel movie yet. The only one that can challenge it for the top spot is the first Avengers. This one though is just as epic and action packed as any other. I mean the action in this movie is to the ultra-intense level. You could also argue that this is the most intense Marvel movie yet. At this point I would just drop the mic and walk off the stage . . . but I will continue. If memory serves me correctly, this is only the second modern day superhero movie that pits superhero vs. superhero, the first one of course being Batman vs. Superman. This one is definitely better, and I’m one of the limited crowd that actually really enjoyed Batman vs. Superman. I say that just to give you a perspective as to how good I think Civil War is. What makes it so epic and awesome is, like Batman vs. Superman, we have good guys fighting good guys using all their powers and abilities and you find yourself cheering for everyone. It’s exhausting! (but soooo much fun!)

Steve Rogers: This job... we try to save as many people as we can. Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody, but you don't give up.

The primary source of all this conflict is how to handle the collateral damage caused by this group of superheroes. They fight to save the world or maybe a majority of it but there are always consequences. Many praise them, but there are some that curse them for the pain they have caused. This seems to be a recurring theme among superhero stories. This particular one is really good, complete with twists, complications, confrontations, and drama. After the dust settles, it will all make sense in the end and we are left longing for more, even though we are exhausted from all the action. Everything is falling apart . . . Hydra, SHIELD, and now the Avengers are a mess. What could possibly happen next?

It goes without saying that movie characteristics such as cinematography and special effects are mind blowing. The climax for this flick is just spectacular and of course, epic. The addition of some characters was pretty special too, and that’s all I want to say about that so as not to give anything away like stuff that you might already know. Oh well. The Russo Brothers have done an incredible job with the two Marvel movies in the Captain America series, having also directed Winter Soldier. It’s even more impressive considering they don’t have much as far as big time blockbuster films under their belts. I look forward to seeing what they will give us for Avengers: Infinity War. But for now, Marvel fans and superhero movie buffs in general, you’re going to love this one.

Review By Cine Marcos 
cinemarcos@smartcine.com

BLU-RAY: The film is presented in widescreen in a 2.39:1 aspect ration preserving its theatrical format. The picture is just flawless. Not only the picture looks great in this release, also the sound it is good, a 5.1 Dolby Digital in English that provides a good complement to the picture. It also includes  English, French  and Spanish subtitles.

VIDEO:
Widescreen (2.39:1) 16x9

AUDIO:
English 7.1 DTS-HDMA & 2.0 Descriptive Audio, Spanish and French 5.1 Dolby Digital Language Tracks

English, French & Spanish/English SDH, French & Spanish

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Blu-ray™ unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.

DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.

DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet™ lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.

United We Stand, Divided We Fall – The Making of Captain America: Civil War Part 1 & Part 2 – As the tension mounts, sides are chosen and lines drawn. Learn more about the characters on each side—from Captain America and Iron Man to the latest recruits. In this complete behind-the-scenes look at a landmark in the Marvel saga, we’ll examine their stories through exclusive footage and interviews and discover just what went into selecting the Super Hero teams, filming the epic action sequences and introducing Black Panther and Spider-Man to the MCU.

Captain America: The Road to Civil War – Explore the First Avenger’s fascinating evolution from loyal soldier to seasoned, conflicted hero who questions authority.

Iron Man: The Road to Civil War – From Gulmira to Sokovia, delve into the development and evolution of one of the most iconic characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Gag Reel – Break the tension of this high-stakes conflict with some hilarious outtakes featuring the lighter side of your favorite Super Heroes.

Deleted & Extended Scenes – Check out never-before-seen footage that didn’t make the final cut of “Captain America: Civil War.”

Audio Commentary – Directors Anthony and Joe Russo and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely deliver scene-by-scene insight and explain the storytelling challenges they faced creating the third installment of the Captain America franchise.

Open Your Mind: Marvel’s Doctor Strange - Exclusive Sneak Peek – Go behind and beyond the scenes as Doctor Strange makes his journey to the big screen.