As the release of Captain America: Civil War marks the completion of Marvel’s Cap trilogy, now is a good time to take a look back at all three movies and select my standout moments. Obviously there will be spoilers for all three movies contained therein so if you have yet to catch Civil War in the cinema (the only acceptable excuse for this being you’ve been struck down by an unexpected case of the bubonic plague) then proceed at your own risk….
6. Howling at Hydra
After extensive re-watching and soul-searching, I did it. I managed to find a scene in Captain America: The First Avenger that was exceptionally good. Well done me. Who didn’t feel just a little bit of a lump in their throat when Captain America, hitherto wasting his considerable strength as a propaganda tool (with the emphasis on the ‘tool’), dons his ridiculous costume, gets Peggy to commandeer a plane (and a handy billionaire playboy) and sets out to rescue his friend Bucky and the rest of his troop. Also, if you’re not a sucker for the emotional content, they also blow up a shit-load of stuff using HYDRA weapons and a tank. Huzzah!
5. Bucky Bail Out
You know you’re watching a Marvel production if someone’s getting into fisticuffs in a stairwell. It happened in Daredevil (the TV series, not the lame-ass movie) and it happens again in Civil War. Although the hype would have you believe the core of the movie is Cap vs Iron Man, it really isn’t. It’s Cap trying to save his best friend (and occasional homicidal maniac – not his fault, he’s brainwashed remember?).
This extended sequence features our hero attempting to help Bucky escape the clutches of both the authorities (who think he killed King T’Chaka and want to lock him up) and Black Panther (who thinks he killed King T’Chaka and wants to slash at him with his panther claws until he’s dead). The fact that this also features a motorbike chase and three incredibly attractive men in tight clothing is in no way the reason that it features on my list. Honest.
4. The Bigger They Are…
Now I apologise for not being able to find an image of Ant-Man in his giant form, apparently Marvel wanted to keep this a secret. They probably should have told both Funko and Lego this though as both toy-makers released Giant Ant-Man figures well in advance of the preview screenings. Duh! Spoilers aside, giant Ant-Man was probably my highlight of Civil War. It was effective, funny as hell and introduced some excellent Star Wars references, hard to see how it could go wrong, really. Also he stomped on people. Ant-Man – SMASH!
3. Wrong Floor
Although this moment was partly spoiled by the fact that Marvel chose to show it in its entirety before we even got to the cinema (eventually we won’t even need to go and see the film if this advertising trend continues, we will be able to watch the whole film from edited-together TV spots), the elevator fight from Captain America: Winter Solider was one of the highlights of the film. Not only was it funny, fast-paced and well handled, it also acquainted us with Frank Grillo‘s Brock Rumlow (the short-lived Crossbones) and ended with Cap barreling out of the window and crashing to the ground below. What’s not to love?
2. Hell Hath No Fury
Probably just edging out the elevator scene from above is this adrenaline pumping attack on Nick Fury’s car, also from Captain America: Winter Soldier. Obviously being the (then) Director of SHIELD, Nick’s not pootling about in a clapped-out Ford Focus or anything (take note, James Bond) and his hi-tech, fully armed Fury-mobile is put to the test as HYDRA attack en-masse. Fury is in genuine peril here and the Russo brothers are on top directing form as he (just about) manages to escape.
1. Winter is Coming
It may have been subsumed (in my twisted mind at least) by that genius video edit which superimposes Team America’s ‘America, F**k Yeah!’ song over the op of this sequence, but this chase, from Winter Soldier is classic action at its best. Just as we think that Fury has survived the onslaught, he is taken out right in front of Cap’s eyes. Cue a wall smashing, building leaping chase of epic proportions. Leading to Cap’s first meeting with The Winter Soldier and the awesome ‘shield grab’ above. Loved it.
Now the eagle-eyed readers among you will have noticed that only one of these top moments comes from the first Cap movie. There’s a reason for that…yeah, I didn’t like it very much. Although it did the job of establishing the character well it lacked the general pizzazz and stand out moments of the sequels, even poor old Bucky was so sidelined that Winter Soldier felt the need to produce an extended scene reminding the audience exactly who Cap’s friend was. You know, in case we missed him first time round.
So did i pick your favourite moment? Did I miss any Cap corkers? Sound off in the comments or send us your thoughts on Twitter!