CGI action and epic set pieces are great and all, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe has also done an amazing job of stringing together its continuity. Over the last eight years, Marvel Studios’ film and television properties have coalesced to set the stage for a major battle of ideologies when Captain America: Civil War finally hits theater this May. A new supercut has just hit the web which could effectively get even the most cursory Marvel fan up to speed on the story so far, check it out below and see for yourself.
There’s little else to say other than the fact that this is quite simply a beautifully edited and composed video. Taking inspiration and footage from just about every avenue of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, in five minutes the clip assembles perfect profiles of men like Steve Rogers and Tony Stark, and then proceeds to explain their particular mentalities regarding how the world should be protected. Tony Stark comes from a place of guilt due to his years as an arms dealer and wants to construct a shield around the world – a legacy he can be proud of. On the other hand, Steve Rogers as a looser, more old-fashioned sensibility when it comes to keeping people safe, and he operates based upon what his moral code considers the righteous path.
One of the most impressive aspects of this entire video is the way in which it concisely ties together the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even events that we seem to have forgotten about are drawn into the fold and treated with the same level of respect and importance, as one would expect if they actually happened. The characteristic third act CGI spectacles of Marvel’s Phase 2 have begun to add up, and the world has started to take notice. Such increasing levels of chaos – and a lack of S.H.I.E.L.D to properly contain them – has led to average citizens living in fear of our supposedly mightiest heroes.
Every property, no matter how minor, gets representation in this video. While villains such as Ultron or the Chitauri most certainly make an appearance, even people who just hate the Avengers (such as Audrey Eastman from Jessica Jones, whose mother died during the Battle of New York) get to have their voices heard.
If this video isn’t enough to get you excited for Captain America: Civil War, then I honestly don’t know what will. The entire MCU has been building to this point ever since Tony Stark decided he wanted to help people in the original Iron Man movie all the way back in 2008. We will see just how epic the smack down between the Avengers gets when Civil War hits theaters on May 6.
