2) The Comedy Has Been Perfected
Joss Whedon’s Avengers movies are both highly entertaining entries into the MCU, full of quotable lines and amusing interactions. But the constant quipping does mean that it can be hard to take what’s happening seriously. That’s fine if you’re just in for a fun blockbuster ride, but as we head towards the universe-shattering events of Infinity War, the films must become a bit more serious. The humor does not need to be abandoned entirely, though; that’s part of what we love about the Marvel universe, so it’s important to find a healthy balance between drama and comedy.
The Russos have done a magnificent job of that with The Winter Soldier and particularly with Civil War. In the latter film, events are treated with the dramatic weight they deserve, and there are some gut-punches in the final act. Yet, thankfully, the experience of watching it is not equivalent to attending a funeral, as is the case with another 2016 superhero film that will remain nameless.
[zergpaid]Despite featuring the darkest events in the Marvel canon so far, i.e. good guys fighting good guys, there are several sequences in Civil War that rank up there with the series’ funniest moments. Take the interactions between Bucky and Rhodes, Spider-Man’s role during the airplane hangar battle, or Ant-Man’s utter confusion at everything that’s happening and his request of orange slices. The comedy doesn’t feel shoehorned in but instead is a natural part of this world, and the comedic lines all come across as things people would actually say rather than exaggerated movie dialogue. Of course Spider-Man would be making jokes because that’s just the kind of kid he is.
Civil War isn’t the only example of this. Peyton Reed’s Ant-Man also found a fabulous balance; it’s one of the most hilarious films in the MCU, yet Scott’s emotional arc still lands. Going into Phase 3, Marvel has found a way to juggle the seriousness of the early movies and the non-stop comedy of the Avengers films, and Civil War exhibits exactly the tone they need to maintain going forward.