8 Changes That Would Have Improved Captain America: Civil War

There are two jobs in movie making that are completely underrated – editing, and composing. Now, while the editing in Civil War is basically excellent, the lack of oomph from the score seems kind of bizarre and disappointing.

Sound is one of the most important senses we have, and music can be incorporated to play on our most primal instincts. An amazing composer like Hans Zimmer will understand how different pitches interact with different parts of our brain, and how by playing on those sounds, we can increase or decrease tension. His use of screeching strings during the Dark Knight is probably the best example of how the music can absolutely transform a scene from ordinary, to iconic.

By reconsidering the score as something intrinsic to the plot as opposed to merely a background element, Civil War could have been taken to the next level. The final battle, for example, demanded something either incredibly bombastic, or starkly minimal to reinvigorate the audience. After two hours of sitting through endless battles the audience needs all their senses attacked so that the payoff is meaningful.

As it stands, Civil War relies solely on its visual brilliance to hook the audience. And while it is undeniably brilliant in terms of visual composition, it could have been something truly special if that kind of attention was paid to how our ears were receiving the film too.