Captain America: Civil War Review (NO SPOILERS)

Ultron is defeated. The Avengers have a new lineup. Friends are gone, new friends have been made. What does the world look like after 11 super-powered incidents on Earth? This is the kind of question Captain America: Civil War hopes to give answers to, but it's not the only question that's being asked in this film. And it's because of these character-defining, world-changing questions that I enjoy this movie so thoroughly.

This movie picks up some time after the events of the latest Marvel movie, Ant-Man, where we find the Avengers yet again causing chaos in their attempts to save the world at large. After one particular incident, the United Nations have voted on a superhero control act, known as the Sokovia Accords, which converts the Avengers from being their private hero organization to a collective controlled by the United Nations. Tony Stark, paralyzed by fear and regret due to his actions as Iron Man, leads the collective that believes restrictions at the behest of world leaders is necessary, while Steve Rodgers holds onto the belief that heroes need to retain their rights to save as they feel the need to. What follows in the wake of this disagreement is a serious clash between ideologies, partly mirroring contemporary society, partly being the climax of the first 8 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

I'd first like to discuss the storytelling in this movie: it's some of the best storytelling that Marvel has ever written. This is a logic-tight movie, with character motivations making sense and sequences of events correctly following one another in a realistic manner. For myself, I usually turn my brain off when I'm watching a movie, so plot holes actually aren't an issue for me as long as the overall film is entertaining. I made myself a mandate to examine this film and keep an eye out for any inconsistencies or other logic holes, and I found nothing. Even my mother, who is the more analytical type when it comes to film, didn't see any gaping logic. Props to Marvel on that!

But even more so impressive is the character development we see. With just about 12 superheroes and about five narrative-important  characters featured, not only are the performances great, but each character gets a moment to shine. Did you like Paul Bettany as the Vision, but wish you saw more of him in Avengers: Age of Ultron? Don't worry, he's got plenty to do here! Excited to see Paul Rudd as Ant-Man again after his debut last summer? You should be, because he's just as entertaining now as he was then! Even a character like Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye, who often plays second-fiddle to his teammates, had some great interactions and quips in this movie. Another highlight comes from the interplay between Anthony Mackie's Falcon and Sebastian Stan's Winter Soldier, who bust heads with one another and provide some surprising levity throughout the film. Don Cheadle's War Machine doesn't have as much of a presence in this movie like he did in Iron Man 3, but he's nonetheless reliable as Tony's partner. Scarlett Johansson has some interesting, character-growing development in this movie, which will for sure push for her solo movie even more after the close of this film. For myself, the remaining five featured heroes stood out to me the most, and they deserve their own paragraphs for that.

Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch was one of my most anticipated characters to see going into Avengers: Age of Ultron; as we now know, she didn't have a great lot to do in that movie, but she was cool nonetheless. Here, she's given more depth and importance. Being arguably the most powerful Avenger, as well as being the youngest, the dynamic of Scarlet Witch, coupled with the characters' view of both herself and her affect on the world, was intriguing to see onscreen. For being such a damaged individual, there's a lot of emotion in her. Additionally, the interplay between her and Vision was cute to see, especially if the filmmakers are hinting at a future with the two characters, a la the comics.

Newcomer Black Panther, being portrayed by Chadwick Boseman, was the most anticipated feature for myself: I love the character, his power-set, his determination, his persona, his presence. In Civil War, we don't really dig too deep into what he is in the comics. We only get a taste of who he is, and what he means to the world. This is fine, as the movie itself isn't primarily focused around one character. I just was hoping to have more is all.

But I got way more than I would've first asked for in the premiere of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Spider-Man. Guys, they nailed it. They freaking nailed it! Casting a younger kid, giving him the right attitude of fun but heroic, and teasing fans with a future as an Avenger all added up to quite possibly the best interpretation of the character. Every time he was on screen, I was smiling and laughing.


But the real standouts in terms of character are Chris Evans and Robert Downey, Jr. Captain America is at the top of his game, being both a leader but a supporter of the Avengers. His ideals this time aren't necessarily American-centric, but more along the lines of western ideology. It makes him more relatable to those who aren't American, and even more to the rest of us living today. He's no longer a simple American soldier, he's a good man that everyone wants to root for. Chris Evans continues to delight as Captain America, and his interactions with Bucky/Winter Soldier shows that while this character is good, there are flaws in him as well. For Robert Downey, Jr. I was floored by his performance in this movie. This is the best, most conflicted Iron Man we've ever seen, and it makes both the stakes and the character all the more exciting to watch. From the turmoil of a divided Avengers team to the conflict with the government to his heartbreak over the loss of his friends, Tony Stark has never been a better character to watch.

The same can be said for the action and special effects. Without the mess of a mindless army at the Avengers' throats, you really get a better sense of each hero's individual abilities. Ant-Man looks great as he's going after Iron Man, the clash between the Winter Soldier and Falcon versus Spider-Man was a joy to watch, and the brawl between Cap and Black Panther was a masterpiece. The airport scene you see in all of the trailers is definitely a stand-out  not only in this movie, but in all 12 movies that the MCU has produced. Special effects mixed with real, authentic shots and fighting sequences are a thrill to watch unfold; that being said, I felt in the first hour that the directors really wanted to use the shaky-cam to the fullest extent. And while we're on the topic of flaws, I originally didn't have much negativity to say about Daniel Bruehl's Zemo, but as I write this review, I don't have much opinion on him compared to everything else that happened in the film. I liked his portrayal in the movie, and the character was interesting enough, but he's definitely not the focus or interest.

With all of that being said, Captain America: Civil War is filled with all of the action and giggles Marvel fans have come to expect, but they've added new complexities to the characters we've come to know and love these past eight years. This movie changes the landscape for Marvel films going forward, something fans have been clammoring for for a while now.  If you're looking for the right way to start off the summer blockbuster season, a movie to make up for the disappointment of past superhero films, or just a great character film. Captain America: Civil War is the movie to see.

Rating: 9.0 / 10