"Captain America: Civil War" - Review

Why Can't We All Just Get Along?

Yeah, yeah. I am late with my review. About a week late. No need to remind me, but be honest. You are all still seeing this movie this weekend. You will probably still be seeing it next weekend. Maybe even the weekend after that. It would be for a good reason too. Captain America: Civil War is the best comic book movie of the year so far. In fact, it may be the best since The Dark Knight. It is that good. It is a thriller with surprising depth and pathos that covers every base it needs to. At once thoughtful and fun, it is a new high water mark for comic book films. Eat your heart out DC.

Captain America: Civil War is technically a sequel to The Winter Soldier but it is more accurate to say that it is a direct sequel to Avengers: Age of Ultron that carries the thematic through line of the Captain America films. We catch up with our favorite captain Steve Rogers as he leads the newest iteration of the Avengers to tie up loose ends from the previous films by finding the remaining Hydra terrorists led by the intimidating Cross Bones. In the process of doing so, a tragic accident occurs that takes collateral damage with it. Naturally, the international community is upset about this. As a result, the UN puts together "The Sokovia Accords", a new set of regulations that would basically strip The Avengers of their independent status and make them an asset rather than its own operating power able to make its own decisions. Tony Stark, reeling with newly developed guilt over the events of past movies, is very much in support of this new bill. Steve on the other hand is absolutely against it. This is made clear when his old friend Bucky Barnes, the former and still very on-the-run Winter Soldier, shows back up with destruction in his wake that he may or may not be responsible for. Hoping to save his friend and clear his name, Captain America and a few of his super hero friends go rogue to save him. Iron Man and the rest of the Avengers who did not join Steve team up because of this to go hunt them down and stop them, leading to a dramatic confrontation between the two sides that threatens to destroy everything they ever built together.

This movie does what Age of Ultron failed to do. It gives us a plot with stakes that have a human touch that allows us to be invested in what happens, despite the super powered shenanigans that go down. Age of Ultron felt cold and void of any true emotional stakes. It tried to make up for it with a delightfully creepy villain and some amazing action set pieces with the whole Avengers team, but its script fell a bit short of being the perfect well-rounded experience it could have been. Civil War on the other hand tones down the perpetual explosiveness of the previous film and returns to the thriller roots of The Winter Soldier in the best of ways. That is not to say that there is not any action. In fact, it is to the contrary. The action in this film is based on in-camera stunts and practical effects and the result is electrifying. There is a weight to every moment and it is genuinely intense and unnerving at times in the best way. By toning down the spectacle, the Russo Brothers, the directors, have created something more intense and thrilling that allows the film to also have time to focus on the emotional stakes with its characters.

There is plenty of meaty political subtext to the film, just as Winter Soldier had. Marvel has found a great way to explore the post 9/11 climate in a clever insightful way that makes it feel like this is all happening in our world. Conversations between Tony and Steve have a grave importance to them as a result of this and it works as a benefit to the film. This film is not afraid to take its time and explore where every character is coming from. When the marketing for this film asks "what side are you on", there are legitimate reasons for each side of the debate. These characters are incredibly well defined and are given the respect and realism they deserve. It also gives Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans some surprising dramatic depth to mine for their performances. This is a fine showcase for the talents of both actors, with Robert Downey Jr. giving some genuinely poignant beats.

The rest of the star studded cast (too many to name here) also give fine performances and are well developed in their characters. The newcomers are the ones who stand out this time though. Chadwick Boseman makes his debut of Black Panther and he is a demanding and charismatic screen presence as this character. I cannot wait for his upcoming solo film. Civil War does an excellent job of introducing Black Panther and giving him an important reason to be a part of the chaotic proceedings. However, the character everyone is most excited for is Spider-Man. He makes his official MCU introduction here and Tom Holland plays him excellently. He is given a surprising amount of screen time with plenty of background to justify not going over his origin story yet again. Not only is Tom Holland the proper age to play a young Peter Parker, he has the earnest, while still wise-ass, personality that has been teased but not delivered on in previous movie efforts. He is such a likable character that he almost steals the entire film away from Cap and Iron Man.

Captain America: Civil War also includes an incredible action set piece toward the end of its second act that will go down in comic book movie history. The film is not afraid to be dramatic and dark, but this set piece balances out that tone with some plain old fun. The scene delivers on all fronts and gives every character at least one moment to shine. It is a director's juggling act of epic proportions and it is incredibly entertaining. In March we got Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice that tried very similar things to this film. In fact, it hits many of the same plot beats. They both feature weary worlds that want to crack down on superhero vigilantism, they feature iconic characters battling each other, and they both try to set up future films. If you read my review of BvS (which you can find here), you will remember that my main criticism is that the movie suffers from a lack of set up and development. Instead of taking its time by giving its main characters their own solo movies to establish their characters and the worlds they inhabit, Warner Bros. decided to blow their load early by immediately going into the team-up film. It became so stuffed with characters and plots that have had zero development that it felt empty and ultimately collapsed under its own rushed ambition, despite a valiant effort from Zack Snyder to bring some thoughtful direction and needed style to the film. Civil War completely supports my point. It is the 13th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe canon and every film before it serves as important functions for the film's story and development. We now know all of the main characters and where they come from. The actors have now been given the time to completely inhabit the roles. With all of this out of the way, now you can have a 2 hour 20 minute Civil War movie that is able to use its time to focus on its own singular plot. It is also able to set up a couple of new characters without feeling forced or rushed. The pacing of the film is so perfectly realized that it works completely as its own individual film, while also organically placing seeds for future Marvel films. It is a perfect balancing act that was made possible by Marvel trusting its brand appeal and having the patience to create good characters and story development so they can have the best pay off possible. 

For example, in BvS when we finally have Batman and Superman fight each other, the reasons for their fight are so convoluted and rushed that there are no dramatic stakes in their clash whatsoever. It is all flash with no substance. We do not know these versions of the characters and it feels like they are fighting only because the flimsy plot says they have to. In Civil War, the fight between Captain America and Iron Man feels completely earned. You know exactly why they are fighting and you love both characters. Because of this, there is a level of thrill and poignancy to their conflict that towers over the competition. I found the final fight between Steve and Tony to be extremely powerful and emotional. I was on the edge of my seat and I did not know how it was all going to end. I was afraid for the character. I wanted things to work out, but I knew that they cannot. At least, not cleanly. The final act of this film is one of the best final acts of any action film I have seen in recent memory. It rivals Skyfall in its intensity and emotional consequences. I know some people criticize the last act of Skyfall, but I found great power in it. Civil War does a similar thing as that film but even better because of its long developed characters. Every moment in the film before it felt important and necessary. It is a wonderful and riveting sequence that I did not want to end.

While I mention that final act, I need to address the "villain" of the film. Daniel Bruhl plays a character, who I will not spoil here, that many see as the "ultimate villain" and have criticized him for being underdeveloped and unnecessary, which I completely disagree with. He is a mystery in this film. He appears sporadically throughout the film with a secret agenda that is unclear in its purpose in the grand scheme of things. Once everything comes to a head and revelations are made, I found his character to be an incredible supplement to the fight that occurs and it plays into the themes of loss and consequence that were being built up to that point. The best thing about him is that he isn't some larger than life villain like Red Skull, Loki, or Ultron. Without spoiling the end, I will say that there is a simplicity to his character that adds a grounded realism and sentimental value that makes the story of the film even better. There is a reason for his schemes and his anger that is believable and essential to the themes of the film. Because of this, Bruhl's character ends up possibly being the one of the best villains of the MCU to date. Side note: if any of you have played the Telltale video game series The Walking Dead, he is very similar to the villain at the end of season 1, except with more development. That is a compliment.

Captain America: Civil War is an incredible piece of pop culture entertainment that is thoughtful and intense while also being extremely fun and entertaining. It is everything a comic book movie should be and more. It ticks every box on the superhero movie checklist with creativity and gusto. I loved The Winter Soldier as a white knuckle political thriller disguised as a superhero movie, but Civil War is all of those things but on a more complex and epic scale. It is able to balance many characters while still able to tell a focused story. It is almost like the Game of Thrones of popcorn movies. It is the perfect blockbuster movie. You will not be disappointed.

Grade: A+.

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Like Superhero movies?? Check out my previous reviews of Deadpool and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice by following the links!

Captain America: Civil War is now playing in theaters everywhere.