In Captain America: Civil War, the Avengers split after a deadly incident in Nigeria. The United Nations proposes the Sokovia Accords, which would place the team under strict supervision by a panel of select countries. Captain America is against such oversight, having been used by the Army and betrayed by S.H.I.E.L.D. His closest pal Falcon is fiercely loyal to his brother in arms. Iron Man is all for it, since his hubris nearly destroyed the world after he accidentally created Ultron. His best bud War Machine is also bound to serve his country, which is spearheading the charge to control the Avengers. The other supporters have their own motivations, but some are murkier than others, particularly the Winter Soldier and Black Widow. And the newest recruits (Ant-Man and Spider-Man) have the most fun, but the least personal investment. Still, the battle royale at a German airport is the highlight of the film, and the best action setpiece of any Marvel movie. With so many characters to keep track of, here’s a breakdown of where the major characters stand.
About Kip Mooney
Like many film critics born during and after the 1980s, my hero is Roger Ebert. The man was already the best critic in the nation when he won the Pulitzer in 1975, but his indomitable spirit during and after his recent battle with cancer keeps me coming back to read not only his reviews but his insightful commentary on the everyday. But enough about a guy you know a lot about.
I knew I was going to be a film critic—some would say a snob—in middle school, when I had to voraciously defend my position that The Royal Tenenbaums was only a million times better than Adam Sandler’s remake of Mr. Deeds. From then on, I would seek out Wes Anderson’s films and avoid Sandler’s like the plague.
Still, I like to think of myself as a populist, and I’ll be just as likely to see the next superhero movie as the next Sundance sensation. The thing I most deplore in a movie is laziness. I’d much rather see movies with big ambitions try and fail than movies with no ambitions succeed at simply existing. I’m also a big advocate of fun-bad movies like The Room and most of Nicolas Cage’s work.
In the past, I’ve written for The Dallas Morning News and the North Texas Daily, which I edited for a semester. I also contributed to Dallas-based Pegasus News, which in the circle of life, is now part of The Dallas Morning News, where I got my big break in 2007. Eventually, I’d love to write and talk about film full-time, but until that’s a viable career option, I work as an auditor for Wells Fargo.
I hope to one day meet my hero, go to the Toronto International Film Festival, and compete on Jeopardy. Until then, I’m excited to share my love of film with you.
