“Congratulations Cap, you’re now a criminal.”
Having mastered the balancing act between serious action and serious fun, Marvel has crafted a style of film that allows its brand to be synonymous with pure entertainment. The Captain America franchise (within a franchise) has proven the most complete of any Avenger thus far, and Civil War does nothing but exaggerate its completeness with what should be considered one of Marvel’s most thorough endeavors.
The film, which showcases the clash between two equally patrician clans, led by Captain America and Iron Man, is very much an Avengers movie in both scope and ambition. The absence of Thor and Hulk is briefly addressed, though a void is never fully felt as we are distracted by nearly every other superhero we’ve come to know (and adore) in the highly complex Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Taking full advantage of the talent it has come to culminate, Civil War works hard to play on its continuity. The Winter Solider directors Joe and Anthony Russo return to the franchise, as do screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. Through this they are able to dig deep within the mosaic history of our title character, pulling front the depths of his past as the film begins with a mysterious 1991-set flashback that shows us how James “Bucky” Buchanan became the killing machine we know as the Winter Soldier.
The side story, simple in both nature and presentation, is alluded to throughout the film, though the details are left disturbingly absent until the final moments. This is a mere example that marks Civil War as the most sophisticated and mature entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Taking unique risks, and reaping the unbound rewards, the film refuses to play by any formula, giving viewers the thrilling experience they have longed for.
As the film continues, we witness a horrific catastrophe involving collateral damage in Lagos, prompting the U.S. secretary of state to propose the Sokovia Accords, a doctrine that will place the Avengers under the jurisdiction of the United Nations. Consumed by his own role involving Ultron, Tony Stark/Iron Man supports the proposal. Captain America is having none of it, and another incident in Vienna that pits the Winter Soldier as the culprit does nothing to change that.
The film chronicles the heated battle that brews between friends. Captain America and Iron Man, finding themselves on opposite sides of conflict, place their entire relationship in jeopardy as they both embrace their leadership roles and lead a charge for what they believe to be right.
With the introduction of T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Civil War was set to be the talk of the town regardless of its effectiveness; however, both characters find their time to shine, offering up impressive trailers for their forthcoming stand alone projects.
The film hits its peak during an epic airport battle sequence that sees all of heavy hitters duking it out with their own style of “gimmick”. This is the first time we get to see both the Black Panther and Spider-Man in full on action mode, and neither disappoint as they hold their own against their peers, offering up a fresh slice of excitement (and a bit of comedic relief) for those of us watching on.
The Russo brothers exhibit a growing sense of confidence as they capture the sequence with a varying range of style and presentation. Switching between an intense handheld and a standard, well framed production, they show a strong understanding for their story, its characters and the objective behind each shot.
Evans, who has rarely been the most charismatic member of his own franchise, fails to change that persona with Civil War. That being said, Roger’s willingness to stand up for what he believe in, even when it means going against his own, does add an interesting layer to the character. It isn’t a get-out-of-jail free card per se; however, I credit Evans for his performance, even if he does play backup to Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson…and Paul Rudd…and Tom Holland….
Civil War, like every other MCU entry, offers up a steady (if not constant) run of comedic undertone. The jokes are often times subtle and witty (a reference to The Manchurian Candidate is dropped, embraced, and left for dead in a matter of seconds), and the audience can appreciate the level of intelligence that has gone into the dialogue. It isn’t perfect, but its difficult to discredit a film that is successfully able to find humor in itself, as well as those around it.
The final moments, when we return to the opening and are reminded of the power that vengeance and hatred hold, brings the story full circle by allowing us to better understand our two leaders. And while there is still some resolve that needs to be catered to, for the time being, we can sit back and relax. Captain America: Civil War sets the bar high for forth coming superhero films. If nothing else, proving that DC has a lot of ground to make up.
