Captain America : Civil War

CAPTAIN AMERICA : CIVIL WAR

Directors : Anthony and Joe Russo

Year : 2016

Genre : Superhero

Rating : *****

Ever since the Avengers triumphantly assembled back in 2012, the ever present Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has gone on from strength to strength, proving that superhero movies can be huge critical successes as well as commercial ones - breaking box office records worldwide, thrilling audiences both young and old and even making appearances at the most high-brow of award ceremonies.

Now with 'Captain America : Civil War', the sequel to both the terrific 'Captain America : The Winter Soldier' (2014) and the underappreciated blockbuster smash 'Avengers : Age Of Ultron' (2015), Marvel Studios have surpassed all expectations and produced their greatest achievement to date - a deliriously entertaining and emotionally rich spectacular that pits some of the greatest and most beloved heroes in comic book history against their biggest foes yet, each other.

As was the case with 'Captain America : The Winter Soldier', the film is directed with great care and attention by the Russo Brothers and once again, they prove to be two of the most interesting and inventive directors currently working in the MCU - creating breathtaking action scenes and jaw-dropping spectacle without allowing the visual aesthetic to supercede the more important elements of story or character.

Following on from the Earth-raising events of 'Avengers : Age Of Ultron', 'Captain America : Civil War' sees the controversial group of heroes at odds with each other when they are presented with the Sokavia accord, a hefty document signed by 117 countries that states, in the wake of their many destructive missions, that the "enhanced agents" are to be answerable to the United Nations. Robert Downey Jr's. Tony Stark/Iron Man, haunted by his little Ultron calamity, gladly agrees to the terms of the demand. However, when Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) refuses to sign on the dotted line upon opining that the Avengers should be allowed to continue their humanitarian work without interference from outside parties, former friends and new faces slowly turn on each other as political, ethical and personal differences rise to the surface.

Things become even more problematic for the already fractured group when Stark is reluctantly charged with bringing in Rogers who has gone rogue in an attempt to rescue his old friend Bucky (Sebastian Stan), the now dangerous and deadly Winter Soldier. Soon, the many heroes of the MCU are bought together in violent confrontation with some taking the side of the noble Captain while others pledge allegiance to the wise yet damaged Iron Man.

With no less than 12 heroes making up the cast list, 'Captain America : Civil War' features the biggest collection of comic book characters ever to star in a movie and it would have been incredibly easy for returning 'Captain America' screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely to tread the same path taken by Zack Snyder's cripplingly disappointing 'Batman vs. Superman : Dawn Of Justice' and throw a bunch of fight scenes together without any discerning narrative or development. But instead, the famed writing duo take time to give the many characters on screen layered personalities and well defined moral standpoints meaning that when they do all eventually come to blows, it is not just mindless action unfolding before our eyes. It is action with a deep sense of purpose and ethical heft.

We understand why each and every character in the film feels the way they do and it is once again credit to Markus and McFeely that the ideological war between Tony Stark and Captain America is clearly laid out and explored so that we can come to our own decisions about who is in the right and who in the wrong in the situation - making for a much more emotive and interactive viewing experience. The much trailed #TeamCap/#TeamStark advertising campaign is very much a Twitter friendly gimmick rather than a fair way of representing the battle that takes place in this film. Yes, there are plenty of beautifully choreographed action scenes but much like 'Captain America : The Winter Soldier', 'Captain America : Civil War' brings its diverse characters down a realistic level, giving them understandable motivations, making them far more believable and therefore relatable than many of their superhero counterparts. I found myself at various times switching between which side I wanted to see stand victorious and that is due to the combination of great writing and unanimously great performances. 

With a cast so big and with so many larger than life personalities on screen, sometimes all at once, it would be almost inevitable that some of the more minor characters would become lost in the gigantic plot. However, the convoluted yet manageable story deftly juggles the various plotlines and character threads without losing focus or narrative urgency. Returning faces such as Scarlett Johanssen's lethal Black Widow, Elizabeth Olsen's tormented Scarlet Witch and Paul Bettany's Vision are given plenty of time during the admittedly overstretched duration of the film to expand on their characterisations already highlighted in previous MCU entries while the newer faces are provided with more than enough development to make them investable while also providing suitable platforms for future solo movies. '42's Chadwick Boseman lends a great deal of ferocity and revenge-driven anger to his role as the elusive Black Panther while Tom Holland's brief but crowd-pleasing appearance as the geeky yet lovable Spider-Man stands as the best and most entertaining portrayal of the webhead since Sam Raimi's 'Spider-Man 2' (2004). Even Paul Rudd's quick-witted Ant-Man gets a look in on the chaotic proceedings, given what may just be the most memorable scene in the entire film.

But of course, amongst the many fight scenes and one liners, the focus remains on the personal and physical battle between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers and when the two eventually clash, the effect is all at once thrilling, exciting, entertaining and emotional. Robert Downey Jr. is as always terrific as the increasingly world-weary Iron Man while Chris Evans proves yet again to be a most forthright and personable Captain America. Together the two work brilliantly, with their differing personalities and warring ideologies providing 'Captain America : Civil War' with a great deal of heart and intellect as well as the usual spectacle and exhilarating energy synonymous with the MCU.

Following hot on the heels of DC's aforementioned 'Batman v Superman : Dawn Of Justice', Marvel Studios once again reminds us that superhero movies can be thoroughly enjoyable while also containing a surprising amount of insight and depth. Why have Batman vs. Superman when you can have Spiderman vs. Ant Man, Vision vs. Falcon, Black Widow vs. Scarlet Witch and, of course, Captain America vs. Iron Man for ten times the entertainment value? All in all, 'Captain America : Civil War' is about as perfect as a superhero film can be. It is an endlessly fun romp filled to the brim with plenty of incredible action, heart-racing thrills and spirit-lifting laughs without succumbing to the usual narrative pitfalls of the modern blockbuster. Many have criticised the constant wave of superhero franchise fare that has for the best part of a decade all but suffocated the popular multiplex and yes, even I have confessed to tiring of the endless conveyor belt that is the Marvel and DC juggernaut. However, if the films they release are going to be as thoroughly fantastic as 'Captain America : Civil War', then I'm sure I can endure a few more yet.