Marvel are arguably the most consistent movie studio working today. Constantly delivering great characters, often hilarious writing, and spectacular action, their movies have taken audiences on a couple of thrill rides a year since 2008. As the cast of the MCU (the Marvel Cinematic Universe) continued to grow, we soon saw the formation of the Avengers, who have now had 2 movies together. DC Comics, on the other hand, have only just begun and put Batman up against Superman. The only reasonable response? Put Captain America up against Iron Man, of course! Now, a month after Dawn of Justice, the MCU has erupted into Civil War. Is it better than Batman v Superman? Civil War is not only better than that movie, but it is one of the best superhero movies ever made and the best movie of this year so far.
One of the main reasons that Civil War works so well is because, as I just mentioned, Marvel have been building up the relationships and character dynamics in their movies for 8 years, since the release of the original Iron Man. We have seen Captain America and Iron Man clash over their ideologies and thoughts on how the Avengers should be run before. It makes sense in this universe for the government to be so distrustful of the team because of the number of international incidents that have taken place since Iron Man, and this is a point that is raised in the movie. With the groundwork already placed, the central conflict of Civil War is already far more believable than that of Batman v Superman. Not only that, but directors Joe and Anthony Russo have succeeded in making it very difficult for audiences to actually choose a side to root for. Rather than simply portraying Iron Man as the villain of the piece, the motivations of Stark to support the main government act to regulate the Avengers is backed up by a very powerful scene beforehand and the evidence of how much chaos the team has been involved in. Cap's side is equally developed, however, with his patriotism and talk of freedom throughout being strong enough to give Mel Gibson a run for his money.
The acting in the movie is on point, which is to be expected from Marvel at this point. It is impossible to imagine anyone other than Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. playing Captain America and Iron Man at this point. Evans is an excellent Steve Rogers and he gets plenty of chance to show his emotional range throughout the movie, empahasising how far his character has come from being the little guy who was beaten up in seemingly every Brooklyn alley. Downey Jr. has provided the MCU with much of its humour in his own solo outings and the team-up films. However, he gets to give a much more dramatic performance in this movie, with the character clearly feeling a great deal of guilt over the deaths the Avengers were involved in and his creation of one of their villains, Ultron. His performance as Tony Stark gives the audience a reason to support his cause rather than simply siding with Captain America because his name is in the title.
The supporting cast also get plenty of time to shine, particularly Bucky (played once again by Sebastian Stan) and new players Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany). The latter characters get to see their relationship develop over the course of the action (a sure pleaser for any comic book fans), with the two helping each other through their different problems, with Vision struggling with his humanity while Scarlet Witch continues to grow far more powerful and unstable. Bucky, on the other hand, goes on a rough journey over the course of the movie. His relationship with Cap is very much one of the focus points of the movie, with the the character's past as the Winter Soldier clearly haunting him throughout the movie. Stan does a great job of One more character I have to mention, although he doesn't get a lot of screen time, is Ant-Man. Paul Rudd has a great comedic presence in the movie and brings one of the movie's (many) jaw-dropping moments.
However, there are plenty of new characters as well, who are just as well written as the returning players. Daniel Brühl plays the true villain of the piece, Zemo (no comic book fans, he does not don the iconic purple mask and suit). While I cannot talk a great deal about him without jumping into spoiler territory, what I can say is that he is certainly one of Marvel's best developed villains and his motivations make sense, even if it does take a while for his endgame to be revealed. A character I can talk about is Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther. The true standout of the movie for me, this character is given an emotional backstory which makes him relevant to the story but also a distinct personality that sets him apart from his co-stars. An example of his no-nonsense nature comes during one of the action sequences where he swiftly shuts down a conversation in order to get back to business. I can't wake to see more of the Panther when his solo movie rolls around in February 2018. Now, let's talk about the big one, the show stopper, the announcement that caused fans around the world to rejoice: Spider-Man. Yes, the web slinger is back where he belongs at Marvel (after a deal was reached which would see Marvel and Sony sharing the rights to the character) and he is definitely the best iteration of the character ever to grace the big screen. Tom Holland is a perfect Peter Parker and Spider-Man, successfully conveying the different characters of both of Peter's personas: the nerdy teenager and the joking, confident Spidey. Something that is also done very well is the relationship the character has with Tony Stark. Both Downey Jr. and Holland are excellent during their scenes together, and it'll be interesting to tee how the relationship develops in next year's "Spider-Man: Homecoming."
However, there are plenty of new characters as well, who are just as well written as the returning players. Daniel Brühl plays the true villain of the piece, Zemo (no comic book fans, he does not don the iconic purple mask and suit). While I cannot talk a great deal about him without jumping into spoiler territory, what I can say is that he is certainly one of Marvel's best developed villains and his motivations make sense, even if it does take a while for his endgame to be revealed. A character I can talk about is Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther. The true standout of the movie for me, this character is given an emotional backstory which makes him relevant to the story but also a distinct personality that sets him apart from his co-stars. An example of his no-nonsense nature comes during one of the action sequences where he swiftly shuts down a conversation in order to get back to business. I can't wake to see more of the Panther when his solo movie rolls around in February 2018. Now, let's talk about the big one, the show stopper, the announcement that caused fans around the world to rejoice: Spider-Man. Yes, the web slinger is back where he belongs at Marvel (after a deal was reached which would see Marvel and Sony sharing the rights to the character) and he is definitely the best iteration of the character ever to grace the big screen. Tom Holland is a perfect Peter Parker and Spider-Man, successfully conveying the different characters of both of Peter's personas: the nerdy teenager and the joking, confident Spidey. Something that is also done very well is the relationship the character has with Tony Stark. Both Downey Jr. and Holland are excellent during their scenes together, and it'll be interesting to tee how the relationship develops in next year's "Spider-Man: Homecoming."
One aspect of the movie that has been heavily advertised is the action sequences, and for good reason. In this outing, the heroes aren't just fighting mindless drones, like the Chitauri in The Avengers; they're at war with each other. There are plenty of great scenes in the movie, such as the tunnel chase between Captain America, Bucky and Black Panther, or the climatic action sequence. However, none of these compare to the airport scene that is featured in every trailer and TV spot. Some early reviews praised this section of the movie as one of the best action sequences in the history of the superhero genre, and you might have thought that maybe some were exaggerating due to excitement. After actually seeing this 15 minute scene myself, I can say without a doubt that this is not only the best action beat of any superhero movie, but one of the best set pieces of all time. The choreography of every separate fight is brilliant, and every character is given a chance to shine, and the effects work is absolutely spectacular. Even Spider-Man's new costume, which some were skeptical about after it began making the rounds in the trailers, looks incredible when it is actually in action, and never brakes the immersion of the audience. Whether you go to superhero movies as a fan of the source material, for the action, or just because you liked the other movies, this sequence is sure to impress.
It's not just in the airport sequence that the technical work of the movie is on point, however. Throughout the movie, the cinematography of the movie is excellent, with the pacing and speed of the shots never being so fast that the audience cannot understand what is happening, as is the problem with some modern action scenes. The set and costume designs for the movie should also be commended, with everything the production team have created matching the tone of the rest of the MCU. Overall, I can think of very few problems with Civil War. If anything, the movie does feel long, with the conflict of the movie taking a long time to be properly set up. Many scenes in the movie do feel quite lengthy. Don't get me wrong, the movie does feel like like it has had the majority of it's fat trimmed in editing but, nonetheless, some of these scenes could probably have been cut down.
It's not just in the airport sequence that the technical work of the movie is on point, however. Throughout the movie, the cinematography of the movie is excellent, with the pacing and speed of the shots never being so fast that the audience cannot understand what is happening, as is the problem with some modern action scenes. The set and costume designs for the movie should also be commended, with everything the production team have created matching the tone of the rest of the MCU. Overall, I can think of very few problems with Civil War. If anything, the movie does feel long, with the conflict of the movie taking a long time to be properly set up. Many scenes in the movie do feel quite lengthy. Don't get me wrong, the movie does feel like like it has had the majority of it's fat trimmed in editing but, nonetheless, some of these scenes could probably have been cut down.
The length of a movie does not ruin it, however. The fact remains that, although Captain America: Civil War may feel slightly long at some points, it never has a dull moment and never fails to disappoint. Flipping the Marvel Universe on it's head, and full of spectacular performances and action, this movie is one of the best entries in the MCU and is one of the best superhero movies ever made. Marvel have set the standards for how a conflict should be built up across a long period of time. By building their character dynamics over 8 years, the audience is guaranteed to feel an emotional connection to the conflict, watching the heroes tear themselves apart and be forced into a fight neither of them want to be in. All film and TV writers, take notes.
Pros
- The conflict feels earned
- Great character moments
- Phenomenal action sequences
- Black Panther and Spider-Man
- Brilliant visuals
- Cinematography
Cons
- Maybe a tad long
Rating: 10/10
Release Date: 29th April, 2016
Starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, Paul Rudd, Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Chadwick Boseman, Tom Holland, Emily VanCamp, William Hurt, and Daniel Brühl.
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