REVIEW: Captain America: Civil War

Courtesy of Marvel

It seems like I have to reassess my favorite Marvel movies every time the studio releases a new chapter in its astonishing cinematic universe. That’s one of the best parts of Marvel’s ridiculous, years-long hot streak: seeing how in the world the company can top itself. But I’m wondering if it all ends here.

My brain literally can’t fathom how the creative team can do better than the jaw-dropping filmmaking on display in Captain America: Civil War. It’s Marvel’s greatest film to date and – although I need to see how it holds up on repeat viewings – quite possibly the best superhero film ever made.

The sheer number of characters and subplots involved should’ve made the narrative feel bloated and incomprehensible. Instead, it’s a staggering display of blockbuster filmmaking so vibrant and emotionally engaging that, when the end credits rolled 146 minutes later, I was shocked that time had passed so quickly. There’s not an ounce of fat on the thing and every character has an important role to play in the story.

The opening sequences of Civil War quickly establish the overarching plot, which isn’t hard to follow despite its moral complexity. After a battle between terrorists and the new Avengers team – comprised of Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) – results in a devastating accident that kills dozens of innocent people, the world’s governments decide to rein in the power of those with superhuman abilities.

Some heroes, like Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), War Machine (Don Cheadle), Vision and Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), immediately agree. Others, including Cap, Black Widow, Falcon and Scarlet Witch are understandably hesitant considering their recent experience with governmental authority. The uneasy alliance shatters completely when the mysterious Baron Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) utilizes the Winter Solider (Sebastian Stan) to launch a personal vendetta against them.

Because Cap still sees his old friend Bucky somewhere inside the brainwashed assassin, he can’t just stand aside and let him be killed. That means a lot of people who used to be friends now have to fight each other. And heroes standing on the sidelines, like Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and Spider-Man (Tom Holland, perfectly cast), are forced to choose sides.

At this point, the creative team behind the Captain America franchise – directors Anthony and Joe Russo, and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely – have a clear understanding of what makes the iconic character so admirable, as well as the sentimental weak spots a villain could manipulate if he wanted to do some damage. That’s why Civil War is so thrilling.

Just like in real life, no one is all good or all bad. The story lays out a scenario in which you totally understand why Cap should break away from his former allies. However, you also totally understand why Iron Man and the world’s governments believe superheroes should be kept in check. And, if things weren’t morally complex enough, you also eventually understand why Zemo is so determined to enact his plan.

This narrative complexity, the actors’ incredible performances (seriously, there’s not a weak link in the cast) and viewers’ lengthy relationships with most of these characters allows the film to go to some genuinely dark places while still maintaining the audience’s trust and respect for everyone involved. You can see all sides, get why they have to fight and still want them to stop and be friends again.

And boy do they fight. The action sequences in Civil War – particularly when experienced in IMAX 3D – are some of the most thrilling I’ve ever seen in a superhero movie. The choreography is mind-boggling, plus every punch and kick packs an added wallop because of the emotional weight. This probably makes the film sound like a dreary slog, but the movie deftly juggles painful emotional stakes and tension-breaking humor.

Nowhere is this more evident than the climactic airport battle between the two sides – it’s a masterpiece of action filmmaking. Every single choice makes sense, from the way each character is perfectly matched with the right opponent, to the way everyone has side conversations and cracks jokes during battle.

And in the middle of all this craziness, another miracle – Civil War finally gets Spider-Man exactly right. Holland plays him as a high school kid who’s fully in control of his abilities but also not above getting star-struck when he meets his idols, even if they’re fighting on the other side. Not gonna lie, one exchange between Spidey and Cap is so endearing and funny that I teared up a little. The movie absolutely nails the way I pictured these characters in my head when I was a kid.

I know how ridiculous all this gushing sounds, especially using words like “miracle” to describe a bunch of superheroes punching each other. But look how far Marvel has come since 2008’s Iron Man launched this gigantic ongoing narrative. The worlds these characters inhabit have grown increasingly more intricate and fantastical, linking together while simultaneously launching individual mini-franchises.

Even more astonishing, aside from a couple of speed bumps, Marvel makes it seem effortless. It’s not. Look how badly DC fumbled Batman v Superman, a movie that should’ve been the easiest slam-dunk in the history of big budget blockbusters. That flick covered surprisingly similar ground as Civil War, but in all the wrong ways.

This kind of storytelling takes a ton of hard work and planning, which Marvel has proved shockingly adept at. I can’t wait to see if the Russos, Markus and McFeely stick the landing with Avengers: Infinity War, the massive, two-part finale to this whole endeavor, hitting theaters in 2018 and 2019.

Captain America: Civil War is rated PG-13 for extended sequences of violence, action and mayhem.

Grade: A