"Some people would call you a hero, there are those that prefer the term vigilante"
After a battle in Nigeria that ends in near-disaster, the Avengers are brought in by the U.N. to discuss the Sokovia Accords, which are being ratified to have the Avengers and their actions be controlled by the government. Some Avengers, including Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) believe they should sign the accords and be "put in check". Meanwhile, others, including Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), don't think they should be controlled by the government for any situation. The controversial law causes the Avengers to split up and take sides, and with Cap trying to keep his friend Bucky/The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) out of trouble, its going to take a lot of perhaps, fighting, to clear up this whole situation.
Acting as a sequel to both Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Civil War does a top-notch job balancing between both continuing storylines, and meshing them together seamlessly. Now, having a lot of characters does mean some get less screentime than others (but more on that later), but for the most part, they don't feel shoehorned or forced into the story. The screenwriters also provide a bit of depth and meaning in some very appreciative slow moments, giving us a chance to breathe in between the action scenes.
Speaking of the action scenes, I can't believe that Marvel is still raising the bar from Phase 2. Because nearly every action scene here is absolutely phenomenal and thrilling. Stunt work, close calls and chases are executed absolutely brilliantly. And, the best part is that the CGI effects, while still great, are more sidelined and restrained this time around. Instead, we see more up-close real action with the punches, kicks, explosions, and the like.
The cast is once again, very game. Evans plays to his usual strength as Cap, while Downey shows a bit more of an emotionally-unstable side in perhaps his most engaging turn as Iron Man to date. Scarlett Johannson once again is great as Black Widow, though she disappears 3/4 of the way through. I enjoyed the few scenes we got of Elisabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch) and the Vision (Paul Bettany), as they have decent chemistry. I wished we could have gotten a little bit more of their interactions. Stan, Anthony Mackie and Emily VanCamp return from The Winter Soldier with each giving solid performances.
The new characters here are even given enough to shine. Chadwick Boseman joins the MCU as Black Panther, and he's terrific. He's a different type of superhero with a bit of a Lion King-like backstory. I am excited to see where he goes from here. Paul Rudd is brought in to reprise as Ant-Man, and does a great job with some very humorous lines. The MCU also introduced its variation of Spider-Man after the rights were transferred/shared from Sony, and Tom Holland is proving to be a very good choice. He's humorous, nerdy, and interesting all at once. It is a little early to try and compare him to Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, but we will know more once Spider-Man: Homecoming comes swinging into theaters next year.
As the true villain, Daniel Bruhl works very well. I liked especially how towards the end when the screenwriters dive in a little to why he's doing what he's doing. It actually makes him a bit more relatable and interesting than a lot of the other Marvel villains to date. The cinematography is a little shaky and jarring at times but it services the action scenes very well. Henry Jackman's music score amps things up from The Winter Soldier very well, with some stirring pieces during the action. Nice cameo at the end by Stan Lee.
On the downside, the only character here that seems just a tad underserved, in my opinion, is Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), who enters the picture a little late (for reasons viewers will understand when watching, and the same could be said for Ant-Man as well). Also, this is the first major Avengers pic without Nick Fury, and I'm kinda wondering now where he went. Finally, the only major problem I had with the film was that, like Ant-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy, Civil War amps up the profanity count a little too much. Whether or not this matters, but this film contains the most s-words used to date in a Marvel film. It might make some parents uncomfortable, and lessens the enjoyability of the overall film.
Those who have seen this and Batman v. Superman may find a few (absolutely unintentional) parallels and similarities here and there in the plots, which is interesting. This is the year where superheroes are battling each other, and its certainly an intriguing idea. We have seen the Avengers get in disagreement ever since the first Avengers film, but certainly not nearly as violently as this.
Thus, Civil War manages to do something quite remarkable. Despite a lot of characters, it doesn't quite feel overstuffed. There is still quite a bit to keep track of, but the Russo Brothers really give almost each character a time to shine, and for almost everyone, doesn't make anyone feel left out really. And, at the same time, the Russos keep the overall level of CGI surprisingly restrained and not over-the-top like in typical superhero and summer blockbusters. It also hardly ever drags through its near 2 and a half hour running time.
And, also, the movie manages to have some surprising depth as well. Continuing the very political undertones seen in the Winter Soldier, Civil War sets up a divide in opinion over a law that causes much controversy. Doesn't that ring bells of many situations this year considering the controversial election 2016 is sure to have? And, the screenwriters actually give time to explain the characters' motivations, some of which can be a little sad to witness.
Bringing it all together, the superb action, the thought-provoking themes, strong acting, and great setpieces for what is to come in the MCU, it's what makes Civil War even more engaging and interesting than just about anything else Marvel has brought to the big screen so far. Had it not have been for an unfortunate smattering of language, then this might would have topped Spider-Man 2 as the best superhero movie ever made.
Now for those who haven't seen any Marvel films through this point, I would absolutely recommend watching anything from at least The Avengers forward before watching this, as its becoming more difficult now for new viewers to jump on board and understand all of it. But, by all means, bring on the rest of Phase 3!
Score: 8.8/10
Content Problems Families Should Be Aware Of:
Language: Cap is almost curse word-free once again, but that doesn't mean the rest of the Avengers are so squeaky-clean. The language here is more excessive and a little harsher than what's heard in previous Avengers movies (think of Ant-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy for the proper comparison). The s-word is used three times clearly and whispered twice (quietly to the point where it may be missed by some). "G--d---" is blurted out twice, and there is one hard-to-distinguish use of "J---s". Also heard: "H---" (nine times), "a--" (seven times), "son of a b----" (twice), "d---" (twice), "p---ed" (once), "My g--/Oh my g--" (eight times).
Violence: Less CGI, but more visceral and a little more meaner than usual. An opening action scene shows Cap punched by a mechanical arm, a truck flipping over and a villain committing suicide (He's thrown in the air before he explodes himself, causing some destruction on the top floor of a building). Someone bombs a meeting, resulting in a handful of deaths. Soldiers and agents are smashed into walls, cars, knocked over, hit by shields, etc. People jump and fall from ominous heights. Camera-jarring martial arts-style knockouts. Two people are shot in the neck (no blood shown). Two characters fight in traffic, and Black Panther hurls his claws at many opponents. Guns are shot many times. One fight scene results in a handful of explosions and one character shot down and gravely injured. Arrows are shot. Spider-Man webs a handful of people. We witness a gruesome flashback to a couple of minor characters' deaths (with a little blood included). Cars crash here and there. Airplane wings are ripped off. Flashbacks to destruction in the first two Avengers movies and Captain America: The Winter Soldier are briefly glimpsed. Heroes duke it out to almost kill each other, and in the final battle scene, it results in a few bloody gashes on faces (and a torn-off metal arm). We briefly witness the Winter Soldier going through a painful brainwashing. Other characters get injuries. A few are shot with a laser. Someone is nearly done in by two helicopter blades. One person is forcibly drowned upside-down. Another is found dead in a bathtub (we see a hand sticking out, and then a brief picture on the news). Someone else nearly attempts suicide.
Adult Content: Black Widow and Scarlet Witch wear occasional low-cut and tight-fitting outfits. Steve and Agent 13 share a brief kiss.
Drugs/Alcohol: Some alcohol is spotted in a few scenes (and there is one scene taking place in a bar), but none is consumed. No drunken behavior or drug use.
Other: T'Challa briefly mentions his tribal beliefs, which includes a description of an afterlife. Even if its for noble purposes, Avengers break multiple laws, and flee from the government.
