Rating of
4/4
It All Lead to This
Unknown - wrote on 06/05/16
‘Captain America: Civil War’ is a huge step up for the entire MCU franchise. It satisfies beyond belief by (simultaneously) being the best possible continuation to the stories present in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ and the two ‘Avengers’ films. The global consequences of those films are taken into account with the governments of the world stepping in to police the actions of The Avengers. All but two of the characters seen in every Marvel film (thus far) make an appearance. That’s a LOT of superheroes. Each are given clear emotional reasoning as to which side of the issue they fall on. This makes the inner conflict between the heroes reach new dramatic depths. The main issue is also entangled in Captain’s conflicting relationships with his lifelong friend-turned weaponized pawn Bucky, and self-destructive fighting companion Iron Man. The dramatic tension between the three is the driving force of the entire film. A new hero, Black Panther, is also a part of this personal struggle due to his vendetta against Bucky. His entire character arc is seamlessly integrated into the narrative. There does exist a villain, of sorts. He devizes an intricate plan born out of personal loss to further dismantle the unification of Steve and Tony. Looking back, his presence wasn’t absolutely necessary to the narrative, but his means of vengeance works entirely to the strength of the film’s main point of existence. I love the fact that his plotting is only meant to add fuel to the fire started by the heroes themselves - which he is invested in for the same reasons. It’s great to see something more meaningful than just another evil guy who wants to cause mass destruction for cliched causes. The fruition of his extensive planning comes in the form of a devastating revelation that further tears apart the super-team. It actually hurt to see these characters I’ve grown to love be out for each other’s blood. The earth isn’t in trouble, but the stakes have never been higher. For once there is actual dire consequences to the fighting in these movies. The lack of a complete resolution reinforces that motive. All of this already makes for a great compelling film, regardless of super-heroics, but the spectacle is also delivered in full force. Each action scene is aesthetically different and stands apart from the rest. There’s a heavy use of practicality to the close quarters combat that was carried over from ‘Winter Soldier’ - obviously due to the same directors returning. Some are more gritty and grounded, while others are more bombastic fanfare. It’s all magnificent to witness! The centerpiece fight involving all of the heroes is the single most reactionary crowd-pleasing action set-piece I’ve seen in any super-hero film! This is where Spider-Man and Ant-Man get their time to shine bright. Yes, a new Spider-Man is also introduced within the middle of the film and it does not feel out of place. Despite having such a massive amount of story and character development present, the film never breaks under the weight. Everything has a reason and a purpose for being in play and everyone gets rewarding screen-time. An impeccable balance of seriously dramatic storytelling and rollicking humorous fun insured my investment and enjoyment were at an all-time high. I loved everything about this movie! ‘Captain America: Civil War’ is far and above the single best film of the entire MCU, thus far! And it’s most definitely one of the best superhero films ever made.
