Though the title says this is the third Captain America movie, this is more along the lines of Avengers 3, with a little Iron Man 4 thrown in for good measure. That's not the only thing thrown in of course, as this latest offering in the Marvel Cinematic Universe boasts the largest cast as well as the longest running time to date. The movie's chief selling point, that of a superhero smackdown, is nothing new for comic book stories. Hell, this is the second movie in 2016 driven by this concept (following Batman v Superman). But Civil War is thankfully a much more compelling, not to mention more entertaining, version of this premise than Zach Snyder's unholy mess. The reasons behind why Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) come to blows are clear and well-developed, and while the movie suffers from a few supporting players and subplots too many, that's a small price to pay. After last summer's mediocre Avengers: Age of Ultron, Marvel has latched this series back on the tracks.
Civil War gives political weight to superhero action by finally addressing the concept of collateral damage. The Avengers have saved the world numerous times, but what about innocent people who perish during all the fighting? That happens once again during the opening action sequence in Lagos, where Cap, Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) thwart a bombing but leave many civillians dead in the process. Fed up with the Avengers' recklessness, 117 countries band together to create an accord by which the superhero squad will be regulated by the United Nations. It's here that political tension simmers between Iron Man, who is all for regulation, and Cap, who distrusts government interference. Meanwhile, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), a Manchurian Candidate of sorts for Hydra, is on the loose once again with Cap desperately wanting to prove his longtime friend's innocence. And a nefarious foe named Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) lurks behind the scenes with a vengeful endgame of his own.
Obviously, matters escalate into physical conflict between our 12 (yes, 12) heroes. And that much-talked about battle royale at an airport you've seen in the trailers delivers the goods. In the blue corner is Captain America, Falcon, Scarlet Witch, Barnes, the newly-unretired Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and Ant-Man (Paul Rudd). Opposing them on the red side is Iron Man, Black Widow, War Machine (Don Cheadle), Vision (Paul Bettany), and newcomers Spiderman (Tom Holland) and Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman). Directors Anthony and Joe Russo expertly cut between the various skirmishes with a fluidity that always reminds us where each hero stands (or punches, kicks, flies, etc). in relation to the others. Everyone receives multiple opportunities to shine, and the Russos keep the tone relatively light throughout this sequence and others. Even with serious issues at stake, the goal is to entertain viewers, not pummel them with relentless darkness.
When the movie sticks to its primary relationships, that of Cap/Barnes and the conflict between Cap/Iron Man, Civil War rivets viewers. The movie contains a multitude of fascinating points and counterpoints around the issue of superhero regulation. It's not as poignant as what we've seen in the X-Men films, but it nonetheless engages the mind and provides substance to go along with the action. It's also refreshing to see that in this universe, killings in an African country (as opposed to a predominately white one) are what finally prompt huge-scale reform. I certainly can't imagine that in today's world. Finally, though the airport sequence is the movie's big "money" action sequence, it's not the best. That honor goes to the two-on-one fracas between Captain America/Barnes and Iron Man. It's smaller in scale but contains much greater emotional weight. The earlier battle royale, as fun as it is for everyone from the casual fan to the die-hard, is little more than an exhibition.
Some of Civil War's supporting characters shine brightly while others miss the mark. The biggest mistake is arguably Spiderman, who is shoehorned into a story he doesn't belong in (much like Wonder Woman in BvS). Introduced in a quick, albeit funny five minute conversation between him, Iron Man, and Aunt May (Marisa Tomei, glammed up to such a degree that the script pokes fun at her for it), the character has little to do besides this scene and the airport battle. Fans will be happy to see him depicted as a realistically high-school aged kid for once, but his presence in the movie still feels rushed. This is especially odd for Marvel, which has exercised meticulous patience in developing each of their main heroes for the screen. As for Scarlet Witch and Vision, two of Age of Ultron's head-scratchers, they're okay but equally unnecessary, and I'm still not sure I understand the latter character's limitations. Is he essentially a mortal version of Superman?
Counter-balancing those missteps is Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther, an outstanding addition to the ensemble. His character, a warrior from the fictional country of Wakanda, is given a clear background and motivation (an attack by Barnes killed his father), and that's precisely where he needs to be for this team-up before his solo outing lets us spend more time with him. Acting-wise, every major player is in top form, especially Chris Evans, whose Steve Rogers represents all-around heroism and virtue while never becoming boring. And Downey Jr. shows no signs of tiring of playing Iron Man here, as his quips and acerbic wit are back at lively levels.
For serious movie buffs, the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies may never escape the criticism that they're more like blown-up, extra-long TV episodes than cinema. For me, that's okay as long as the result engages and entertains. Taking this wide variety of heroes and developing their movies in a plain-looking, homogenized way is simply the studio's strategy, like it or not. I've made peace with it. In this case, despite the movie feeling overcrowded at times, it also works on a more personal, intellectual, and emotional level. As team-up movies go, Civil War doesn't reach the sheer exhilaration of the first Avengers, but it's a distinct improvement over Age of Ultron and miles ahead of Batman v Superman. In a year stuffed with comic book movies, it earns its place and justifies taking a trip to theaters to see.
Rating: *** (out of ****)
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