This is, as it should be, very much Cap's movie and Evans' Steve Rogers once again proves he's the heart and soul of the MCU. He's a good man who has to make tough calls, who's essentially alone in the world despite the company of his superhero pals. His battle of ideologies with Tony is compelling, but it never quite evolves past the same argument being repeated throughout and both sides doing something to show why the other might be right.
Downey turns in an uncharacteristically morose turn as Tony, even moodier than he was in Age of Ultron and in parts of Iron Man 3. He certainly has his good reasons for being down, although it does sap the movie of some of the charm and fun Iron Man has long been relied on to deliver. His differing ideology from Cap’s is the crux of Civil War’s philosophical and literal battle, but, like 2016's Other Superhero v Superhero Movie, this heady and repetitive debate also grinds down the pacing at times.
Between Civil War and Batman v Superman, hopefully both filmmakers and audiences have fulfilled their need to address the issue of collateral damage and can once again embrace what superhero movies do best, namely pure escapism. That’s not at all to say superhero movies can’t or shouldn't address heroes' moral culpability or echo real world concerns, but continually lecturing to and piling the guilt onto the protagonists [and, by extension, the viewer] for superheroes doing what superheroes do is growing rather tedious and, frankly, taking the fun out of the genre.
As much as Cap and Tony's relationship is put to the test here, it's ultimately Cap's bromantic devotion to Bucky that trumps all else. Sebastian Stan once again finds the humanity in his cold warrior killer, and even gets a rival to Cap's affection in Anthony Mackie's Falcon. Their relationship is played mostly for comic relief to help offset the overwhelmingly tense and even gloomy tone of the movie. Know who else brings the chuckles to Civil War? Your friendly neighborhood and highly anticipated new addition to the MCU.
Hands down, Spider-Man is the best thing in this movie. He not only steals Cap’s shield, he pretty much steals his movie, too. Now for what you don't want to hear: Spidey is also completely expendable to this story. He could be cut out of it without making any difference to the narrative whatsoever. Nevertheless, actor Tom Holland captures what makes Peter Parker such a sweet, great hero and leaves the audience wanting more. And after five big screen appearances so far, Holland's is the closest and arguably best approximation of the comic book character yet.
Far more integral to the plot is fellow MCU newcomer Black Panther [ably played by Chadwick Boseman], who is as much a regal badass as Thor. Panther's fight scenes are very cool, his costume looks great, and his emotional arc essentially satisfies the need for an origin story in his own upcoming movie. As with Spidey, you're left wanting more of this character and it's regrettable that the inclusion of the web-slinger has stolen much of the buzz that should've accompanied Panther's film debut.
While not a new addition, Paul Bettany's Vision is another standout here. Seeing Vision trying to be human is sweet and funny; the sight of him in a sweater and dress shirt or working in the kitchen will crack you up. His burgeoning affection for Scarlet Witch [Elizabeth Olsen] is evident here but not a major plot element. It is frustrating, though, that Vision is often relegated to housesitting duties, especially when he'd come in pretty handy at certain points out in the field. He's often treated like a guard dog with an Infinity Stone.
As for the bad guy, Daniel Bruhl's Zemo [no longer a Baron here] joins the increasingly crowded ranks of the MCU's underwhelming villains played by fine actors. Marvel movies just don't seem that interested in antagonists other than Loki, putting the emphasis on their heroes' conflicts with each other instead. While Zemo's motive is very human and compelling, his actual scheme doesn't hold up under scrutiny and relies on a few too many coincidences. [To delve deeper into those issues would get too spoilery.]
Without a doubt, Civil War’s airport battle sequence is the best superhero brawl ever depicted on the big screen. It is a comic book fan’s wet dream, with every character getting a moment to shine in battle. Spider-Man gets his quips and licks in, Panther throws down in a style all his own, and Ant-Man [Paul Rudd] gives both of these new additions a run for their money in some of the set-piece’s most nerdgasm-inducing moments. This is the superhero movie fight scene people will remember and geek out about for years.
But as this jaw-dropping battle occurs later in Act 2, it leaves the final act as emotional as it is noticeably sapped of energy. While it's good that this climactic showdown didn't revolve around yet another portal in the sky or falling city, it's also completely dependent on Zemo's machinations and an "a-ha!" moment that feels a bit forced just for additional conflict between Cap and Tony.
Not all of the film's action cinematography works as well as the airport set-piece. If the wildly sped-up earlier sequence between the Avengers and Crossbones [Frank Grillo] was undercranked anymore, the Benny Hill theme song might start playing. There's also a moment between Steve and another character that feels unearned and wildly inappropriate given when it happens in the story. And, lastly, if you're stoked to see Martin Freeman in the MCU, you'd best dial down your expectations as he's not given much of anything to do here.
Finally, I want to address a tweet I sent after seeing the film where I referred to it as a "letdown." Captain America: The Winter Soldier is my favorite MCU movie; it's smart, character-driven, action-packed, emotional, gutsy, intense, and has something important to say. While Civil War certainly checks several of those same boxes, I simply didn't find it as effective as its predecessor. In that sense then it was a "letdown" to me. That was probably phrased poorly as Civil War is by no means bad. It's just a good movie as opposed to the awesome one I had hoped for.
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Verdict
Featuring what's arguably the best ever screen depiction of Spider-Man as well as a cool new hero in Black Panther, Captain America: Civil War can't quite recapture the emotional and cerebral strengths of its predecessor, The Winter Soldier. Its central villain is ultimately lackluster and its final act, while dramatic, lacks the energy and effectiveness of the central action set-piece that assembles the Avengers in instant-classic fashion.
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Captain America: Civil War Review
good
Captain America: Civil War is more solid Marvel entertainment, but its parts are better than the film is as a whole.