Captain America: Civil War
Dir: Joe Russo, Anthony Russo
2016
*****
Now that the Avengers have teamed up twice and have appeared in each other's franchises, it's pretty hard to make a film about just one member of the super-group. Iron Man had his trilogy quite early on, while Thor and Captain America only have two under their belts at this point, but after Thor: The Dark World received lukewarm reviews, Captain America overtook him to secure his hat-trick before it was really his turn. I wasn't that fussed about Captain America: The First Avenger but Captain America: Winter Solder was fantastic, the difference being the addition of other characters. Captain America's relevance in the modern world has been debated and also cleverly explored in the films, so you can't help but feel that poor Chris Evans, who has been very good in the role, has been somewhat short-changed. However, with the ball rolling and many a character to explore, both he and Robert Downey Jr. have actually been rewarded here for their commendable work, as Civil War is one of the most brilliantly written, well received and impressive comic 'events' in the last few decades. This story arch could have easily been the basis for the next Avenger film, it could have even been a two-parter, but it is clear that Marvel don't want to save anything or pull anything back, they're progressing at full speed to give the fans something bigger and better with each new movie. It's working brilliantly so far, with each Marvel film being a hit, even when involving lesser known characters. Captain America: Civil War is crammed full of these said lesser known characters and two of the biggest Avengers are absent, so it doesn't seem quite like an Avengers film and not really a Captain America film. New territory, but does it really work? Easy answer is yes, very much so. In my humble opinion, Captain America: Civil War is by far Marvel's best film to date. It has everything a Marvel/Comic/Superhero fan could wish for. Civil War was such a clever story and while this is a very different version of that idea, it's about as intelligent as a superhero film has been. I would also argue that this film contains the best performances of all the Avenger films. Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans are both sensational, their passionate and raw performances brought a level of reality that you just don't expect from a big action superhero film. It's not all serious though, the same level of humour as we've come to expect from Marvel's films is present, indeed, this may also be the funniest or at least on par with the first Avengers film. The addition of the new Avengers is brilliant, they almost steal the show from the originals. I'm glad Thor and Hulk were missing, mainly due to the fact that the story really wouldn't have worked with each character but also because it gave the new guys a chance to show of their talents. The big fight scene is my favorite scene so far in a Marvel film. I didn't think seeing the Avengers together in the same frame in the first film could be bettered but I think it just has. Seriously, Spiderman vs Ant-Man is the best thing I've seen for a very long time. Both characters in particular should have a bright future on the big screen. To get the balance of serious drama, politics, humour and action so perfect has to be applauded. One of the things I liked most about it was seeing the superheroes out of their costumes. It gives the characters depth, it makes them feel real, believable and most importantly, vulnerable. It would have been easy to have paired the characters off, had an overlong fight scene and just filled in the gaps - indeed, Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice did just that - but Marvel have been meticulous with the details, in joining the stories of each film and staying true to each character. They have improved on greatness. In just one film they've opened up the franchise even wider, not with gimmick or false promise but with quality writing, excellent performances and a fundamental understanding of modern comics and how to adapt them to film, not as easy as it might seem, although the Russo Brothers make it look easy. I loved every second.