Captain America: Civil War (2016) Review

 

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Following a botched mission in Lagos, Civil War follows the Avengers who have split into two camps due to the Sokovia Accords, pitting Captain America against Iron Man. 

Civil War, or as I like to say Avengers 2.5, is likely the most ambitious of all the standalone movies and is without a doubt the one with the biggest implications. There’s been a ruminating tension building between Cap and Iron Man since the first Avengers and seeing it finally come to a head is both powerful and heartbreaking as theirs has always been a relationship not built out of friendship but respect. With the inclusion of the Accords however, neither are right nor wrong. On one hand, without the Avengers, the world would have been decimated long ago; they’re a necessary destruction. On the other hand though, they need to be kept in check, to be held accountable. And for the first time, we get the impression that Steve isn’t perfect. Bucky is his one attachment to a life he used to have; never got to have. Time and time again we’ve seen him risk it all for Bucky, and even though he was right about him, there’s no escaping his past as the Winter Soldier. 

So analyzing all of this, it’s no wonder why Civil War is as polarizing as it is. Not only does it introduce Black Panther and Spider-Man, but it pits these heroes we’ve loved for so long against each other. Obviously punches were pulled but the airport scene stands out, not only for how completely awesome it is, but because it’s the very moment the Avengers are torn apart; only torn apart further with the reveal that Bucky killed Tony’s parents. This fact makes Zemo, such a terrific villain. He never attempts to take on the Avengers. He thoughtfully and masterfully rips them apart from the inside, all culminating in a battle of emotions between Cap and Iron Man, which is singularly still one of the greatest scenes to date in the MCU and the one that makes so much of this film worth it. 

As I said earlier, this is essentially Avengers 2.5, so we get a huge cast, starring Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Paul Rudd, Robert Downey Jr., and Chris Evans, while introducing Chadwick Boseman, Daniel Brühl, and Tom Holland. It’s hard not to love Holland’s fresh, new take on Spider-man here, but it’s Evans and Downey Jr. who really stand out above the rest. Their phenomenal ending battle aside, they bring such a weight and levity to a movie that desperately needs it. 

Civil War, directed by the Russo Brothers and based off the comic of the same name by Mark Millar, not only sets up the future of the Avengers in time for Infinity War, but gives us a gripping superhero film that deals with the moral ramifications to actions, big and small, giving way for a fight that is based solely on emotions, making the stakes higher than ever. 

8.8/10