Captain America: Civil War

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Directed by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Based on characters created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby

Screenplay by Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely

Starring: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie

In the wake of the their exploits, global politics has stepped in to regulate the Avengers. This intervention soon causes a rift between Iron Man (Downey Jr.) and Captain America (Evans). Now they’ve found themselves on opposite sides of a complex battle.

The flow of comic book movies has continued strong in 2016. This one picks up the saga of The Avengers with the thirteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Previous films have included Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Iron Man 3, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Ant-Man. This film is based on characters created by Joe Simon (Captain America: The First Avenger) and Jack Kirby (Ant-Man), and the screenplay was written by Christopher Markus (Thor: The Dark World) and Stephen McFeely (You Kill Me). Anthony Russo (You, Me and Dupree) and Joe Russo (Welcome to Collinwood) come back to direct their second film in the Marvel Universe. The film brings back stars Chris Evans (Snowpiercer), Robert Downey Jr. (Zodiac), Scarlett Johansson (Hail, Caesar!), Sebastian Stan (The Martian), and Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker).

This story is a solid addition to the Marvel universe. There is something natural about the progression of the characters that leads to this point. The tension built into previous films is simply kindling for the flames that ignite in this one. The setup for the main arc of this film happens quickly, allowing for the film to get moving. Once it begins, the film finds a nice pace and never really looks back. Without spoiling anything, it’s also important to note that new faces are introduced seamlessly. (This is important since it was such a flaw for me in Batman v Superman.) While this movie has the fun of the previous films, there is a somewhat darker tone woven in. The emotional and physical conflict in the film is not taken lightly. There are some fun surprises in this one, and it pays off with a solid conclusion. There are also some funny moments that lighten up the drama just enough. Overall, this doesn’t break the mold, but it finds success within the genre.

The actors all do a good job in this one. There wasn’t too much concern since most of the cast was back to reprise roles they created in previous films. There were some unique challenges though. The emotional depth of the story asked for a little more from the stars. Many of the newcomers also do great work in this one. (Remember, I’m not going to spoil anything.) Some of the best moments come from Robert Downey Jr., who really brought a new depth to Tony Stark. Chris Evans also does a great job with the tension in his role. Johansson, Stan, and Mackie also do good work. There are so many more people who could be mentioned. The cast is impressive, and their work pays off.

This film looks like a movie with a $250 million dollar budget. The visual effects, stunts, camera work, costumes, and set designs all look great. Additionally, the sound work does all the right things to bring the action and intensity to life. The film also has a good score that really accents the highs and lows throughout the movie. Composer Henry Jackman (Big Hero 6) did a good job crafting a score that didn’t ever feel out-of-place or overbearing. Overall, the production work does all the right things to bring this story to life on the big screen.

If you’re a fan of the Marvel films or comic book movies in general, this is one to see. I would also suggest this to anyone who loves action. Even without the previous films, this would be a good place to start. There is some background, but the film does a good job standing on its own. I give this one 4.4 out of 5 stars.