Captain America: Civil War (2016) – Review

After we saw earlier this year how Batman and Superman battled each other disappointedly within the DC-Universe, it is now Marvel’s turn to do the same in their movies, but on a much bigger scale. Can the studio succeed with this movie, which is directed by the Russo brothers? Or is it better to stop attemting having superheroes fight each other?

Although this officially is a Captain America movie, it might as well could have been the third Avengers movie. A couple of characters might not appear, but you wouldn´t really miss them. After the events from the first and second Avenger movies, in which New York was partly destroyed and where a whole city was lifted into the air, government leaders around the world have had enough of the fact that the Avengers just do as they please, without anyone being held accountable for the damage. When more than a hundred countries create a treaty which basically forces the Avengers to no longer operate independently it creates a breach among the Avengers. Captain America is not willing to sign it as he sees a danger, but Tony Stark has the opposite opinion. The various superheroes choose their side meaning that these two teams will have to face each other. Steve Rogers and his team continues his activities while Iron Man, Black Widow, War Machine and several others do everything they can to stop them.

 It took a while before this movie really managed to get me involved, but once it did it was a joy to experience. The new characters the movie introduces, Black Panther and Spiderman both add something to the movie in their own way. Spiderman (Tom Holland) portrays the wegslinger in a fresh way which actually makes me look forward to a new Spiderman movie (even though the fact that that movie isn’t made by Marvel is worrying). His remarks are hilarious. Black Panther turns out tob e a very interesting character as well, who has access to a lot of resources which makes him an opponent you have to watch out for.

The thing which Civil War manages to do well, despite the big number of superheroes who have to share screentime (about twelve of them), is that it feels really well balanced, giving each enough time to shine. The rivalry is also realized wonderfully and never feels forced. It grows organically through the situation they find themselves in and you understand both sites. Marvel is known for their spectacle and in that respect they deliver again. The climax is one of the most impressive superhero fights I’ve ever seen, in which all these heroes fight each other at an airport. It is a true joy to experience and has exciting fights, a lot of jokes and a couple of unexpected moments, which are really imaginative. Marvel proves again is that they can hardly do anything wrong and that this is the way you realise rivalry between superheroes.