By Grant Mayotte
 |
| © Disney/Marvel Studios |
Let’s get one thing established at the beginning. This is not a Captain America film, this is an Avengers film. Captain Rogers is certainly at the center of the story, but directors Anthony and Joe Russo have painstakingly written a story that seeks to honor each of the Avengers cast in equal measure.
The film picks up with the Captain Rogers, Falcon, Black Widow and Scarlet Witch on a reconnaissance mission in Africa. The villains they’re pursuing conduct a hostile takeover at the Institute of Infectious Diseases when the Avengers rush into action. In the name of justice, Scarlett Witch causes an undesired outcome in their rescue mission which serves as the prologue to the story at large. In the wake of the events in Africa, the international community begins questioning the ethical conduct behind the Avengers actions. Even though these superheros are generously offering their services to take down the bad guys, they have caused unnecessary casualties in their wake and they ignore sovereign borders in the process. The international community including the United States State Department motions towards a United Nations resolution, referred to as the Sokovia Accords, that would grant authorization to the United Nations to basically activate the Avengers squad to resolve conflict at their own discretion. In order for such a resolution to pass, all the Avengers must agree to it. Saddled with guilt from previous conflicts Tony Stark (Iron Man) agrees that the Avengers should be reigned in with this UN resolution, while Captain Rogers (Captain America) is vastly opposed to it. Establishing consensus within the Avengers becomes the heart of the story. A subplot involving Bucky (Winter Soldier) seeks to create further division between Captain America and Iron Man.
This is not your typical Avengers film with loads of computer graphic robots descending from the sky plaguing human existence. While there is certainly a good amount of CGI used in Civil War, it is a lot less that what audiences have become accustomed to from this franchise. The second unit in Civil War is incredibly strong with notable stunt sequences in the Wakanda, Africa and Bucharest, Romania scenes. Beyond the stunts and action, Civil War offers unprecedented insight to these superhero characters. These characters are coping with complex issues, which adds a more satisfying dimension to this typically formulaic genre.
My major critique of Civil War is that it tries to stuff way too much into a 2 hr 25 minute film, making the film slightly bloated. The best way to experience Civil War is to pay little attention to spoilers, knowing the least amount about it ahead of time. There are several new additions to the Avengers ensemble and the surprise makes their arrival on screen all the more enjoyable. Captain America: Civil War honors the fanbase but isolates the newcomer offering jokes and plot points that will only make sense to those who have dutifully followed all of the previous Marvel films. Sorry, but if you’re a Johnny-come-lately to the Marvel Universe, Civil War will not treat your virgin ignorance kindly. Civil War has a lot to say and it just might have set the standard for future comic book adaptations.
