Movie Review: Captain America: Civil War (2016) *Spoiler Free*

Early reviews had many people saying that Captain America - Civil War is Marvel Studios best movie yet. Having only seen the film once I'm not sure if I would call it their best but it is certainly up there, in the crowded space of trying to draw a fine line between what makes one Marvel film better than another.

If one of the things you liked most about Marvel's The Avengers movie was seeing superheroes going head to head with each other then Civil War is that turned up to eleven. Walking that other fine line between high stakes and humour in a way Marvel movies seemingly have perfected.

The movie's plot revolves around the idea that powered people need to be held to account after the Avengers have pretty much been operating unchecked. causing chaos, up until this point. All of them are asked to sign an accord that puts them under the control of the United Nations. Obviously some of the heroes have issues with agreeing to such an accord.

It is interesting to see who sides with who and why - even though the trailers revealed the teams, finding out how they came about is interesting in its self.

There's also a side story going on with Bucky, the Winter Soldier, that doesn't feel tacked on at all. In fact it ties in so well that it helps to reinforce Captain America's stance on the accord.

The story is masterfully told with every character getting just enough screen time and stuff to do that they never feel like they're included just to pad out the teams (even though some of them are clearly brought in for this purpose).

I've seen enough Marvel movies to know that, no matter what, I'm going to be entertained. Even Marvel's MCU movies that aren't universally praised still have much to like about them.

Probably what concerned me most about this movie is the set up for the feature scene in the trailers where the two sides are lined up about to go head to head. It seemed a very unlikely scenario for mostly rational heroes but it actually unfolds naturally without being too contrived. In the end it's the scene you'll probably be talking about most once you leave the cinema because it's what you came to see and it doesn't disappoint.

Everyone gives a solid performance of the characters you've seen in other films and the two new comers, Spiderman and Black Panther (you've seen both in the trailers) fit in like they've both already had a couple of solo films under their belts.

Tom Holland's Spiderman.

I was particularly looking forward to Tom Holland's Spiderman/Peter Parker. For me he absolutely nailed the character. Particularly the character's humour and funny quips. If this is Spiderman going forward, I'm definitely seeing the next Spiderman solo movie in a cinema (something I haven't done since Sam Rami's Spiderman 3 because that film was bad and Andrew Garfield's Spiderman was too arrogant and cynical for me).

There's a lot going on in this film but I was never lost or struggling to follow the story. It didn't feel like a longer film edited down for time (I'm looking at you Batman v Superman) and despite the high number of superheroes present there was still room to not only bring back a few minor characters from previous films but to also give them generous screen time too.

It's still very much a Captain America film, which in its self is remarkable when you have Ironman in the same movie along with almost every other Avenger bar Thor and Hulk.

Personally I'd still give Captain America: The Winter Soldier an edge over this film as my favourite Marvel film but the two are movies you'd watch for different reasons. If you want a greatest hits (pun intended) of Marvel's MCU, this is the film you'll watch, over and over again... probably just for the airport fight scene alone but the rest is so good you'll watch that too.

(Be sure to stay around for the after credit scene for just a little more Tom Holland).