This time it’s war but still fun
Captain America: Civil War (12A)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s 13th adventure is suitably unlucky for our favourite superheroes as the Avengers are torn apart from within.
Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr) head up opposing teams following the introduction of the Anti-Hero Registration Act and the Captain’s blind loyalty to old friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan).
Though the story by returning Cap movie franchise writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely – adapted from Scot Mark Millar’s comic book Civil War – goes down a similar path to Batman vs Superman, the tone of both films couldn’t be more different.
Sure there are moments of darkness – dominated by an actions-have-consequences motif – and a continuation of the more adult themes that made predecessor Captain America: Winter Soldier one of Marvel’s finest.
But returning directors the Russo brothers inject humour, warmth and the comic book studio’s famous sense of wonder that was sorely lacking when Batman and Superman went head-to-head.
Beginning with heroes and villains laying the smackdown on Lagos, taking in a touching touchdown in London and bombastic greatness in Germany, and climaxing with frosty face-offs in Siberia, the Cap and Co do more globetrotting than certain Harlem basketballers.
The Russos rock the action beats once again, peaking with a magical airport dust-up between Team Cap and Team Iron Man that packs in more than you’ve seen in the trailers... a lot more.
Powers and putdowns are unleashed in the finest, most fun-filled and exhilarating set piece Marvel have produced thus far.
Civil War is far from a special effects smorgasbord masking little in the way of depth, though. The cast are all on point, led masterfully by a never-better Evans and a fraught with trying to do the right thing Downey Jr.
Among our heroes, it’s hard to find a weak link. Even though some, like Paul Rudd’s AntMan, are given little screen time, they all make the most of it – helped by the fact we’ve met them all before.
All that is except Spider-Man (Tom Holland) and Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman). Yes, Spidey has come back home to Marvel studios and even after just a few minutes of screen time, Holland wows so much as the webslinger, he is well on his way to making the role his own.
Boseman brings pathos and while there’s a lot going on, no-one – aside from a blink and you’ll miss him Martin Freeman – feels short-changed in any way.
It feels more like another Avengers movie than the Captain’s third outing, though, and Daniel Brühl’s Zemo makes for an underwhelming bad guy.
But these are minor quibbles in what amounts to another spectacular stop on the Marvel cinematic journey.