The standard for any studio interested in making a comic book adaptation!

Rating: 9/10 (30 April 2016)

Alright friends...here goes my SPOILER FREE review of Captain America: Civil War
First off let me begin be saying, I had VERY HIGH expectations for this movie and I was not disappointed!
With all due respect to James Gunn, Christopher Nolan and Joss Whedon, but the Russo bros. have cemented themselves as the dynamic duo of comic book movies!!!
They have demonstrated not only an uncanny ability to tell a compelling story but also pay homage to the source material in such a subtle way, it is clear these guys are fans that do not just see the comic panels but fully understand the emotions and personalities of the characters.
The movie was so well written, it is clear that it is a stand alone Captain America movie and not just Avengers 2.5 (as many were touting it when the cast was announced). The presence of the other Avengers does not take away from the overall plot.
Each character has a clear reason for being in this movie. And NONE of them feel shoe horned in. There is clear logic as to why they are there and there is just enough introductory backstory that you feel satisfied. (Here's looking at you DC!).
Now on that note, the biggest questions of this film are Spidey and BP...
Let me just repeat my mantra...MARVEL STUDIOS HAS THE BEST CASTING DEPARTMENT IN FILM RIGHT NOW!!!
Chadwick Boseman is phenomenal as the Wakandan hero! And Tom Holland is fantastic as a finally faithful incarnation of our friendly neighborhood Spiderman!
The pacing of the film is great, with wildly entertaining set pieces and THE BEST action sequences of not just any Marvel movie but you'd be hard pressed to find this kind of action/fighting scenes in ANY American movie in the last 25 years!
Once again, RDJ, Chris Evans and The rest of the crew are in perfect form and deliver strong performances as their comic book counterparts. You can tell they are comfortable playing the characters and have a clear understanding of their roles and motivations.
The special effects are top-notch (as expected) but the use of practical effects in conjunction with cgi is flawless and (currently) imperceptible. The sound and music is great...with no weird intro songs (;0) BvS).
However, it was not without flaws. There were a couple of small holes that could have used some filler. Although these minor gaps DO NOT detract from the main plot and over all story (I hope WB/DC is listening!).
As for entertainment value, this movie is on the money! There is something for everyone! Subtle comedy, action, drama, romance and it shifts between dark tension, light comedy, and all star action seamlessly.
From a story perspective, Civil War fits nicely into the MCU's overall plot. It glues together the events of past films into a logical point (up to now). And just when you think all is kosher...the crap doth hit the fan yet again; keeping you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end!
Also, the Russo's tip their hat to the source material at least 3 times. (Please keep in mind I have only seen the film once and my sons were with me so there were two instances in which they distracted me during character interactions.)
Fans of the original comic should keep their eyes and EARS peeled for these moments as they will bring a nice smile to their faces. Especially, when they look around at the non- comic readers in the theater who have no clue!!!
And since I'm on the subject, IF YOU HAVE AN INFANT, DO THE REST OF THE AUDIENCE A FAVOR AND HIRE A SITTER!!!! Or AT LEAST GET THEM OUT OF THE THEATER QUICKLY IF THEY GET FUSSY!
As I said in my brief message when I stepped out of the theater, this movie was AWESOME. And I believe it is far superior to anything else to date from Marvel/Disney, FOX or WB/DC. It has raised the bar to another level. WB was wise to release BvS before this movie. Because had it tried to go head to head, it would have been demolished!
Luckily, Dr Strange is far off and it will be something completely different. So, like Antman and GOTG, it stands to set itself apart from everything else in Hollywood right now.
And there it is. My non-spoiler review of Captain America: Civil War.
I give it a 9.4 out of 10!
(AND I WILL BE WATCHING IT AT LEAST TWICE MORE IN THEATERS!)