"Captain America: Civil War" is an exciting and very satisfying entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Rating: 9/10 (6 May 2016)

Marvel sure has things figured out (which is a statement likely made in recent years by many a Movie Fan – and the folks at DC – with a few expletives thrown in for emphasis)! If there were any lingering doubt, it has certainly been erased by "Captain America: Civil War" (PG-13, 2:26). While the DC Extended Universe has had moderate success with their early films featuring and bringing together their stable of comic book characters, the Marvel Cinematic Universe began Phase Three of its grand plan with "Civil War" (the 13th MCU movie) and is making money almost faster than the government can print it. While the first two "Avengers" movies sit comfortably in the top 10 on the list of all-time box office champs worldwide, DC's "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" doesn't even make the top 40. "Civil War" made over $250 million worldwide before its first full day in U.S. theaters – and even before opening in huge countries like China and India! The film's opening week receipts in several countries is second all-time only to "Avengers: Age of Ultron", and its trailer is second only to "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" in online views. But does this Captain America film deserve such attention and success? "Captain America: Civil War" is the third (and planned to be the final) Captain America feature, but also feels a lot like a third Avenger's movie, with its many characters – and its plot, which continues story lines from the most recent installment of each of those film series. This film picks up about a year after the Avengers defeated a populicidal sentient computer program which Tony Stark accidentally unleashed in "Avengers: Age of Ultron". Captain America / Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) are in Lagos, Nigeria trying to stop Brock Rumlow (Frank Grillo) from stealing and making off with a dangerous biological weapon. In the ensuing melee, one of the Avengers, trying to save the life of one of the others, accidentally causes the deaths of several foreign aid workers.
After all the death and destruction inadvertently caused the last time that the Avengers were out saving the world (from Ultron), Lagos proves to be the proverbial last straw for worried world leaders, and their planned remedy bitterly divides the Avengers. The U.S. Secretary of State, Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt), presents the group with an ultimatum – sign the newly-negotiated "Sokovia Accords", putting the Avengers under the control of the United Nations – or retire. As they discuss their options, this disparate group of superheroes quickly divides into opposing camps. Tony Stark / Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) speaks for Lieutenant Rhodes (Don Cheadle) and others who believe they should submit themselves to this international oversight. Cap speaks for Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and those who believe that they can only effectively protect people when they can operate unfettered. So, the battle lines are drawn.
Almost 200 nations (and some of the Avengers) sign the agreement, but it's quickly put to the test when a bombing compels some of the Avengers to act. The accused terrorist is none other than Cap's old (very old) friend, Bucky Barnes, aka The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). Cap wants to bring Bucky in safely before any of Bucky's trigger-happy pursuers catch up to him. Cap gets just enough help to accomplish his goal, but it turns out that Bucky is merely a pawn in a much larger game run by Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl). As the plot unfolds, the Avengers duke it out with both old friends and new ones joining the fray.
"Captain America: Civil War" is an exciting and very satisfying entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The movie has plenty of high-stakes, globe-trotting, hero-on-hero action, and it also has a lot of heart. If you think back to the first individual MCU films with Iron Man and Captain America, it may seem counterintuitive for Stark to support restrictions on the Avengers while Cap refuses to "be a good soldier" and get with the program, but we see that each of them have very clear and very personal motivations for taking the positions that they take. The same is true for the other frenemy combatants, some of which elicited cheers from the audience when they first appeared on screen. Of course, if you paid attention to the film's ubiquitous trailers and/or took a good look at its posters, you know which Avengers are present, which are missing and which are new, but just in case you don't know I won't spoil it. All I'll say is that Marvel has cast and established all of these characters exceptionally well.
The action, acting and directing are all top notch, but this film's main strength is its smart script. The characters' personalities, powers and previous activities are remarkably consistent in their presentation and are seamlessly blended in a big, but simple story which makes sense and gives each character his or her due. The dialog is a great combination of insightful, fun and funny. The movie seems to borrow from the "Bourne" movies, certain revenge flicks, and "Escape Plan", while the story is similar to DC's 2016 hero-against-hero film "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice", but "Captain America: Civil War" does it better and has a dynamic and tone all its own. It'll entertain fanboys and average Movie Fans alike. "A"