Avengers Disassembled

Rating: 6/10 (18 May 2016)

Marvel's "Captain America: Civil War" is a film so sincere in its aspirations, so determined to stand out from the superhero crowd, that to see it collapse under the strain of its ambition is quite underwhelming. The film pits Avengers Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) against each other in a clash of ideologies, and to see them fairly debate in lieu of individuality and regulation, respectively, is nothing short of compelling and thought-provoking, especially since both sides have their own set of consequences.
The action sequences and fight choreography are top-notch, probably the best in the Marvel crop, with the Russo brothers proving themselves the studio's golden goose. They (with mightily impressive stunt choreography from the John Wick directors) direct with a slick, brutal efficiency and perfect comic timing that can make action junkies sigh with relief, which aides greatly in that big, highly-hyped superhero throwdown.
But the villainous cog behind the conflict nearly collapses the entire film. It becomes increasingly preposterous the more I think about it. To pit Cap'n and Iron Man against each other, there has to be a plausible catalyst towards their tension to bring any real emotional weight to the film. This villain, all by his lonesome, uses preparations and tactics that would make Bane and MacGuyver blush in comparison, resulting in plot/continuity holes so big a dozen helicarriers combined can fly through them. However, and this doesn't spoil the plot, what he does at the end of the film ditches the core of the film and resembles a Saturday morning cartoon.
It's still a better film than Batman vs. Superman.