One of the MCU's Better Flicks

Rating: 8/10 (7 December 2018)

In 2011, the Marvel Cinematic Universe unleashed their first feature starring Captain America during their first phase. In 2014, they brought back the avenger during their second phase with Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Both movies have gotten praise from critics, audiences, and Marvel fans alike for their brisk pacing, highly coordinated action, and fun performances. So back in 2016, they presented another story with Steve Rogers and some more avengers, Civil War. As this was the first installment in the Cinematic Universe's third phase of their supposed story arch, I can say that they succeeded more than the previous endeavors.
In terms of the plot, the film has a rather straight-forward albeit complex narrative with enough dark moments to keep it from getting stale. While the film does have a pretty weak start, it does pick up by the second act by showing off multiple twists and plot points that never overstay their welcome, and a nice continuation of the heroes viewing how they are seen. Considering this is about the team being divided based on control from the government, it really creates a valid point of view from each side, and the audience will definitely feel for both instead of one or the other.
The funny thing to note about this movie is that although it has Captain America in the title, it surprisingly feels more like a Captain America and Iron Man movie, but an interesting one at that. The different points of view they have on protecting people by political standards really tangle their team up and it really creates a sense of dramatic tension between the two. While Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) give the audience a good enough reason to root for them, the other supers (like Black Widow, Falcon, War Machine, Scarlet Witch, and Hawkeye) contribute to the plot wonderfully by aiding their individual fellow mates. Add a nice balance of drama and comedy along with some tense action and dark material and the characters make the experience worthwhile.
As for the introduction of the then new characters, the movie handles them pretty well for the most part. Even though they were used to get the fanboys in, the MCU'S take on Spiderman, the Winter Soldier, and Black Panther are well thought out and they give each super their own distinct personalities that play off each other well. You got Peter Parker being the dorky average new-comer to the team, the Winter Soldier as the one with the once murderous mindset now helping the Capt., and Black Panther being the one with a reasonable and tragic backstory which gives him the opportunity to let his warrior side shine through. That being said, Vision and Ant-Man end up contributing less to the group and don't even show up as much as you'd hope for. The villains themselves do have their motivations in tact though, which makes for some powerful chemistry between the realms of patriotism and government.
One thing that many people look forward to in Marvel movies are how well the crew can showcase their effects, and this is no exception. Not only are the effects well crafted, but they never last too long so it can let the audience metabolize them enough. Even though CGI and motion-capture have been used poorly in the past, they have been used very well for these movies, especially considering that the crew members always have plenty to work with. Even the cinematography helps by adding suspense to each action paced shot, and it also takes its time to rest at the more serious moments. The one minor complaintI have is that they could've made some of the fights look a little less goofy and cartoony for their own good.
But lastly, what this film succeeds at most is being a great Captain American movie. Despite the shove-ins from the Avengers and new-comers, it continues the storyline of Steve Rogers without rushing too much. After the horrible events that led to the brainwashing of his war partner Bucky that turned him into an assassin, Rogers now has to face two major dilemmas: freedom from government take down and the betrayal of his fellow comrades. The determination the man has just to help civilians in need without much rule from others is very commendable, even if his teammates disagree and try to solve it the old fashioned way: battling each other. What's even more shocking is how the character Bucky, or the Winter Soldier, is played out in this by showing how he did his most deadly mission known to man. When the continuity kicks in, it really shines thru to keep the characters in tact, even when it means learning something new about the past.
After the fun first film and the disappointing second film (to me at least), this is definitely the best out of the Captain America films. Thanks to the brisk action, gorgeous action, well constructed story, and decent mix of humor and drama, Civil War might just be one of the MCU and the superhero genre's best. If you're a fan of Marvel, this is a definite recommendation, if you haven't seen it already. It's funny how before Infinity War, this was arguably the division's more serious and dark flick yet, and I couldn't be happier to remember it for the next decade.