A solid production of an already solid cinematic universe

Rating: 8/10 (1 May 2016)

Civil War certainly presents a conflict, and it presents it in a MARVELous way.
The third entry in the Captain America trilogy, Civil War gives the audience what they hope to see in an already known universe. It definitely is a worthy sequel, and it is bound to engage the audience throughout the majority of its duration.
Taking on a more mature tone than what the MCU is known for, Civil War delivers an intriguing story that is told coherently and lets almost nothing escape its grasp. It tackles the criticism people have come to raise for the MCU and does not disappoint in that sense: a more adult-like narrative leaving out unnecessary humor.
As it is to be expected from the name, there is a fight, a conflict, and a clash of ideals that set in motion a series of action sequences that could arguably be the best in the franchise so far, though it does seem to overuse some camera techniques that have become popular in the last decade; can you guess what I am talking about? You probably can. Other than that, the action is nothing short of awesome.
The story is one of the highlight of the films, making you question whether there is a right or wrong answer in the characters' decisions, which is something fans of the franchise can appreciate. It is well told and the editing is distinguishable. However, I must say that some of the characters' motivations felt seriously forced, which makes me think that a few more minutes of running time and some adjusting in the writing could have been a boost on an already great production. Some of the dialogue could have had some tweaking as well.
Although the action sequences are also a highlight of the film, especially the airport scene which I believe no one can deny was great, I feel the excessive use of the shaky-cam also makes them seem artificial, but overall, I would assert they are a step up from previous films of the MCU. The CGI could have received some polish, but it was decent even it its worst parts, and the musical score was forgettable, standing perhaps as one of the worst parts of the film. The pace of the film is also admirable, leaving almost no moment untouched by its robust storytelling.
Acting was a mixed bag; Downey Jr. does a wonderful job as Tony Stark as always, as do some of the new additions to the MCU, but the rest of the cast did not really stand out, and in fact, some of the characters' accents sounded a little too fake to not notice.
Despite some of its flaws, Civil War stands out as one of the best of the MCU. It just is.
Recommendable? Go watch it now!