Captain America: Civil War is the third installment of the Captain America films directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, staring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson and Sebastian Stan. (Photo : Facebook/Marvel)
Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Phase 3 has officially landded with "Captain America: Civil War." Amid the superhero craze and film universes left and right, the MCU stands out as one of the most, if not the most, cohesive film universes of today.
In 2012, Joss Whedon's "The Avengers" set the bar so high that people had doubts if it can be topped but given the success of "Captain America: Winter Soldier" and "Guardians of the Galaxy," the studio seemed unstoppable.
The film never lost its throttle from start to finish and the introduction of new characters went smoothly. Chadwick Boseman's nuanced performance as Black Panther gives justice to the regal character.
Evan's performance as Captain America reminds us how much has changed since the "First Avenger" and how much he has evolved but still stayed the same. Cap is not a man of contradictions, but he is not one-dimentional either. He's vulnerable but his spirit won't waiver.
Despite the occasional comic relief in scenes where Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and Spider-Man (Tom Holland) stood out, the undertone of the film is mature. These characters are flawed but they are surprisingly relatable in an emotional level.
The premise of "Civil War" is simple: "The Avengers" were divided into two factions led by Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr) and Captain America (Chris Evans). There is no good nor bad side, just different perspectives. Every superhero battle we have witnessed might have saved the world in a bigger sense, yet there were those whose worlds have figuratively crushed following the death of their loved ones. The film gives our heroes two options: Do you accept the blame? Or will move on and accept that you cannot save everyone and there will be casualties along the way?
At the very core, looking past the political turmoil and action packed scenes, "Civil War" makes us understand what its characters are going through. Why do they feel guilty? Why rage can triumph over reason? Why do they do the things they do? These are complex characters with real emotions and this is also why the film works.
"Civil War" is fun when it needs to be fun, rough when it needs to be rough and serious when the scene asks for it. Much like Disney films, it is the content and the storytelling that elevates this film to one of the best Marvel movies yet.
"Captain America: Civil War" opens on U.S. theaters on May 6, 2016.
To know what the"Civil War" ensemble think about their respective characters, watch the video below:
