Civil War is Marvel at its' finest

Age of Ultron created a huge set up for Marvel's Phase 3 of their Cinematic Universe. Despite my excitement of what new characters awaited us, my biggest worry was that it would reach a point where there would be too much going on and too many heroes to keep track of to create a coherent story, falling victim to what Dawn of Justice sadly went through earlier this year as they were setting up for the Justice League films. Captain America: Civil War has been dubbed by many as The Avengers 2.5 since it involves a plethora of heroes including newcomers Black Panther and Spider-Man, and considering its' based on one of the most iconic comic book arcs in Marvel's library, there's a lot riding on this film. I can assure you that not only does this movie deliver in every way possible but its' also the best Captain America film yet. Taking place a year after the defeat of Ultron, the avengers continue their escapades around the world, preserving peace and fighting evil. During a mission in Lagos, the Captain and a few of his avengers run into an old enemy stealing biological weapons where a quick but fatal decision results in an explosion costing the lives of close by civilians. As a result, the UN has decided to ratify the Sokovia Accords, a law that would keep our heroes under surveillance and in check to prevent future casualties and complications. The law divides the group; Tony believes the accords will behoove them to avoid unnecessary controversy from their actions whereas the Captain himself believes that working under a government will only handicap them, trusting his own judgement of the teams actions more than that of another group. It's evident what happens next but the two have a falling-out, heroes take sides and trusts are broken all the while in the midst of this war of politics a looming threat is working around the chaos to bring destruction to the world as well as split the avengers apart even further. Marvel truly has a gift when it comes to adapting their comics into film; a lot has to be compensated due to licensing rights which results in some material being left out but in exchange we get so much more. They don't just throw the heroes in here for the sake of it; each one plays a vital role especially Spider-Man who despite his all too brief appearance will play a much bigger role later on in Phase 3 (something I'm definitely and anxiously looking forward to). Marvel perfectly balances the weight of each heroes' presence as well as their importance, creating not only the most action-packed superhero film yet but also Marvel's most dramatic as well. From the performances to the storytelling, Captain America: Civil War is a testament to how comic book movies are done and gets my highest recommendation.

​-Reviewed by Razor, 5/16/16