4 impressively-put-together-action-sequences out of 4
Allow me to answer the quick questions. Yes, this movie is good. Yes, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is great. Yes, the fight sequences are absolutely as incredible as the reports would have you believe. Yes, you should be excited for the next films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
The Russo brothers’ Captain America: Civil War is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best films in the MCU, for the simple reason that it cares about its characters.
Over the course of several films, the characters within the MCU have been clearly defined by the writers in charge of their scripts, the directors in charge of their films, and the actors in charge of their characters. What becomes immediately evident is that Civil War is, without a doubt, a story about characters. Events happen, things blow up, violence is enacted against the just and the unjust, but every character remains grounded in clearly defined ideologies. Civil War succeeds not only in its ability to produce affect through stunning effects and fight choreography, but through writing that is precise, systematic, and clear.
[pullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]…the fight sequences are absolutely as incredible as the reports would have you believe.[/pullquote]The titular divide is a combined result of cross-film attacks carried out in New York, Washington D.C., and the fictional nation of Sokovia, as well as the accidental destruction of an embassy in Lagos, and a political conference in Vienna. Due to their ability to cause wanton destruction and mayhem wherever they go—as well as the overall lack of accountability and oversight available for their actions—Civil War finds the Avengers forced to answer to the only power truly greater than their own: bureaucratic oversight committees.
Through the UN, the group is given an ultimatum: relinquish the freedom of mobility to avenge and defend those in need around the world by signing the Sokovia Accords, or relinquish the right to fight crime. To those versed in comic book politics, the idea of vigilantism as justified and necessary should come as no surprise. After all, the collective comic book cities of the world are all patrolled by a single hero, or a group of heroes, who operate well outside the realm of the law, simply because their justice represents the needs of the greater good. Where leaders, activists, and the law fail, superheroes save the day.
To the average citizen, however, the wanton destruction and mayhem caused by the presence of a superhero is, without a doubt, not worth the supposed safety and comfort brought on by the men and women who dress up in brightly coloured spandex suits. The Sokovia Accords are a number of laws that prevent The Avengers from avenging, by providing governmental oversight over a group whose members include a billionaire-genius-playboy-philanthropist who owns a number of weaponized suits of armor, an Asgardian god, a being produced by the pure energy of the universe, and the Hulk.
Civil War takes a complex sociopolitical argument—the need for common citizens to defend themselves—and moves it to its logical extreme. Indeed, much of Civil War’s lengthy runtime is attributed to a number of political discussions between Captain America and Iron Man. Steve, the literal embodiment of American nationalism during the Second World War, stands against signing the accords. Tony, the literal embodiment of modern American imperialism and capitalism, believes that signing the accords is necessary to avoid the collateral damage caused by the Avengers.
[pullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Civil War takes a complex sociopolitical argument—the need for common citizens to defend themselves—and moves it to its logical extreme.[/pullquote]Understandably, things are tense around the family hearth. Regardless, Civil War does not provide an answer to its intrinsic question of responsible vigilantism. At no point do Tony and Steve set aside their gauntlets, shake hands, and agree on a mutually beneficial course of action. Instead, they discuss, debate, and communicate—using words no less—before eventually remembering that they’re heroes in a Marvel blockbuster.
Make no mistake, the Russo brothers have, in no way, directed a terse political drama. Instead, Civil War is simply the loudest, most colourful, most exciting, most visually spectacular feature released by Marvel Studios since The Avengers. The airport sequence, where Team Iron Man and Team Captain America spend a healthy amount of time physically beating the snot out of one each other is a delight. In this sequence, and throughout the entire film, camerawork, fight choreography, direction, and CGI blend together in a clearly comprehensible battle of spellbinding wonder.
In short, Civil War should serve as the precise moment in history when Marvel cemented itself as the studio capable of turning even the most dry political discourse into an incredible summer blockbuster.