Captain America: Civil War Review (No Spoilers)

Love it or hate it, we are in a comic book movie Renaissance. Four decades ago, we had to wait at least five years for a major comic book movie, and even longer for a good one.

The comic book genre has come a long way since it was first launched with Richard Donner's Superman in 1978. There have been all kinds of comic book movies. They can be exciting and blood pumping (The Avengers), they can be dark and edgy (The Dark Knight), they can be quirky and different (Deadpool, Guardians of the Galaxy), they can be grand and epic, and sometimes they can be small and simple (Ant-Man).

Sure, we have our occasional Green Lantern or Fantastic Four. And movies like Batman v Superman can be very divisive. But there is no denying that when the genre excels, it excels.

Right now, when it comes to comic book movies, the studio that is the undisputed king right now is none other than Marvel Studios. And with their latest outing, Captain America: Civil War, they have only solidified their reign.

I had the privilege of seeing an early screening of Captain America: Civil War last night. And let me tell you, it is probably the best film that Marvel has ever made. Yes, I am including The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and maybe even Captain America: The Winter Soldier (but just by a TINY margin)!

I do not know where to start with this one! It is a really long movie, at 2 hours and 27 minutes. But I was not bored for a second! The script might just be the best one Marvel has produced yet!

I will not go too much into detail, because the bless you know the better. If you have seen the trailers, you know that the Avengers have been split in two. One side is led by Tony Stark (played by the irreplaceable Robert Downy Jr.) which favors government interference with the Avengers, and the other side led by Captain America (the irreplaceable Chris Evans) which believes the Avengers should be independent.

This is not only the perfect superhero movie for right now. It might just be the perfect movie for right now, period. With the election just a few months away, our country has arguably never been more divided. There is so much fear and paranoia among the American people right now. The scene where they show all the damage the Avengers have caused while saving the world hits very close to home with what is happening in our world right now.

If there is one thing Marvel is known for, it's picking the right actors and actresses for their characters. And Civil War is no exception.

Just like Robert Downy Jr., Chris Evans has established himself as the only actor who can play Captain America. He takes a character who at first seems one dimensional, but gives hims depth and warmth. Captain America is told to cooperate with the new law, but he believes it is wrong. He has his values, and sticks to them. Even when his peers are against him. This is probably the best Chris Evans has ever been in the role! This might be the last time we'll see Chris Evans as Captain America. And let me just say he went out with a bang!

At this point, it's pretty much cliche to say that Robert Downy Jr. IS Iron Man. And to be fair, he is practically playing himself. But he is just too charismatic and witty. He has always shined as the genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist. He took a secondary comic book character, and made him iconic. He still cracks jokes, but he is also very concerned with how much damage the Avengers are causing, and believes they need government interference. You may agree with him, you may not agree with him. You are either with him or against him. I couldn't decide myself1 But I do know one thing for sure. I never want to see anyone else play Tony Stark. Just like how Harrison Ford made Indiana Jones his own character, so does Robert Downy Jr. with Iron Man.

Scarlett Johansson kicks so much a-- I mean butt as Black Widow! She's tough, brave, and never gives in to anyone. She never backs down from a fight. Even though she's a super human, Scarlett Johansson gives her so much warmth and makes her so relatable. She hates having to see her friends fight, and feels conflicted with which side she should choose. I am still holding out hope for that Black Widow stand alone film starring Scarlett Johansson. I will be first in line at the theater.

Paul Rudd adds much needed comic relief to this dark story. Paul Rudd is one of those actors who is hard to dislike. No matter what movie he is in, you just cannot help but root for him to achieve his goals. He was the right guy to play Ant-Man.

Chadwick Boseman could not be more perfect for Black Panther. I first saw him in the under-rated Jackie Robinson biopic 42, and I knew he had a bright future ahead of him. This seems like a ridiculous character, but he is given a tragic back story, and Boseman brings so much weight to him. I am even more hyped for the Black Panther movie in 2018.

But the character who steals the show is the web-slinger himself, Spider-Man/Peter Parker played by newcomer Tom Holland!

We have had two actors play Spider-Man/Peter Parker in five films. Tobey McGuire was the perfect Peter Parker, while Andrew Garfield was the perfect Spider-Man. Tom Holland combines the best aspects of both takes, and makes the character his own. He IS Spider-Man! He is so funny, relatable, and charismatic. He gives a star-making performance, and I know for a fact we will be seeing more of this kid!

And the best part of this Spider-Man? NO ORIGIN STORY REMAKES!

The movie is fully aware that we have all heard of Peter Parker's story at this point. We know how he got his powers, what made him decide to use them for good, with great power comes great responsibility, yada yada yada. His origin is briefly referenced in dialogue, but then we move on with the plot. We know everything there is to know about this character, and immediately feel invested in him.

The weakest part of this movie, as with most Marvel movies, is the villain Helmut Zemo played by Daniel Bruhl. It's not that he doesn't have a great plan. In fact, his plan is genius. He is the first villain to do what all the villains couldn't: he split up the Avengers. So for that, he deserves some evil points. But the character himself just isn't all that interesting or memorable, despite Daniel Bruhl giving it his all. I really hope Marvel gets better at villains soon. I have no doubt that Thanos will prove to be a great threat for our heroes.

However, in the case of Civil War, I will give Marvel a pass. This movie isn't about villains. Most superhero movies are about heroes fighting villains. But this is a movie where heroes fight EACH OTHER. That is the true villain of the movie: Rivalry.

Everybody is picking sides right now between Team Iron Man and Team Cap. I went in as Team Cap. But the movie did such a great job of making me see Tony Stark's view, I actually questioned if I made the right choice.

It is not a black and white movie. It is very grey. It reflects our own world. it shows that there really is no easy answer to figuring out what is best for the world. Is it better to have more Government interfere with us? Or should we be more independent? Are the Avengers really saving us, or causing us more harm? It's funny that a movie with a teenage boy with spider powers, a man in ahi-tech suit, and a man who can shrink down to the size of an ant can be this thought-provoking.

In conclusion, Captain America: Civil War represents the very best of Marvel. It's just as entertaining and fun as Marvel's other films, but it is way more intelligent and thought-provoking. The characters are all lovable and relatable, and the emotions feel genuine. This is The Empire Strikes Back of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. (Heck, they even reference that movie in the climax!)

There have been so many comic book movies, that there is no doubt we will get over-saturated someday. Even the once popular Western genre eventually died out. But as a certain Avenger, Vision, once said "A thing isn't beautiful because it lasts. It is a privilege to be among them."

We should enjoy this era while it lasts. It really is a privilege to live in a time where we have had a Batman v Superman movie (featuring Wonder Woman), a Deadpool movie, and a Civil War movie in the same year! And it won't always be like this.

But as long as the next comic book movies are as good as Captain America: Civil War, comic book movies won't be slowing down anytime soon.