Captain America: Civil War (2016) Review (Spoiler-Free)

There's not a whole lot to dislike about Captain America: Civil War. I do think the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) has a way of making Captain America appear corny at times with little nuances here and there like the patriotic music playing when he's tearing through bad guys. To be fair, super strength and vibranium shield aside, Cap is about as plain as oatmeal. Even when he's going against the grain, he's doing so for all the right reasons. It's enough to drive you nuts or at least make you roll your eyes a time or two. You can't really give a guy an edge when he's never had one to begin with.

In the case of Civil War, even if you're not a fan of Captain America, there are so many other characters to feast your eyes on, it'll put you in a state of fanboy heaven. The gang's all here save for Hulk and Thor who are replaced by Black Panther and Spider-Man. New characters require new storylines to answer "how did you get here?" and no one is doing that better than Marvel right now. The intros are not only brief but seamless and are incorporated in the midst of answering why Cap and Iron Man are going at it in the first place. It's definitely a delicate juggling act, one that I had a lot of questions about going into this film, and I can say with complete satisfaction that not one ball was dropped. As much as I knocked Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice for the sheer lack of effort in fleshing out characters and story, I found myself applauding Civil War for doing so masterfully. Even now, I'm shaking my head because it's hard to believe Marvel can keep this run so fresh after so many years and so many movies.

Not only were the new characters introduced seamlessly, they were just plain awesome on screen. I loved Spider-Man and thought young Tom Holland did a great job of capturing the essence of why we like this character so much. His blundering innocence will make you smile over and over even as he is squaring off against the good guys. Yes, he was phenomenal and, yes, you get more than just a tiny peek. In spite of Holland's great performance, I thought there was even more to love about Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther. The three-way, on-foot highway chase between Cap, Panther, and Winter Soldier was easily one of my favorite scenes in the movie.

The comedy was subtle and comes at exactly the right moments. It's sprinkled lightly throughout the movie, never forced and never taking your eyes away from the bigger picture. The punchlines are like swift jabs that regain your focus and remind you you're having a good time. I won't bore you by spending an exorbitant amount of time discussing the action save for a few things: 1. It's grand. Everything you want and then some; 2. The numerous trailers don't even scratch the surface of what you'll get to see; and 3. Expect some cool surprises that I would never forgive myself for if I ruined for you. 

With movies like these, especially when they're done particularly well, I have to take a step back and allow myself time to let the fanboy vision fade away. After three days of this movie stewing in my mental, I have to say that I am still very much impressed at what I'm calling the best Captain America movie yet. I give it a 93.

I'll end with a quote from my wife: "Take notes, DC."