From the very start, the Marvel movies have had a certain swagger. That’s not to say that Jon Favreau’s Iron Man had an arrogant air about it, but rather a sense of confidence in its storytelling abilities that was prevalent in all of the company’s subsequent entries. This was never more obvious than in Anthony and Joe Russo’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, arguably the best of these films because of the way its characters were developed, the action executed and the pertinence of its story.
Which is why the current Captain America: Civil War is such a curiosity. As directed by the Russos, one would expect a similarly polished, self-assured production, yet this film winds up being perhaps the most awkward entry in the Marvel canon. At times toeing the line of greatness, at others flirting with disaster, this is a schizophrenic exercise that nearly breaks under its own ambition, laboring to push all of its necessary narrative pieces into place, sapping a great deal of fun in the process. However, the introduction of a seminal figure from the Marvel universe and some interesting character inaction that will have long-term effects are just enough keep this from being a complete waste of time.
After the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, in which thousands of civilians were killed while the robotic threat was being taken down, Captain America, Iron Man and their ilk are now being viewed, in some quarters, as out of control vigilantes who ultimately do more damage than good. As a result, an agreement, the Sokovia Accords, is drafted and set for ratification by the United Nations. It states that the Avengers would be controlled and deployed by them only under certain circumstances. Some of the heroes agree to these restrictions, others don’t.
Certain characters align themselves behind Captain America (Chris Evans), who objects to the constraints this agreement puts on them, while others line up behind Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), whose guilt gets compels him to sign on the bottom line. In addition to the division of the team, there’s also the presence of bad guy Baron Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) who’s trying to track down a missing group of super soldiers and the problem of Cap’s former partner Bucky (Sebastian Stan), who’s blamed for a terrorist attack and must go into hiding as every superhero and law enforcement agency is on his tail. Â
What’s so shocking is how poorly executed the action is in the first half of the movie. Jumpy and erratic, the Russos employ hand-held cameras, which, coupled with their rapid editing, makes for sloppy, confusing sequences, a surprise considering how well done similar moments in Winter Soldier were. Thankfully, the siblings right themselves in the second half and stage an extended, 15-minute superhero throw down for the ages, one that masterfully blends a sense of wonder and humor with well-choreographed action that results in a thrilling, fun piece of pop cinema that will be hard to top.
It’s during this moment that the movie regains its footing, effectively combining the light and dark natures of these films which has become a Marvel trademark. This is due in no small part to the inclusion of two new characters, Spider-Man (Tom Holland) and Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman). The former brings a much needed sense of levity to the proceedings, and the scenes between the young actor and Downey Jr. contain a sense of energy and so much witty banter that I can’t wait to see them reunited in the web-slinger’s next solo feature. As for Boseman, he provides his character a sense of regal grace, giving him a degree of gravitas and honor that separates him from the other heroes.
Yes, Civil War is a bit of a mess but that’s only because Marvel’s grand ambitions may have finally caught up to it. There’s far too much going on to provide viewers with a narrative through-line they can become emotionally invested in. One of the strong suits where these films are concerned has been their concentration on character development and interaction. While some of that occurs here, it gets lost amongst the poorly rendered tumult. What this portends for the next two Avengers films (also directed by the Russos), which will reportedly have nearly 70 different characters from the Marvel universe, is anyone’s guess. Â
Contact Chuck Koplinski at ckoplinski@usd116.org.
This article appears in May 5-11, 2016.
