Thursday 5 May 2016

Movie Review - Captain America Civil War: Marvel's Latest Benchmark-setting Masterstroke



The most surprising thing about this latest installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is not how successfully it juggles a huge ensemble cast of heroes. Neither is it in how it feels relevant and timely to real-world politics. The biggest surprise is how Captain America Civil War, with its epic scope and superhero battles, is the most intimate and affecting of their movies so far.

Yes, the set up is on a grand, international political scale: Captain America (Chris Evans) continues to lead the Avengers against powerful threats, but when a mission ends in tragic loss of life there are calls for the team to submit to UN oversight. The film takes in America, Europe, Africa. There are some weighty political ideas underpinning all this: is power without impunity right? But should the ability to react to a threat be without limitations?

But for each character in this film, the decision whether or not they fall in line and submit to these 'Accords' us not a simple political one; in fact several of them make their choices from purely emotional perspectives. Take Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) - with the consequences of his actions in the films leading up to this weighing heavily on his conscience (and impacting on his personal relationships), it is easy to understand why he would be calling for the Avengers to submit to the Accords.

Team Cap are ready to fight...

On the other hand, Steve Rogers, whose moral ideals were shaped growing up in the simpler times before WW2, has struggled to find a place in a world of political espionage and intrigue; just look what happened to SHIELD. When he argues that, if the UN doesn't agree with the Avengers taking action when they deem it necessary, their hands are tied - especially if it's the other way round.

Straightaway there are so many nuances and shades of grey to the set up - both points of view are absolutely correct. When the issue is clouded further by the reemergence of Rogers' long lost friend Bucky, now brain-washed super-assassin The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) in the midst of a terrorist atrocity, the emotions behind Stark's and Cap's choices are key to igniting - and sustaining - the civil conflict that follows.

With the main character's motivations so well defined, you'd be forgiven or thinking that the cast of supporting 'Supers' are just there to make up numbers, that they're relegated to the background, with no plot or character development of their own.  Well, you'd be wrong - in this film every member of the Avengers, every character that pops up to aid either Cap or Stark, go on their own journey.  Some are greater, and have more weight than others - but at no point does any of the characters feel wasted or under-developed.  And considering this film introduces two significant new characters to the MCU - Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Spiderman (Tom Holland), that is a genuine achievement -compounded by the fact that both of these characters are handled outstandingly well.  Black Panther is given the greater arc of character development, and Boseman is assured in the role, giving T'Challa an understated yet palpable sense of regalness, humility, grief, and righteous rage.  By the end of the film such is the journey his character takes, and such is the effectiveness with which he is portrayed, that if this was to be his only film appearance, only the most die-hard Black Panther fan would feel unsatisfied with the portrayal.  (Thankfully, it won't be and his forthcoming solo film is an even more enticing prospect after watching him in this one.)

The introduction of Black Panther (Boseman) to the MCU is handled exceptionally well in this film.

And then there's Spiderman; I welled up and shed a tear at four points during this film, and one of those moments was his introductory scene, where we meet a teenage Peter Parker and his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei).  This scene is so perfectly, beautifully handled, that it is easy to forget that this is the third incarnation of the character; without regurgitating the same lines - the famous ones - everything that he says communicates everything you'd hope to see, expect from the character. You know exactly what he has been through to become Spiderman without him mentioning Uncle Ben, or the responsibility that comes with etc etc.  Then when we see him in action, he brings such joy and humour to the movie - not that it is something the film needs - but it feels completely on point for the character.  If they continue to portray Spiderman as effectively as this film has, then Holland's portrayal may end up being considered the definitive one.

...as is the introduction of a certain wall-crawling, web-slinging hero...

I mentioned this film brought me to tears - as I said, despite the political context that brings about the narrative, despite the action (that, once again, sets new benchmarks for the depiction of superheroes on film - especially during the spectacular Airport confrontation), I wasn't prepared for how emotional this film is.  Grief, guilt, anger, revenge - all play a part in the motivations that lead to the events of the narrative.  Because of this, there are no clear right or wrong decisions - some actions are more defensible than others, but all are understandable from different points of views.  Even the villain, Zemo (Daniel Brühl), eschews the stereotypical mustache-twirling or psychopathic megalomania that these type of films usually portray.  His quiet, unthreatening portrayal admittedly is at risk of getting lost in the bombast of the film's action - but is central to the movie's most devastating scene as it draws to a close.

Apart from a couple of plot points that feel a little convenient, rushed maybe; and the occasional wobbly bit of digital compositing; this film is blockbuster movie making at its most effective and exciting.  Directors the Russo Brothers bring the same feel of veracity they brought to 'The Winder Soldier's' action scenes, and handle the massive cast with such assurance that it's easy to forget just how miraculous it felt when Whedon pulled off putting 6 superheroes in 'Avengers Assemble'.  With its story that feels pertinent to real-world global politics; nuanced handling of complex issues, morality and emotions; and confident top-tier film-making, Marvel once again raises the bar of what is possible with not just Comic Book movies, but action-blockbusters too.  It is hard to see how they, or any other studio, will match their achievement with this 'Civil War'.