Yeah I agree. It was great
No it wasn't just great... it was f***ing awesome. It was more awesome than it had any right to be. And it highlights the fact that Marvel Studios know what the hell they're doing, unlike another studio making comicbook movies that I can name. *cough* DC/Warner *cough*
So let me get to it as to why I think this film is Marvel's best.
PLUS
The Russo Brothers – So, the brothers have knocked it out of the park yet again. After the stellar job they did directing Winter Soldier, I was ready to put my faith in them for whatever plans they had next for Cap. Even if the next movie was an adaptation of a storyline I found to be questionable. Actually, I won't mince words, I hated the
Civil War comic. It ranks up there with some of worst crossover stories Marvel has done. That said, the Russo's do a masterful job of taking the central idea of CW and improving on it for the big screen. Despite the numerous characters, storylines, and other plot points the movie throws at us, the film never loses focus and is always on point. Along with the Russo's penchant for frenetic action and nail biting suspense, the movie's pacing is relentless and 2 and half hours seem to fly by in a flash. So kudos to the brothers again for a job well done, and proving to us that they are the right pair of filmmakers to helm the MCU ship. I look forward to what they have planned for Infinity War.
Chris Evans – With the number of heroes onscreen, you'd be forgiven for thinking this is another Avengers flick. Make no mistake though, this is Cap's film and Chris Evans once again does an excellent job portraying him. Aside from showing Cap's physicality like that of a human wrecking ball, what's always impressed me of Evan's take on Steve Rogers is how genuine and unforced he portrays the character's innate goodness and decency. In a world of grey and grey morality, Evan's Cap is still the paragon of morality. But what's great about the movie is that it shows it may not necessarily be a good thing at times.
Robert Downey Jr - Despite this being a Cap film, in reality Evan's shares co lead status with Robert Downey Jr. And man, does RDJ really deliver a great performance here in his 6th go as Tony Stark. It seems the universe really has a hard on for crapping on Tony Stark's life, and Downey really makes you feel the guy has the weight of the world on his shoulders. The witty quips are still there, but they're just a mask as always for the pain Stark feels, especially when he has to make the hard choices. Unlike in the Civil War comic though, where at times Tony acted like an unrepentant a**hole, RDJ makes you sympathize with Tony's reasons for supporting the Sokovia Accords. And when he finally loses it in the film's climax after learning what really happened to his parents, you completely understand the rage he feels.
Loads of Characters – Having a number of superheroes appear in one movie is always tricky. There's a chance that some of them may appear to be nothing more than deadweight when the film's focus is only on a few. Thankfully it's not the case here, as the Russo's deft direction gives each of our heroes a chance to shine. Vision,Wanda, Black Widow, Falcon, Bucky etc. Each of them has something to contribute to the overall plot and their motivations as to why they choose their side in the conflict. Still, there are exceptions who stand out from the rest. Patricularly...
Black Panther – Now that's T'Challa alright. Chadwick Boseman is awesome as the King of Wakanda. He has a regal air about him that nonetheless gives way to blind rage (especially since his father King T'Chaka is killed early on in the film). And it's definitely unwise to make him angry at you, as they portray him as a fierce and agile fighter who is more than capable of matching Cap in a fight. The ending though, shows the Panther is not a man without reason, as he makes the choice that resolves much of the conflict. So yeah, Black Panther was great here, and has me hyped for his upcoming solo film. And speaking of upcoming solo films...
Spider-Man – After five movies under Sony Pictures, I was a little burnt out on Spidey (though I'll admit his brief cameo in the last trailer was cool). But damn, leave it to the Russo's to breath new life in the character and make him exciting and fresh once more. And all credit to Kevin Feige and company for casting Tom Holland as Peter Parker. The guy looks and acts like an unassuming nerd that you'd never imagine him as a superhero. Holland takes the best from both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's performances and make's it his own. And that's not mentioning how the Russo's filmed Spidey in action, which is incredible to see. I agree with what most critics have said, this is the best portrayal of the character to ever appear in the movies. And like Black Panther, I look forward for his new movie in the MCU.
Zemo – Okay, let's get this out of the way. Daniel Bruhl's Zemo is not the character from the comic. Now normally I'd find that a problem, as I was big fan of Baron Zemo in the Avengers Earth's Mightiest Heroes cartoon. Despite that, I think Zemo here is pretty interesting and a fresh take. He's not a supervillain, but a grim and determined soldier who goes to great lengths to achieve his ends. And while he does some pretty despicable things, in the end you find he has some reasonable grievances against Cap and the Avengers. And the great part is, he wins.
Reality Check – A tragic incident in Nigeria involving Cap & friends early on in the film is what spurs the need for superhero registration. And it's pretty understandable, given that they shows us that the collateral damage in previous MCU movies was far worse than we thought. Despite their heroic efforts, innocent lives have died while the Avengers have been trying the save the world. And it's pretty ballsy for the film to show that having superbeings roaming around our world may not be a pretty picture as we thought. The MCU is not a safe place by any means.
Conflict – Vison has a nice speech early in the film about how existence of superbeings seems to invite conflict, and how that conflict often leads to catastrophe. And the results are pretty catastrophic here. No one comes out unscathed as both sides clash either on Cap or Iron Man's side. What makes the conflict so good and interesting, is that both sides have reasonable justifications. Unlike in the comic, where Iron Man's pro registration stance is portrayed as moronic, leading many fans supporting Cap's side. Here it's not so black and white, but shades of grey, which is a better mine for drama.
Action – As they proved in Winter Soldier, the Russo Brothers are pretty great when it comes to filming comicbook violence. Here they take it to another level, mixing Bourne style fisticuffs with some outlandish superpowers. The best example being the battle in the Liepzeig Airport, where all the heroes are given a chance to showcase their unique abilities. The showstopper being Paul Rudd's Ant-Man having a gigantic splash (pun intended).
MINUS
Honestly, I'm having a hard time trying the think of any flaws the film might have. I'm pretty sure there are some, but most of it was so good that it's going to take me awhile before I can nitpick on the not so good stuff. But for now, the worst I can say is... Marisa Tomei is too hot to play Aunt May?
But yeah, bring on the rest of Marvel Films Phase 3 if
Civil War is any indication.