Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Emily VanCamp, Tom Holland, Daniel Brühl, Frank Grillo, William Hurt, Martin Freeman, Marisa Tomei, John Kani, John Slattery, Hope Davis, Alfre Woodard, Gene Farber, Stan Lee.
The world hangs in a deadly balance, the world’s mightiest heroes are being reined in by their own kind and their friends and divisions and sides are being forged and broken; the world is used to such fun and games, countries routinely flip in their pursuit of self interest and government greed but to do this to those charged with protecting the planet, it all gets very murky indeed.
By their very existence, large ensemble pieces pull in the very best of each actor’s ability and dedication to the cause; this is perhaps doubly so in big screen graphic novel adaption where time is limited but the story has to be told. Captain America: Civil War is no different, it has to showcase the character’s abilities, even introduce new individuals to the fight if progression is to be made going into the next series of films.
This though truly is a film where both Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. bring all their acting supremacy to the very heart of the audience’s attention, and whilst actors such as Scarlett Johannsson, Chadwick Boseman and Daniel Brühl leave their considerable mark on the film as a whole, Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. toe to toe fighting, the seriousness of their division and the brother’s in battle scared by their actions, excel and bring out the very best of graphic novels turned film.
Much has been made of a certain web slinger’s return to the Marvel fold and for many the appearance of Spider Man in Captain America: Civil War is to be seen as a triumph, an accomplishment of compromise and civility over hard edged business and jealous guarding stock brokering. It still feels awkward to know that once again and for third time in little over a decade the role has been fished out to suit the executives; to bring new life to arguably one of the biggest roles in comic book history. That said, British actor Tom Holland brings out the best in the Spider suit and his rapport with Chris Evan’s Captain America is to be enjoyed fully.
It is in the fight scenes that such films are made and Captain America: Civil War has possibly the finest of them yet, not once but a multitude in which to keep the fans entertained and feel the testosterone flowing for the entire 150 minutes.
A phenomenal film, action packed, philosophical, powerful and packs hundreds of punches, not all of them physical, it is to be seen if it is the graphic novel adaptation of the year but it certainly rides very high; gracious under pressure, a social questioning of how society works, Captain America: Civil War is extra special.
Ian D. Hall