Captain America: Civil War

The Star-Spangled Man is back for his third solo movie. This is Captain America: Civil War, which shares its subtitle and themes with one of Marvel's most infamous comic story-lines. The end result is one of Marvel's best cinematic outings.

Captain America (Chris Evans) and his Avengers thwart the supervillain Crossbones (Frank Grillo) from stealing a bioweapon in Lagos. Crossbones has an explosive surprise for Cap but Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) puts a lid on it. Unfortunately, she accidentally sends it at a nearby building. That incident finally inspires the UN to draw up legislation to regulate our heroes. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is all for it, but Cap is not. The meeting where the legislation is to be ratified goes south when somebody adds a truck bomb. The most high profile casualty is King T'Chaka (John Kani) of the African nation of Wakanda.

Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), the Winter Soldier, is the prime suspect of the incident. Captain America knows of Bucky's brainwashing, so he isn't convinced of his old buddy's guilt. Tony and the UN are convinced. So that leaves the Avengers choosing sides. Meanwhile, Col. Zemo (Daniel Brühl) of Sokovia (site of Age of Ultron's climactic melee) seeks to wreck the Avengers even further. Perhaps T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman), the new king of Wakanda and the superhero Black Panther, can solve it.

Its premise of a superhero brawl and themes of superhero accountability and oversight will make one compare this to Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. It's just like that earlier movie if it was done more coherently. That's because screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely give both sides believable motivations. They have good points to make about their positions. They both believe they're correct while the audience ponders which one "really" is. It isn't conflict for the sake of conflict.

The film's new characters are memorable. Col. Zemo is one of Marvel's best cinematic villains, or maybe the best. He's not a superhuman, but he is dangerously intelligent. All Zemo has to do is make arrangements and watch some fireworks. Black Panther has the most compelling arc; it gets him from a vengeful warrior to a rational bringer of justice. Its most anticipated new character is Spider-Man (Tom Holland), whose wisecracks were welcome and acrobatics were Amazing.

Marvel fans expecting cinematic action and wisecracks will get their money's worth. Captain America: Civil War is a meaningful cinematic showdown that makes its 144 minutes memorable. Its consequences can't be undone with a magic reset button. Our heroes will be back together for the two-part Avengers: Infinity War, so we know they'll reconcile. But how?

Its prerequisite mid-credit and end-credit scenes give screen-time for Black Panther and Spider-Man, both of whom will have Marvel solo movies in the next few years.