Captain America: Civil War (2016) review

Sometimes it’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly a decade since the release of the first Marvel Cinematic Universe film, Iron Man, back in 2008. At that time, no one ever figured that this franchise would evolve into what it is today. After all, there had never been anything like the Marvel Cinematic Universe up to that point. And yet 8 years later, here we are… two whole phases into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with 12 films, 4 TV shows, and much more on the way. Marvel Studios has pretty much established itself as the most prolific force in the superhero genre, so much so that pretty much every other studio has been trying to emulate their success. And sure, the studio has faced some criticism over the years. There are some who argue that their films are ‘all the same’, even though in reality Marvel has actually covered quite a few different genres over the years from heist films to 70’s spy thrillers. And of course, there’s that damn superhero fatigue argument as well as the fact that some people actually think these films are ‘ruining’ the film industry, namely the fact that other studios have tried to use the ‘cinematic universe’ formula with non-superhero franchises. But here’s the thing… it’s not like Marvel was directly responsible for other studios implementing this formula into other franchises. All they’ve been doing is just continuing to produce quality films/TV shows. And now that the infamous Creative Committee that was responsible for incidents like Edgar Wright’s departure from Ant-Man is no more, clearly it looks like things are going to continue to run smoothly for what is easily one of the most critically and commercially successful franchises out there today.

I apologize if that last part went a bit too far into rant territory. Anyone who knows me knows I can get rather irritated when that fatigue argument comes into play. Anyway, kicking off Phase III of the MCU is Captain America: Civil War. Captain America: The Winter Soldier directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who prior to Winter Soldier had only been known for comedies, return to helm the final installment of the Captain America trilogy. And as some of you might have already guessed from the title, this particular entry takes inspiration from one of the most notable, and in most cases infamous, Marvel storylines of the past decade, Civil War. Written by Mark Millar (Kick-Ass, Kingsman: The Secret Service), this seven-part series saw the heroes of the Marvel Universe split between those who supported and those who were opposed to a new government act intent on regulating superhero activity in the wake of increasingly catastrophic superhero-related incidents. Specifically, this storyline saw Captain America, an opponent of the act, face off against Iron Man, who to the surprise of many supported the act, with each leading their own ‘team’ to combat the other. This new film follows a similar plotline but bases it within the overall context of the MCU’s lore and, as a result, doesn’t feature all of the characters that were in the original storyline. In other words, no X-Men and no Fantastic Four because they’re still over at Fox. And without having read the original series, it seems as if this version is a much more toned down affair compared to the comics. But given the generally polarizing nature of the original story, that might be for the better. Because yet again the Russos deliver another action-packed and character-driven superhero epic that pulls a lot of changes in regards to what will happen next for the MCU and its heroes.  

Captain America: Civil War opens up about a year after the events of Age of Ultron. During this time, it is established that public opinion towards the Avengers has started to wane in the wake of the countless international incidents that they have been involved in. And unfortunately the situation only proceeds to get worse for the team when a mission in Lagos, Nigeria ends up causing even more collateral damage. This immediately leads the United Nations into setting up the ‘Sokovia Accords’, a new act that would put the group under the control of an international governing body. This proves to be a very polarizing point of debate amongst the group’s members. Specifically, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) AKA Captain America opposes it on the grounds that it hinders their ‘freedom’ while Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) AKA Iron Man supports it due to him taking responsibility for having started the whole ordeal with Ultron. The situation becomes even more complicated when Cap’s best friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), who following his supposed death in 1945 was revived and brainwashed into being the Hydra assassin known as the ‘Winter Soldier’, is suspected of bombing a peace conference. As Cap tries to protect his friend, who claims that he wasn’t responsible for the bombing, the Avengers soon find themselves on opposite sides of ‘the law’. On Cap’s side there’s Bucky, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) AKA Falcon, Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) AKA Scarlet Witch, Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) AKA Hawkeye, and ‘new recruit’ Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) AKA Ant-Man. On Iron Man’s side there’s Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) AKA Black Widow, Vision (Paul Bettany), James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) AKA War Machine, Wakanda prince T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) AKA Black Panther, and ‘new recruit’ Peter Parker (Tom Holland) AKA Spider-Man.   

For the record, this is not a straight-up adaptation of Civil War, which is probably a good thing considering the storyline’s generally polarizing reception. As someone who hasn’t read that storyline, it seems as if the film takes on a less extreme atmosphere than the comics. Obviously the conflict between the Avengers is still there but in the comics, Iron Man apparently took on an extremely authoritarian role in order to hunt down anyone opposed to the registration act. Thankfully that’s not the case here. Despite what it may seem, Iron Man is not the ‘villain’ of the film and neither are the other members of his ‘team’. And that’s the cool thing about this story; the Avengers aren’t the ‘bad guys’ in this situation and yet it’s still interesting to watch them get into one hell of a moral debate over everything that’s happened since they’ve made themselves public to the world. Not only that, but both sides actually do have valid points to stand on instead of it seeming like the writers are favoring one ‘team’ over the other. Obviously that means that there are quite a lot of scenes where the protagonists talk with one another, perhaps more so than there are action sequences. However, the film is still a fun ride throughout and sports some particularly epic action sequences, once again highlighting the Russos’ talent for directing action with this film giving them the added benefit of having more characters to work with. Interestingly enough, while this did seem like it would be the most serious MCU film to date, it still maintains the generally light-hearted nature of the franchise in general. In other words, the franchise’s trademark humor is still there in droves, and I’m aware that this will turn some people off as there have been some who have been critical towards the MCU films for relying a lot on humor. However, I’ve never seen it as a problem with these films as there are plenty of great and emotional character moments in this film that are effectively balanced with legitimately funny bits of dialogue, mostly coming from the interactions between the characters. 

In the months leading up to the film’s release, there was some discussion over why the film was still being deemed as a Captain America story considering that almost all of the other main superheroes in the MCU (save for Hulk and Thor who, spoilers, are not in this film whatsoever) were in it as well. For those people, it seemed like Avengers 2.5 was a more fitting title. And yet, somehow, the Russos actually managed to make it all work. At the end of the day, Captain America IS the main character of the story. A lot of the plot revolves around him trying to protect his pal Bucky which of course brings him into a major conflict with Iron Man, something that has of course been previously teased in the Avengers films as a result of their numerous ‘squabbles’ with one another. Aside from Iron Man, pretty much every other ‘Avenger’ in the film is in a supporting role. But that’s totally fine because, just like what Joss Whedon did with the Avengers films, the Russos manage to give every major hero/heroine his/her own moment to shine. Also, similar to The Winter Soldier, this film actually does manage to get by without having a major ‘villain’, as the focus is more on the protagonists and their conflict with each other. With that said, this film does have a ‘villain’, Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) and, well… he really doesn’t add much to the story. So as far as that common argument that the majority of the MCU’s villains are weak is concerned, nothing here is going to change that for those who make that argument.

13 films in, there’s really no need to say much more about the franchise’s returning players; Evans, Downey Jr., Johansson, Stan, Cheadle, Bettany, Rudd, Renner, Olsen, Mackie, etc. They’re just as great as they’ve always been in these films, with all of them having played their respective roles at least more than once by this point. So moving on from that, this film introduces two new players to the MCU. The first is Black Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman. To put it simply, Black Panther is a badass and Boseman absolutely owns the role, both in terms of the action sequences and the character’s overall gravitas. But of course the most hyped element of this film was the return of everyone’s favorite web-slinger, Spider-Man. After being previously unable to join the franchise due to the fact that his character rights are owned by Sony, the recent deal between Sony and Marvel Studios has finally allowed the web-slinger to join the MCU. Now to be perfectly frank, as someone who did like the Amazing Spider-Man films (yes, even the second one), I was a little disappointed that they decided to reboot the Spider-Man franchise, for the second time in five years for the record, instead of just letting the Amazing series continue but with the added benefit of having Kevin Feige and co. in charge to make sure the franchise runs more smoothly in the wake of the second Amazing film’s mixed critical/commercial response. However, even with that said, I have to admit it… Tom Holland is a frigging excellent Spider-Man. Obviously Holland is the youngest onscreen Spider-Man to date as the new series is intent on focusing more on Peter Parker’s high-school years compared to the previous two series. And Holland absolutely owns it in the role, both in terms of the character’s natural wit and the fact that, at least in this story, he is a legitimate ‘outsider’ to the whole ordeal with the Avengers.

13 for 13 when it comes to ‘well-received’ films; there has yet to be an MCU film that has dropped below the fresh percentile on Rotten Tomatoes. Clearly that’s got to be a record when it comes to film franchises. And rightfully so as Captain America: Civil War is yet another sterling success for Marvel Studios. While the film does take inspiration from the Civil War storyline, it doesn’t strive to be a perfect adaptation, which I think many people will agree is a good thing considering the original storyline didn’t go over too well with everyone. By comparison, the film takes on a less extreme route in terms of its plot but still does a great job in conveying the moralistic conflict that the Avengers end up getting into. You actually do understand where both sides are coming from and neither side is meant to be seen as a ‘villain’ even though they are in opposition with one another. Pair that with some particularly excellent action sequences and plenty of great character moments, especially those involving the newcomers Black Panther and, of course, Spider-Man, and you have one hell of a superhero epic. Whereas Winter Soldier was proof that the Russos could handle an action film of this scale, Civil War is proof that they can handle a massive ensemble cast like this one even though the film is mainly focused on Captain America. And that’s very much a good thing because these guys are set to take over for Joss Whedon as Avengers directors with the upcoming two-parter epic that will be The Avengers: Infinity War. Clearly, that film couldn’t be in better hands.

Rating: 5/5!

The Judge (2014) review

About a month ago, I reviewed ‘This is Where I Leave You’, and I noted in that review that the film was a change of pace for director for Shawn Levy, a director who has primarily been known for comedies. The same can be said about ‘The Judge’ in how it’s a far different film than what director David Dobkin usually makes. Dobkin’s directorial career (not counting some of the movies he’s produced/co-written like ‘Jack the Giant Slayer’) has been entirely defined by comedies with his most famous film being the 2005 comedy ‘Wedding Crashers’. ‘The Judge’ is Dobkin’s first drama (as a director) and it has a pretty nice ensemble cast that is headlined by not one, but two Roberts in Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall. But at the moment, ‘The Judge’ is currently receiving mixed reviews from critics. And while it’s true that this film is not really the best film to come out this year, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad film… not at all. Sure, it has some flaws but it does manage to be pretty entertaining and at times it really does get to you on an emotional level. It seems like the filmmakers were trying to make a movie that would be a real ‘crowd pleaser’ and if you ask me, I think that they did succeed in that regard.

Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.) is a hot-shot lawyer who is regarded as being one of the best defense attorneys in Chicago. On the day of his latest trial, Hank gets a call from his brother who tells him that their mother has just died. Though rather reluctant to return to his hometown, he does return home to Carlinville, Indiana, where he reunites with his brothers Glen (Vincent D’Onofrio) and Dale (Jeremy Strong) and their father Joseph (Robert Duvall), the town’s local judge with whom Hank has had a difficult relationship with for years. Just a few days after the funeral, Joseph ends up being accused of a hit and run. Also, the victim just so happens to be a former delinquent who he had given a ‘lenient sentence’ years before, which then resulted in the man killing his girlfriend after his sentence was up. With his father’s reputation on the line, Hank ends up becoming his lawyer in court against prosecutor Dwight Dickham (Billy Bob Thornton), who is determined to make sure that Joseph ends up behind bars, leaving Hank in a tough position as he tries to prove that his father is not a murderer.

‘The Judge’ admittedly can be rather predictable at times in terms of where the story is heading. That and the film might just be a bit too overstuffed with characters, as some don’t really get enough character development due to the fact that the film focuses more on the relationship between Hank and Joseph. Still, the movie does manage to be pretty entertaining despite those two issues. While it is primarily a drama, there are quite a few comedic lines (which isn’t that surprising given Dobkin’s experience in comedy) thrown in which do lighten the mood at just the right moments. The film is also incredibly well-shot, with excellent cinematography work by Steven Spielberg’s go-to cinematographer, Janusz Kaminski. It could be argued that the film sometimes tries a bit too hard to elicit an emotional response from the audience as it tugs on the heartstrings. It may be true at times, but other times the film does have some genuinely effective emotional moments, particularly between Hank and Joseph. We see how strained their relationship has become, as it is revealed that Hank was a bit of a troublemaker when he was younger. This resulted in Joseph being hard on him but as he puts it, ‘he did what he thought was right’ and really he was right as it meant that Hank was able to turn his life around and become the successful lawyer that he is today.

The film’s biggest strength is easily its cast. Robert Downey Jr. is… well, Robert Downey Jr. He’s one of the best actors currently working today and films like this prove that he can do great in roles other than Iron Man. There is a little bit of the same snarkiness of Tony Stark in the character of Hank but not as much. It’s a much more subdued character but also one with a chip on his shoulder given his past and his relationship with his father and Downey Jr. handles the role perfectly. Speaking of his father, Duvall is also fantastic here as well. The character does come off as a grouchy old man most of the time but other times you do sympathize with him, particularly in scenes where he begins to show his age, like to the point where he even forgets the name of the bailiff who he has worked with for 20 years. The best scenes in the movie are when Downey Jr. and Duvall are on-screen together as they really work off each other incredibly well. But they are backed up by a rock-solid supporting cast as well, including D’Onofrio, Thornton, Dax Shepard as the lawyer that Joseph first hires to defend him in court, and Vera Farmiga as Hank’s former girlfriend from High School.

Robert Downey Jr. has been quoted as saying that ‘The Judge’ is an ‘Audience Movie’ and in the end that perfectly defines this movie. Right now, it’s getting fairly mixed reviews from critics so it probably won’t get any major buzz during awards season. But that’s okay because the film isn’t really trying to be something it’s not. It’s just a nice simple drama that manages to be entertaining. Sure, it’s rather predictable at times. Sure, it’s a little too overlong and overstuffed. Sure, it probably tries a bit too hard at times to tug at the heartstrings. But really, I didn’t mind about this that much. Despite the occasional predictability of the script and the two and a half hour runtime, I was still engrossed in the story and there were some truly effective emotional moments, namely between Hank and his father. Really, whenever Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall are on-screen together, that is where the movie really shines. I’m not saying ‘The Judge’ is the best movie that I’ve seen this year but at the same time I don’t think it’s a ‘bad’ movie. It’s a ‘crowd-pleaser’ and those are exactly the kind of movies that I love to watch. In other words, ‘The Judge’ may not be an Oscar-worthy film but it’s worth checking out, primarily for the performances from its two leads.

Rating: 4/5