CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR  3.5***

          This is the basic storyline: With many people fearing the actions of the super heroes (the collateral destruction and death caused by them) the world governments decide to push for the Anti-Hero Act, a law that would limit and control the heroes actions. This causes a division among The Avengers. Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr) stands with the Act, acknowledging their actions should be kept in check otherwise  more cities and innocent civilians will continue to be destroyed/killed. Captain America (Chris Evans) feels that saving the world is daring enough and they cannot rely on the government to protect the world. This escalates into a war between Team Iron Man( Iron Man (Robert Downey), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), Vision (Paul Bettany), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), War Machine (Don Cheadle), and Spiderman (Tom Holland)  ) and Team Captain America ( Captain America (Chris Evans), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Falcon (AnthonyMackie), Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp), Scarlett Witch ( Elizabeth Olson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Ant Man (Paul Rudd)  ) … now that’s one heck of a cast ( and I personally think they should have given MORE screen time to Scarlett Johansson.. but I always say that about her !!)

Marvel has always had a great knack for handling multiple characters and preserving their individuality while keeping them in sync with the plot, and it doesn't disappoint this time. New character introductions were hinted in the trailer  what with Black Panther and Spiderman joining The Avengers for the first time.. What is impressive is they give each character his/her own space while still building up on the story. A lot of conflict, both emotional and physical can be seen between the  two teams, each member struggling in his/her own way about facing someone who until quite recently was fighting with them side by side.

The movie not only has great writing, but it also has the awesome action we saw in the last Captain America film, but cranked up  many times over. There are several  great action scenes in this film, but the ones that stick out the most are the car chase scene, and of course, the big fight between Captain America and his gang, and Iron Man and his gang. The latter is a fantastic scene, all of the superheroes using their specific powers against each other, while occasionally another would chime in to help someone else out in a fight, and so on and so on. But it's handled with such grace that it never becomes excessive or confusing. Even with all the superhero action going on all at once, moving from one battle to the next, they still find time to put genuinely hilarious moments in all of this.  

Bold, bright, brash and brilliant, 'Captain America: Civil War' stands up alongside Marvel's other movies, and  many have said it's the best yet. I'd say it depends on what you're looking for. The joy of the Marvel movies is that they each tend to have something different. . Suffice to say it's faults are few and far between, it maintains a large cast without short changing anyone, and there are no plot holes. Chris Evans remains as perhaps the best piece of casting in the superhero genre, with new additions Spiderman ( Tom Holland) and Black Panther ( Chad Boseman) each owning the screen  as a nervy kid and moody warrior respectively.  

Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence, action and mayhem. ( But kids over 6 to 8 can handle it )

Clark