When it comes to superhero culture, can there be too much of a good thing? That’s the conundrum facing the purveyors of the shared-universe paradigm… They obviously think that there can’t — hence the 146 minutes!!

 

Civil War’s a remarkably coherent and tightly focused affair that by virtue of clarity and concision, manages to keep all its ducks in a row while providing both the movies billed, i.e. the sequel to Winter Soldier and the Avengers’ civil war, AND providing lucid and substantive introductions to new characters. (here we have a superhero movie that gathers no fewer than fifteen heroes and villains in roles that amount to considerably more than cameos, but it does so with both style and coherence). This is akin to a triple somersault, but if you can’t stick the landing , the audience won’t care. And the Russo brothers do pull it off….

You get a James Bondian film-opening action sequence times four (coz 4 avengers) , a centerpiece six-on-six clash of the superheroic titans, and a twist-y this-time-its-personal fight climax, along with enough quips to get you double-checking the credits for a Joss Whedon assist.

 

While I don’t want to give any of the story-line, I will stick to what is already known – Cap vs. Iron….Given both sides of the argument are represented by characters the audience assumes to be sincere and fundamentally decent in nature, the movie could only work if the plot contrived to give weight to both positions. Both characters are moral, both are slaves to their personal bios, and neither particularly wants to fight the other. Yet they do, and that tragic dimension gives the colourful blockbuster some much needed heft. (and prevents it from being a silly fight “over whether the dress is white or blue”)

 

On the minor flipside, the movie’s too damn long and inspite of that there’s a frustrating feeling of incompleteness. But you go in with the expectation that its trying to fit in a lot while at the same time setting up some other movies and you’ll be happy….  (Note: number of times I checked my watch = 0)

In conclusion, Marvel  you’ve given us another Marvel !!

 

Bring on the next  = Avengers: Infinity War—Part 1 and 2

 

 

Saumil Bhanshali