PR in the Philippines

(SeaPRwire) –   Back in 2016, critics often knocked Captain America: Civil War by arguing it was basically just another Avengers film. For die-hard Captain America fans, this was also a source of frustration: Chris Evans’ Star-Spangled Man had already fronted two strong team-up movies with the Avengers, but his standalone trilogy had its own distinct vibe—at least, until it was time to wrap up the series.

In 2016, no one could have guessed that Civil War marked the start of the end—ending Marvel’s unrivaled dominance, the Avengers’ close-knit bond, and Steve Rogers as a character with consistent logic. It was the first key step toward Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, which permanently split the team and (depending on your perspective) did the worst possible disservice to Steve’s character. After Endgame, his “Man Out of Time” title gained a new layer: he’d never lead another solo movie or properly wrap up his story outside of a large ensemble production.

That unfulfilled potential is part of why Civil War feels even more meaningful today. Admittedly, the Avengers were already taking over the screen—Civil War acts as a semi-origin story for two major heroes—and Tony Stark’s moody, overbearing nature only makes it feel less like a Captain America film. But considering what came later, it’s amazing that such a busy film ended up feeling… genuinely epic.

If any Marvel arc had to merge into the Avengers universe, the Captain America trilogy was the perfect choice. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo had just shown their talent for tight, team-focused stories with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, making them ideal for a new type of Avengers film. The witty, snarky banter of Joss Whedon’s original Avengers and Age of Ultron wouldn’t work with a threat like Thanos looming. It was time to get serious, and who better to lead that shift than the directors who’d saved Steve from Whedon’s unflattering portrayal? (The Captain America in Whedon’s Avengers films is #NotMyCap, and always will be!)

At the end of the day, Civil War’s success comes from its pervasive sense of unease. The Avengers were a ticking time bomb from the moment Steve first told them to assemble—even though they competently saved the world from an alien attack, Civil War finally poses the question: have they made the world worse since then? Ultron’s (James Spader) creation naturally sparks this question, but it’s also the final straw for a team that’s been falling apart for a while.

The Sokovia Accords—named for the city Ultron turned into a falling meteor—set Steve and his allies against Tony, who’s driven by misplaced guilt and unresolved grief over his parents. Then there’s Steve’s ongoing hunt for his childhood best friend, Bucky (Sebastian Stan). There’s the cunning Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl), a Sokovia survivor out to avenge his family by splitting the Avengers apart. There’s Wakanda’s prince, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), who’s also seeking revenge for his father’s murder. And there’s an army of Super Soldiers, similar to Steve and Bucky, ready to destroy the world as we know it.

What’s striking is how little of this actually matters by the end of Civil War. The Russo brothers, working with screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (the pair behind every Captain America film and all Avengers movies after Ultron), throw everything they have at this breaking team. It might seem like overkill, but it’s the only way to justify adding so many future Avengers. When Steve and Bucky go on the run, Tony swears to catch them—but he’s not content with the small group of Avengers already on his side. He brings T’Challa and a 15-year-old Queens crime-fighter, young Peter Parker (Tom Holland), onto his team. They help him in a generic fight at a gray German airport, which was obviously the main reason for this ensemble story—much like the train scene in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning. Looking back, it’s silly, but in the moment, after years of waiting, seeing Black Panther and Spider-Man finally join the Avengers made all the tedious drama worth it.

Civil War is most effective as a collection of moments. Some—like Peter Parker’s debut or the fight between a brainwashed Bucky and T’Challa mid-film—felt like pure wish fulfillment in 2016. Others aren’t as memorable, but they’re better than the decade of bigger mistakes that piled up after Civil War. Even though there’s now more in the MCU to distract us, nothing hits as hard as Steve and Tony’s friendship falling apart did 10 years ago. The fact that Marvel is revisiting this past to build a new future gives Civil War a fresh, interesting perspective. It feels more important now—if not in terms of plot, then in tone. Endgame was Marvel’s boldest move, but the films leading up to it feel like the core statement of this era, and surprisingly, the MCU’s greatest work.

Captain America: Civil War is streaming on Disney+.