After a mission in Lagos causes collateral damage, the Avengers are called to the carpet by Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt), who demands that they come under United Nations control. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is gung-ho for it, but the others have their doubts, especially Steve Rogers (Chris Evans). Things grow thornier when Rogers' friend-turned-villain Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) returns, implicated in the assassination of an African statesman. This development throws the Avengers into turmoil, forcing them to pick sides in a super-showdown.
Civil War is an awkward mashing of Winter Soldier's thriller approach and Age of Ultron's arbitrary ensemble action. The Russos, and writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, try giving each of their ever-growing cast a small arc, or at least motivation for the coming rumble. While Rogers' experiences in Winter Soldier make his disillusionment credible, the movie never really sells us on Stark's move from hands-off corporate hero to well-meaning authoritarian. Other characters fear even worse: Scarlet Witch's (Elizabeth Olsen) displacement amounts to free-floating angst, while Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) switches sides at a key moment without explanation.
Perhaps this movie represents the point at which the Marvel Cinematic Universe finally reaches the breaking point. While Thor and the Hulk are conspicuously absent, the additions of Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Spider-Man (Tom Holland) more than compensate. Boseman makes a charismatic cipher while Holland's nebbish fanboy act gets old fast. Let alone Bucky, who continues agonizing over his lingering brainwashing without making us care. His presence in the movie provides a hook for the inevitable confrontation, but little more.
In addition, there's Daniel Bruhl as a villain seeking revenge on our heroes for nefarious, but vague reasons. His scenes eat up screen time in an already overstuffed film. Plus William Hurt, erstwhile Hulk nemesis, who spends a few scenes yelling at our heroes. Anthony Mackie, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd, Paul Bettany and Don Cheadle all pop in long enough to remind you they're still around. It really strains our enjoyment when half the 147 minute run time is spent namechecking everyone we've been introduced to in previous films. Though Civil War makes a stab at topical relevance, unsubtly comparing its superheroes to drone warfare, it's lost amidst the plot machinations.
The best that can be said about Civil War is that it delivers on excellent action. The Russos deliver an excellent chase-fight as the movie's opener, and keeps the movie's action at the same brisk clip. The fight scenes are well-choreographed and thrilling, culminating in the inevitable Avenger rumble. Our heroes are evenly matched enough that the fighting, for all its size-morphing, truck-throwing, web-slinging and psychic-zapping dimensions, generates solid suspense. As does Tony and Steve's final brawl, where films' worth of pent-up resentment streams out in the series' most brutal set piece to date.
I thought the original Avengers was a hell of a good time, doing the seemingly-impossible task of meshing a half-dozen heroes into a coherent, enjoyable movie. Each time the gang gets back together, however, it does so with diminishing returns. There's too much going on in Civil War to really hold our attention, even with its slick direction and impressive action. Sadly, there's at least another decade's worth of Marvel flicks to go.