Independence Day: Resurgence - Film Review

I was 9 when I first saw Roland Emmerich’s indisputable masterpiece Independence Day. I was immediately smitten by its winning combination of groundbreaking special effects and rollicking alien action, not to mention the cast: Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, a pre-mental breakdown Randy Quaid, a sleepy Bill Pullman and Harry FREAKING Connick, Jr.?! Baby, you got a stew goin'!

My obsession with Independence Day defied all reason and logic. Its gaping plot holes and derivative nature didn’t matter to my 9-year-old brain; I was in love. I was so in love, in fact, that when I finally got the film on VHS, I would wake up at 4 a.m. so I could watch it before I had to go to school. Roland Emmerich’s spectacle-centric sensibilities had never been (and would never be again) so perfectly executed. To this day, the film holds a place in my heart, even as I acknowledge its abundant absurdities.

Now, coming at least 15 years too late, we have a sequel. Independence Day: Resurgence is the latest attempt to bank off a wildly successful product of the 90s. It is just as idiotic as I expected, containing frequently hysterical moments of baffling stupidity, but it lacks the original’s simpler pleasures. It buries itself with nonsensical plotting, a dull new cast and an overabundance of terrible CGI and green screen work. While the original Independence Day will never be lauded for its deep character development or intricate plotting, it gave us characters we could invest in and a straightforward story we could understand. The stakes felt genuine because we had a human connection to them. Resurgence has none of this. Its many plot points are jumbled and senseless; its characters are there to stare and shoot at the CGI mayhem. There isn’t a single moment of genuine excitement to be found in this mess.

20 years have passed since humanity emerged triumphant against a massive alien invasion. But the people of Earth haven’t just been sitting around on their asses over the past two decades. Utilizing the alien technology left behind in the first invasion, they’ve improved their own tenfold, developing more advanced weaponry and transportation in anticipation of future attacks. This unfamiliar setting is only one of Resurgence's many problems. Earth is practically unrecognizable, feeling just as alien as the actual aliens. When the aliens attacked in the original film, the audience had something they could recognize and latch onto. Those provocative images of 15-mile wide spaceships over national landmarks remain unforgettable and provided both scale and a genuine sense of danger. Everything about this fancy new Earth looks like it was created by a special effects team in a computer.

After a hefty chunk of boring exposition which awkwardly explains everything that's changed on Earth in the past 20 years, the aliens finally invade, sporting bigger spaceships, bigger weapons and bigger explosions. Leading the defense is Captain Steven Hiller’s stepson Dylan, played by Jessie T. Usher. Dylan has followed in his stepfather’s footsteps, becoming a combat pilot and is clearly intended to be the Will Smith stand-in. Sadly, Usher exhibits none of the charisma Smith had in spades and it only serves to make the gap left in Smith's absence all the more apparent. The other new leads, Liam Hemsworth and Maika Monroe, don’t fare much better. Hemsworth does everything he can to make his part work, strutting his leading man smile and muscles as often as he can, but he has absolutely nothing to work with; Monroe spends most of her time looking vapid and/or upset. None of them come close to meeting the level of the original cast, which isn't so much their fault as it is the fault of the dreadful screenplay, which was written by no less than FIVE writers, including Emmerich himself, his creative partner Dean Devlin and James Vanderbilt.

Speaking of the original cast, Jeff Goldblum returns with his stumbling, scatterbrained delivery which makes him impossible not to love. Bill Pullman is absolutely hysterical reprising his role as ex-president Thomas Whitmore, whose alien-induced nightmares have turned him into a crazy person with a truly fantastic beard. Other returning cast members, such as Vivica A. Fox and Judd Hirsch, function as nothing more than extended cameos. Even Brent Spiner’s wide-eyed, crazy-haired scientist Dr. Okun is back with a much expanded role. (“But, I thought he died in the first Independence Day,” you say. “Screw you,” says Roland Emmerich.) As Dr. Okun, Spiner is Resurgence’s Jar-Jar Binks, stumbling about and delivering painful one-liners at the most inappropriate times. The rest of the returning cast manages to get through the thing with some semblance of dignity still intact, but Spiner’s performance is just plain embarrassing.

So, while Independence Day: Resurgence is by no means a good film, I’ll give it props for being an unabashed display of overwhelming stupidity. It inspired in me both raucous fits of laughter and bouts of intense bafflement. But by replacing its predecessor’s unpretentious charms with an onslaught of meaningless computer-generated action and convoluted plotting, it loses that film’s sense of simple, goofy fun. You’re laughing at it this time around, not with it, and that makes all the difference.

FINAL RATING: 1.5/5

The Shallows - Film Review

“There just aren’t enough shark movies in the world,” said absolutely no one at any point in the history of life.

Ever since Jaws paved the way for the Summer Blockbuster back in 1975, numerous efforts have been produced in the hopes of replicating its success. You can find most of them in the $2.99 DVD bin at your local Wal-Mart. While the ‘Shark Attack’ genre has certainly been prolific, no one would argue in favor of its quality. In fact, other than Jaws, I don’t know if I could name a single other ‘shark movie’ worth your time. (Sharknado, maybe? Shark Tale? Deep Blue Sea? Does Open Water count?)

Until now!

In the midst of a summer movie season overwhelmed by mediocre sequels comes The Shallows, a thrilling attempt to inject the genre with some honest-to-God credibility and genuine scares. That it manages to succeed on any level is a testament to Jaume Collet-Serra’s talents as a director and Blake Lively’s excellent performance. Sure, the story doesn’t amount to much more than ‘Blake Lively vs. Vindictive Shark,’ but it’s a laser-focused, nail-bitingly effective effort and a more-than-welcome diversion from the big-budget insanity released the same weekend. (And, don’t worry, I plan on seeing Independence Day: Resurgence sometime this holiday weekend, so you should be hearing all about that big-budget insanity relatively soon)

At the film’s start, we meet Nancy (Lively). She’s a med student at a crossroads. Watching her mom succumb to cancer has caused her to question whether or not the medical profession is right for her. She opts for some soul-searching (soul-surfing?) on the beach where her mother first discovered she was pregnant with Nancy years ago.

These opening scenes unfold in a lighthearted, leisurely manner with an emphasis on the beautiful setting. Collet-Serra milks the scenery for all its worth, taking full advantage of the breathtaking images. The dialogue and exposition are a bit clunky; the screenplay does its best to cram as much as it can regarding Nancy’s backstory and family life into the first 15 minutes. It’s clearly designed to help us empathize with Nancy, as the rest of The Shallows is entirely devoted to her desperate attempts to survive, but it can’t help feeling a little too on-the-nose. Nancy’s dad even goes so far as to give her a pep talk that explicitly spells out her character arc. Truthfully, Lively is such a likable personality, Anthony Jaswinski screenplay could have gotten away with scrapping the awkward FaceTime conversations entirely and focused solely on her.

None of this matters, however, once the shark shows up. From that point on, The Shallows grips you tight and doesn’t let go for the remainder of its runtime. Collet-Serra knows just the right ways to make you squirm, whether it’s the unflinching close-ups of Nancy mending a brutal shark bite, or the near-unbearable tension milked any time she goes into the water to fetch a necessary tool. He also fully embraces the inherent ridiculousness of the genre. Deep down, we know no shark would ever behave like this, but who cares? It’s all about the excitement, the thrills, the terror and, most importantly, the fun. The Shallows takes itself just seriously enough to get us on board, but never forgets to wink at the audience to remind us it’s not taking itself too seriously.

But despite Collet-Serra’s impressive technique, Lively is the one who carries The Shallows to victory. For the majority of the movie, she’s the only person on screen and she commands it with ease, balancing the fine line between being frantic and intelligent without becoming annoying. It’s difficult not to root for her, not just because of the grisly fate that awaits her if she doesn’t succeed, but because she evokes genuine audience empathy.

Labeling The Shallows ‘the best shark movie since Jaws’ isn’t much of an honor, considering the competition, but The Shallows is an undoubtedly fun, throwaway experience. Its simplicity is both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness, but the talent both on screen and behind the camera is too strong to deny. If you’re in the mood to see a terrorized Lively kick some ass, now’s your chance.

FINAL RATING: 3.5/5 

Finding Dory - Film Review

I’ll admit, Finding Dory wasn’t on my radar in the slightest. While I enjoyed Finding Nemo, I was never as taken with it as I was with, say, Toy Story or Wall-E. And while Pixar has established itself as one of the most reliable brands in storytelling, even the studio’s staunchest supporters will admit their track record as of late has been sporadic, to say the least (Inside Out notwithstanding). And, let’s face it, is there really a strong need for a Finding Nemo sequel aside from Disney wanting to make more money?

Thankfully, Finding Dory eschews any expectations of mediocrity. It’s consistently delightful, delivering all the charm and humor we’ve come to expect from the studio. Andrew Stanton (writer/director of A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo and Wall-E) has crafted a thoughtful examination on the nature of family and how one can achieve great things, despite whatever physical or mental ailments might stand in the way. It might not be on the level of Finding Nemo, but it’s still a worthy follow up, fitting comfortably in Pixar’s ‘good, not great’ category, which is a pretty solid place to be, all things considered. Fans of the first film should walk away feeling wholly satisfied and then some.

As you no doubt have guessed, this time around the focus is on everyone’s favorite blue tang Dory. Things kick off with a heartbreaking prologue, which right off the bat put to rest any fears I had of this being a shallow sequel. (An ocean reference! Let me see if I can keep this up) In it, we’re introduced to baby Dory and see what her life was like before she ended up on her own and grew up to be Ellen DeGeneres. As a child, Dory’s parents did everything in their power to help her cope with her memory condition. They played games with her and invented fun songs to help her remember important rules about the ocean. For reasons revealed later on, Dory became separated from her family, and though she spent her formative years searching for them, eventually she forgot all about them. Her attempts were fully abandoned when she bumped into Marlin and decided to aid him in his search for his son Nemo. It’s a masterfully crafted introduction, exhibiting all the best storytelling traits that have become synonymous with the Pixar brand.

A year after Nemo was found (spoiler alert), we find Dory living ‘happily ever after’ with both him and Marlin. All is well until her memory is jogged and she starts having flashbacks to her time as a child. She remembers her a family and realizes that, more than anything, she wants to be reunited with them. With the aid of Marlin and Nemo, Dory embarks on an epic quest across the ocean to be reunited with her parents, facing many a trial and tribulation and making plenty of new friends along the way.

If this sounds familiar, that’s probably because it is. Finding Dory follows a similar story structure to that of its predecessor, and never shakes the feeling of treading familiar waters. (Boo-yah! Another one. I am the master) Additionally, its 2nd act is made up of a lot of repetitive incidental happenings –  Dory encounters an obstacle, meets a new friend, finds a solution, and the cycle starts all over again. It’s still plenty of fun, but it’s unquestionably the least involving section of the film, and the story never finds a way to satisfactorily involve Marlin and Nemo or make their subplot in which they try to keep up with Dory more engaging.

But, impressively, the screenplay, co-written by Stanton and Victoria Strouse, does a great job fitting in references to Finding Nemo in an organic way without feeling too bogged down by them. Additionally, a colorful cast of new characters help keep things from getting too stale during this section. There’s a near-sighted whale shark (Kaitlin Olson), a lovable, grumpy octopus (played by the lovable, grumpy Ed O’Neill), and, perhaps my personal favorites, two sea lions who laze about on their rock all day (Idris Elba and Dominic West).

And, of course, we have returning cast members Ellen DeGeneres and Albert Brooks as Dory and Marlin respectively. Brooks still provides Marlin with that charming, panic-first mentality; the character is relatively unchanged from the previous film. It’s DeGeneres who really gets a chance to shine here, as Dory takes the leap from supporting character to fully-formed lead. DeGeneres, who is always a delight, takes full advantage of the opportunity provided here. She instills Dory with all the charm we’ve come to expect, but now there's a level of emotional resonance which makes it far easier to empathize with the character. It's some of DeGeneres's best work.

At the end of the day, it’s the underlying themes that make Finding Dory truly effective. Stanton keeps the heart of the tail (like a fish tail! Sorry, that one was a bit of a stretch…) firmly at the forefront, while still managing to keep things light and fun. Despite its meandering middle section, Finding Dory is a worthy entry in the Pixar catalogue and a fine sequel to a classic animated film. If you have any level of affection for the original, you won’t want to miss this.

FINAL RATING: 4/5

The Lobster - Film Review

It’s been nearly a week since I saw The Lobster, and to be completely honest I’m still not sure how I feel about it.

On the one hand, it is masterfully made. Writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos has a keen visual sense and directs his screenplay, co-written by Efthymis Filippou, with understated confidence. It’s also very funny with consistent laugh-out-loud moments and thoughtful insights on dating and love.

On the other hand, it is a deeply unsettling viewing experience. Its comedy is pitch black, which some may find off-putting, and understandably so. There were moments where I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to laugh or cry. Or both. There were also moments when I could hardly bear to look at the screen.

But in the days since my viewing, The Lobster has stayed with me. It has an undeniable power, and that alone deserves merit. Film fans owe it to themselves to see this remarkable piece of work. General audiences might want to brace themselves for a challenging experience, or just steer clear in general.

In a not-too-distant future with a consistently overcast sky, being single is outlawed. Those without a significant other are taken to a Hotel, where they are instructed to find a mate within 45-days. If their attempts are unsuccessful, they will be turned into an animal of their choosing and sent off to live in the wild.

After his wife left him for another man, David (Colin Farrell) checks into the Hotel with his brother, who failed to find a mate and was turned into a dog. If he fails to find a partner, he desires to be turned into a lobster. When the Hotel manager (the wonderful Olivia Colman) asks him why, he explains they have long life-spans and remain fertile throughout their lives. “I also like the sea very much.”

Farrell is superb here, delivering a performance both subtle and sympathetic, despite his persistent dead-eyed expression. Even when we’re not quite sure what’s going on (the screenplay does an excellent job of withholding information until exactly the right moment), Farrell keeps us involved and invested. The supporting cast, featuring the likes of Ben Whisaw, John C. Reilly, Rachel Weisz and Léa Seydoux, is equally effective.

I won’t spoil specifics, but about halfway through its runtime The Lobster switches gears, abandoning the story of its first half for something new and almost entirely unrelated. It’s not wholly successful in this sudden switch; many ideas set up in the beginning are abandoned for new ones. And while the film’s 2nd half kept me involved despite the introduction of a brand new story and characters, the whole thing can’t help feeling somewhat disjointed. Though I applaud Lanthimos resistance to answering every question presented, allowing the audience to draw their own conclusions, I felt the film might have benefitted from a bit more insight into this world and the reasoning behind turning people into animals.

Another thing I had difficulty with was that The Lobster seems to be an attempt to comment on the concept of relationships, but it’s never clear what it’s trying to say. Are we over-reliant on them? Are we taking them for granted? Is love a positive thing or is it only a byproduct of humanity’s need to procreate? Lanthimos presents plenty of intriguing thoughts, but never fleshes them out in a fully satisfying way.

Perhaps The Lobster merits repeat viewings to unlock all its secrets, but it can’t help feeling slightly pretentious in its purposeful efforts to be bizarre and elusive. Chances are you will either love it or hate it. Despite this, it is an utterly fascinating viewing experience, one which I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who appreciates cinema as an artform.

FINAL RATING: 3.5/5 

X-Men: Apocalypse - Film Review

As we walked into the theater to watch X-Men: Apocalypse, the 5,000th entry in the X-Men film series and the 4th to be directed by Bryan Singer, my friend Richie pointed something out to me:

“How is this movie taking place 10 years after Days of Future Past, but none of the characters look any older? I mean, if Magneto was, like, 12-years-old in 1944 and this film takes place in the 80s, wouldn’t he be 60-years-old now?”

X-Men: Apocalypse never bothers to address this gaping hole in logic. It appears Singer was so enthralled by the idea of an X-Men film taking place in the 80s he forgot to offer any justification or reasoning for it. With the exception of some fashion styles and pop culture references, the decision to place the film in the decade is totally arbitrary. All style, no substance.

That’s probably the best way to describe X-Men: Apocalypse as a whole. Singer has traded the emotional subtext of his earlier entries for flashy superpowers and explosions. (I feel like he’s still desperate to prove he can make BIG summer movies after his 2006 film Superman Returns was chastised for containing so little action) And while the film is nowhere near as bad as the worst this series has to offer (I’m looking at you, X-Men: The Last Stand), and not even particularly bad in general, it is easily Singer’s least engaging entry to date.

Perhaps the biggest issue is an overstuffed script lacking in nuance. Singer developed the story with past collaborators Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris, who co-wrote X-Men 2 and Superman Returns, and Simon Kinberg, who penned Apocalypse’s screenplay. Within the film’s first 20-minutes, we’ve hopped all over the globe and been introduced to multiple characters, some familiar and some new. Nothing is given any room to breathe and the sheer amount we’re expected to invest in without any context weighs down any attempts at effective storytelling. It’s so focused on being BIG and EXCITING that it forgets to sweat the small stuff and give us something to care about.

On the plus side, Singer’s strong visuals are still present and accounted for, though I’ll admit they’re bogged down by an over-reliance on green screen and mediocre visual effects. He has the benefit of working with an extraordinary team of actors, who are able to pick up the slack, garnering empathy despite a weak screenplay. James McAvoy continues to be effortlessly charming as Professor Charles Xavier. Michael Fassbender gets by on raw talent, but is saddled with an illogical character arc and motivation. Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique is thrust into a leadership role (the X-Men series always gives that position to its Oscar winners), and thankfully Lawrence seems a bit more up to the task, her performance being slightly less sleepy than it was in Days of Future Past.

The excellent new additions to the cast Tye Sheridan, Sophie Turner and Kodi Smitt-Mcphee, playing Cyclops, Jean Grey and Nightcrawler respectively, don’t get much to do. Their presence indicates the possibility of a much better film on the horizon that focuses on Xavier’s students - their relationships and their training. I couldn’t help wishing that was the film we ended up with instead of what we got. There’s also Olivia Munn as Psylocke, Alexandra Shipp as Storm and Ben Hardy as Angel. None of them are fully fleshed out and just stand around and try to look cool while having little to no impact on anything that happens.

And what of Apocalypse himself? He might be the film’s biggest problem. The character has no depth and remains painfully undeveloped through the entirety of the film. His primary motivation is (stop me if you’ve heard this one before) World Domination. Great. Why even bother casting Oscar Isaac in the role? The excellent and accomplished young actor disappears under layers of makeup, prosthetics and armor, and the character requires so little heavy lifting acting-wise, there’s no point to having such a talented actor fill the part. Such a waste.

So much of X-Men: Apocalypse feels like a waste. Singer and his team have involved just about every single character you could possibly imagine, but they’ve put forth so little effort to involve the audience. The storytelling focus and underlying emotional themes that made the first two X-Men films and even First Class and Days of Future Past so effective are nowhere to be found. It’s just another garish display of special effects, albeit a passively entertaining one.

So after all this, you might be shocked to hear that I didn’t hate X-Men: Apocalypse. I actually moderately enjoyed it. I know, right? I’ve gone on for so long about what’s wrong with it, that I’m actually pretty surprised myself. Its flaws are many, but weren’t substantial enough to deter my enjoyment. It just barely gets by on the talent of its cast and the competence of Singer’s visuals. There were action sequences that delighted me (gotta love Evan Peters' Quicksilver) and some intriguing ideas amidst the madness. I just wish Singer would have focused less on trying to compete with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and more on his own strengths. As much as I love Singer and appreciate what he's accomplished with this franchise, it might be time for a fresh young talent to take the reigns and steer it back on course.

FINAL RATING: 3/5

The Nice Guys - Film Review

Shane Black. Buddy Comedy. Ryan Gosling. If you’re not already sold, don’t even talk to me.

Mr. Black has been one of Hollywood’s most distinct voices ever since he broke into the industry with his infamous Lethal Weapon screenplay in the mid-eighties. His directorial debut, 2005’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, is one of the best action-comedies of the past 20 years and features spectacular turns from Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer. Hell, I even love Iron Man 3, which earned the ire of fanboys worldwide by subverting expectations and tropes with a refreshingly manic take on the superhero genre.

The Nice Guys is essentially Black’s victory lap. It treads familiar territory for the filmmaker, and if you’re expecting something revolutionary, you’ll be walking away empty-handed. But take it for what it is - a spectacular caper overflowing with zippy dialogue, a healthy dose of action and the inspired pairing of Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe - and you’ll be more than satisfied.

Gosling is Holland March, a private investigator doing his best to raise a daughter on his own. He gets caught up in a case that involves tracking down a girl named Amelia and encounters Jackson Healy (Crowe), a violent, soft-spoken enforcer who was hired by Amelia to get March off her back. When Amelia mysteriously disappears, the two strike up a shaky alliance to figure out just what the hell is going on and end up uncovering a fiendish plot far more complicated than they ever expected.

This is exactly the kind of storytelling Black excels at: two individuals with opposing personalities and methodologies forced to work together for the greater good. It’s a winning formula (one which Black pretty much pioneered) and the film’s charms are plentiful. The late-1970s setting is perfect. The script, co-written by Black and Anthony Bagarozzi, is fast-paced, breezy and full of memorable one-liners.

But while Black’s writing and direction play a key part in The Nice Guys’ success - this has some of the best-staged action sequences I've seen this year - the plotting plays second fiddle to its main characters' relationship, and it’s the chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe that really makes this one shine. These guys make for one of the great on-screen duos of the year, probably the past decade. Their line deliveries and mannerisms consistently had me doubled over in my seat from laughter. Any shortcomings regarding the familiarity of plot were easily forgiven in light of their performances.

The Nice Guys excels in nearly every way and is absolutely one of my favorite films of 2016 thus far. I sincerely hope it manages to find its audience in the midst of the summer blockbuster onslaught, so Black can keep making movies like it. If you’re a fan of his work, or just a fan of action-comedies in general, you’ll exit the theater with a huge smile on your face, hoping against hope we’ll get to see these characters again in the not-too-distant future.

FINAL RATING: 4/5

Captain America: Civil War - Film Review

Captain America: Civil War contains one of the single-best action sequences I’ve ever seen. I’m not just talking superhero movies; I’m talking all movies. You’ve seen snippets in the commercials - our two opposing heroes Captain America and Iron Man, backed by their faithful posses, stare each other down at a deserted airport before rushing at each other full speed. The superhero brawl that results is so much fun and so exciting, but also surprisingly hilarious in a way that enriches the entire set-piece.

And that’s what really makes the Marvel Studios repertoire so special. They understand that humor is the key to unlocking something more important: Humanity. Civil War, the third Captain America-centric entry of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), never forgets to honor the humanity of its characters even amidst the spectacular effects and action. And  although Civil War overflows with dozens of characters and subplots, it still manages to tell a coherent story and take its characters on a captivating, emotional journey. Not only is this the successful culmination of a number of character and story arcs that have been in play since the MCU began with 2008’s Iron Man, it expertly piques excitement for future entries in the series. For a film series this long-running to keep you pumped and riveted for more even after 13 entries is a mighty impressive feat.

After a covert Avengers mission goes awry, causing the deaths of innocent civilians, the United Nations issues an Accords, which will give them full control over when and where the Avengers are deployed. The team is split on the decision. On one side of the argument is Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America, who believes the Avengers shouldn’t have to wait to get their missions approved by a committee when innocent lives hang in the balance. And who’s to say the UN would be the best people to make the decisions in the first place when politics can become so easily corrupted? Rogers has witnessed this corruption first-hand and isn’t eager to surrender his rights over to an agenda he doesn’t agree with.

On the other side is Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man. He feels personally responsible for the destruction caused by the Avengers’ actions over the years. The Summons, he feels, is a way to legitimize the team and hopefully gain back the general public’s trust.

In the midst of all this Summons nonsense, the Winter Soldier, a.k.a. Bucky Barnes, a.k.a. Cap’s WWII bestie, reappears at the center of a major terrorist attack. Rogers must make a decision to defend his longtime pal by operating outside the law, which will put him directly at odds with his Avenging brethren and Stark in particular.

Civil War puts our heroes in some tough moral predicaments and offers them no easy outs. Things get messy and it’s clear the rifts caused by the film’s events will have a lasting impact on the MCU. With its themes of accountability and broken friendships, the film explores darker territory than usual. But what’s really amazing is that it also manages to be one of the most entertaining entries in the entire series. It’s simultaneously the most serious and the most hilarious Marvel movie yet.

Chalk the film's successful blending of tones up to the return of the creative team behind 2014’s outstanding Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo, with the aid of screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, have done an outstanding job juggling a number of characters and themes while keeping the proceedings coherent. That they’re able to give all these heroes a moment to shine, strong motivations and even individual arcs without the entire film buckling under the weight is nothing short of extraordinary.

Where Civil War’s story comes up short is in its general lack of focus, an area in which The Winter Soldier excelled. Maybe this is to be expected with so many characters and so many plotlines to focus on, but the Captain America/Bucky storyline, which drives most of the narrative, tends to get lost in the mayhem. The film's 2nd act in particular seems to lose track of this storyline for quite some time.

But what Civil War lacks in overall cohesion, it more than makes up for with majestic spectacle and compelling character development. Performances are stronger than they’ve ever been. Chris Evans does an excellent job portraying Cap’s moral dilemma and struggle. Robert Downey Jr. is just as wonderful as he’s always been, but this time around his performance carries a depth and thoughtfulness we haven’t yet seen from the character.

I also loved the attention devoted to the supporting characters. Bucky and Sam, a.k.a. The Falcon, (Anthony Mackie) have a particularly great love/hate relationship. Some of the film’s biggest laughs come from their standoff-ish interactions. Vision and Scarlet Witch (Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen respectively) have some really great moments together, which showcase not only the growth of their relationship, but their individual characters as well. It’s a major improvement over their shoe-horned inclusion in Age of Ultron.

The entire show is very nearly stolen by Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man, making his first appearance in a 'team-up' flick. He's laugh-out-loud funny in practically every scene. We also get the introduction of two new major players to the MCU, and while Marvel might be asking you to side with #TeamCap or #TeamIronMan, one thing’s for sure: by Civil War’s conclusion you will undoubtedly be #TeamSpidey and/or #TeamPanther.

With minimal screentime, we may have the best live-action Spider-Man ever in Tom Holland. He not only perfectly encapsulates the awkwardly endearing nature of Peter Parker, he nails the non-stop quip-happy exuberance of everyone's favorite wall-crawler. As a long-time Spidey fan, I couldn’t be happier and I can’t wait for him to get the opportunity to fully strut his stuff in next summer’s Spider-Man: Homecoming.

I know less about Black Panther’s comic book roots, but I’m already pumped for his solo movie, which is being directed by Fruitvale Station and Creed helmer Ryan Coogler. The character is such a badass and Chadwick Boseman does an outstanding job in the part.

I adored every minute of Captain America: Civil War. While I still favor Joss Whedon’s first Avengers film and The Winter Soldier, Civil War is easily the action film to beat this year. Marvel has raised the bar for big-budget entertainment once again, and while people may lament the supposed ‘death of cinema’ at the hands of the superhero genre, as long as Marvel keeps putting out films that are this thoughtful and this much fun, I am more than happy to stay on this bandwagon.

FINAL RATING: 4.5/5