Marvel kicks off the third phase in its cinematic universe with “Captain America: Civil War.” With their backs against the wall, a divided Avengers, led by Steve Rogers and Tony Stark, must choose a side during the indifference of government oversight.

It’s Very Much A Captain America Movie

While some may argue that the movie is “Avengers 2.5,” the adventure still belongs to the Man Out of Time, and the rest of the team (aside from Tony Stark) are glorified supporting characters. Beginning in 2011, the story of Steve Rogers has always been that of a man with plenty of heart and always against the odds; for the last five years, we’ve seen that same man struggle with his past, the displacement of his present life, and what the future holds in store. It’s no different in “Civil War” where, once again, Steve must cope with decisions he’s made, the people he may have hurt, and those he wants to save.

The Best Iron Man Since “Iron Man”

Robert Downey Jr. is at the top of his game as Tony Stark/Iron Man. The actor seems more committed to the role since his first outing, which is not to say he wasn’t great, but in “Civil War” he totally owns the Iron Man character — again — this time around. In addition to Downey’s performance, the story also called for Tony to be pulled into the darkest he’s ever been. With Tony’s personal life in shambles, secrets kept from him are brought to light, and it’s at this point he becomes fully prepared to take a life.

Black Panther

The long awaited arrival of T’Challa is here and it’s definitely something you don’t want to miss. The unexpected King of Wakanda seeks revenge against Bucky Barnes for the death of his father, and order responsibility from the Avengers for their roles in several tragedies across the globe. The performance of Chadwick Boseman is as subtle as it is fear inducing, as he maneuvers throughout the film as the legendary Black Panther, a prince, a king, and a man who has suffered a loss just like those he fights beside and against.

Spider-Man

We won’t give too much away, but look forward to the new Spider-Man. For this writer, I absolutely had my money on Black Panther stealing the show, but the honor has to go the wall crawler. Peter Parker and his Aunt May are, without a doubt, shoehorned into the MCU but it doesn’t eliminate the awesomeness that comes with their introduction. As someone who is from Queens, be assured that this is the Spider-Man we’ve all been waiting for. If they can keep the momentum going with his upcoming solo film, it’s clear the majority will agree.

Spread Page Awesomeness

We’ve been spoiled guys.

The MCU have truly found a way to bring our heroes to life and not disappoint us in the process, though there have been bumps along the way. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo serve up a meaty battle between the factions led by Captain America and Iron Man at Leipzig/Halle Airport. In the sequence, we are witness to the “war” between the good guys… and the good guys – Black Panther versus Hawkeye, Spider-Man versus Falcon and Winter Soldier, and even Ant-Man versus Black Widow. The action piece is obviously one of the main reasons you’d want to see the film, and they delivered it with such precise perfection. Joss Whedon (director of “The Avengers” and “Age of Ultron”) couldn’t have shot it any better.

The Beginning of the End

Given the way “Civil War” plays out, I feel that we are witnessing the beginning of the end that started with 2008’s “Iron Man”. The arrival of “Infinity War” in 2018 won’t be a pretty sight for the characters we’ve grown to love, as they are certainly not at their strongest and are not exactly close to recovering either. Though Marvel takes the light-hearted approach to their films, there is certainly a darkness that looms over the future for some of the team.

In closing, see this movie!