Captain America: Civil War

Nearly every Avengers movie has the members of its organization arguing about some shit. It was about time that all that tension came to blows as the core of a full film. Captain America: Civil War adapts one of the most iconic comic book stories into something that should not have worked within the MCU’s smaller scale, but manages to make the most of its smaller roster. Though Cap’s name is in the title, Civil War is effectively an Avengers movie that introduces some of the most important characters to the MCU and sees them stand tall alongside heroes we’d been following for a decade. Black Panther and Spider-Man’s intros are some of the most effective in the series, adding compelling dramatic wrinkles to an already complex conflict between Captain America and Iron Man. The end result is some of the most gripping interpersonal drama in the MCU, punctuated by memorable action sequences that make the most of each of the heroes. It also leaves the Avengers in shambles when their greatest threat is still looming in the distance. As a setup for Infinity War, it’s excellent. As a character study of Captain America and the lengths Captain America he’ll go to in order to do what he believes is right, it’s unmatched. — Kenneth Shepard