CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (Rated PG-13)

I don’t want to be a killjoy but the feeling that there is a surfeit of DC and Marvel Comics superhero characters being brought to the silver screen is not only palpable but suggestive that these franchises could risk their own viability in the future.

But then, it could just be me having my appetite for these adventures dulled from an overload of action-fueled excess.

The recent overblown experience of “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” didn’t help cement superhero conflict as the desired new governing model.

What I am getting at, in relation to “Captain America: Civil War,” is that pitting Captain America against Iron Man, causing other superheroes to take sides, is an exhausting ordeal when viewed through the prism of near constant battle.

“Captain America: Civil War” is more than just a great cast of superheroes banging the stuffing out of each other in a pitched battle of factions.

A political undercurrent draws the lines between Captain America and Iron Man, one more contentious than the presidential primaries.

Steve Rogers, aka Captain America (Chris Evans), is now leading a newly formed team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. A mission in Africa to thwart a plot with biological weapons goes horribly wrong.

Wartime often involves unfortunate collateral damage, and the Captain America team of Avengers is regrettably unable to avert civilian deaths during this critical mission. As a result, they find themselves coming under attack from officious government bureaucrats.

Captain America, joined by Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and others, desires to remain free to defend humanity without government interference, whether from the State Department or the United Nations.

Tony Stark, aka Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), joined by Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Vision (Paul Bettany), and War Machine (Don Cheadle), agrees to be subjugated to the dictates of an international commission.

A United Nations panel turns out an agreement called the “Sokovia Accords,” which is appropriately subtitled “Framework for the Registration and Deployment of Enhanced Individuals.” Yeah, no surprise here that Captain America would prefer to go it alone.

What is surprising is that free-wheeling billionaire entrepreneur Tony Stark, oops Iron Man, would volunteer to support government oversight and accountability from a group of nameless functionaries.

That does not appear to be the style for a flamboyant and eccentric superhero, but then he is privately confronted by a grieving relative (Alfre Woodard) and the awkward encounter puts things in perspective for him.

The apparent linchpin to a concerted effort to corral the superheroes goes back to the waning days of the Soviet Union in 1991 when evil Russian scientists were creating an army of indoctrinated, mind-controlled killers.

It just happens that Steve Rogers’ childhood friend Bucky Barnes, aka Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), has been turned into the perfect Manchurian Candidate, becoming a remorseless killer as the result of a Pavlovian response to his Russian handlers.

Not willing to stand for any injustice, Captain America is steadfast in his belief that his old pal Bucky Barnes is not responsible for the deaths of innocents. He’ll do whatever he can to clear a blameless friend, even it means having to challenge his Avenger colleagues.

If the film is taking sides, it appears to come down in favor of Captain America, even if the superhero himself seems to have self-doubts at times about his methods to take down enemies that have no emotional soul.

The obvious villain is a ruthless mercenary (Daniel Bruhl) who’s willing to turn loose his army of Russian-trained human robot murderers, most likely to the highest bidder. I must confess some confusion about the full picture of his wickedness.

“Captain America” also introduces some new characters, one being Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther, a prince from an African nation who witnessed the death of his benevolent father during a terrorist attack, and now would like to be a state-sanctioned vigilante.

A new actor is introduced as Peter Parker, a teenager living in Queens with his not-so-matronly Aunt May (here portrayed by the fetching Marisa Tomei). Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is recruited by Tony Stark, who actually seems more interested in Aunt May.

Though this won’t be a problem for the film’s fan base, I did find myself lost a few times about the history and the characters. But the wit and sarcasm of Tony Stark/Iron Man are points that can’t be missed.

Strap in for rousing battle scenes where the superheroes pummel each other with every weapon at their disposal. “Captain America: Civil War” won’t disappoint for the battle royale that rages in the divide between the two Avenger camps.
 
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.