Captain America: Civil War had its first proper screening for critics at Cinema-Con on Wednesday (April 13), and was met with a rapturous reception.
Unlike the drubbing that DC's Batman v Superman got from critics last month, early reviews of Civil War are mostly raves:
1. Variety
"The shaming of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will continue apace — or better still, be forgotten entirely — in the wake of Captain America: Civil War, a decisively superior hero-vs.-hero extravaganza that also ranks as the most mature and substantive picture to have yet emerged from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
"Very much an Avengers movie in scope and ambition if not title (the conspicuous absence of Thor and Hulk notwithstanding), this chronicle of an epic clash between two equally noble factions, led by Captain America and Iron Man, proves as remarkable for its dramatic coherence and thematic unity as for its dizzyingly inventive action sequences; viewers who have grown weary of seeing cities blow up ad nauseam will scarcely believe their luck at the relative restraint and ingenuity on display. "
2. IGN
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"Hands down, Spider-Man is the best thing in this movie. He not only steals Cap's shield, he pretty much steals his movie, too. Now for what you don't want to hear: Spidey is also completely expendable to this story.
"He could be cut out of it without making any difference to the narrative whatsoever. Nevertheless, actor Tom Holland captures what makes Peter Parker such a sweet, great hero and leaves the audience wanting more.
"And after five big screen appearances so far, Holland's is the closest and arguably best approximation of the comic book character yet."
3. USA Today
"Under the direction of Winter Soldier's Anthony and Joe Russo, Civil War is the most epic Avengers movie so far, even though it's not an Avengers movie. The divided team allows many character moments for the android Vision (Paul Bettany), newer heroes Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Falcon (Anthony Mackie), and mainstays Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and War Machine (Don Cheadle).
"The movie also features the impressive introductions of Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), a Wakandan prince bearing claws and a grudge, and a new Spider-Man (Tom Holland). Previous movies have had issues balancing the youthful banter and scientific confidence of the comic-book wallcrawler, but Holland nails the role in every aspect."
"Call it "civil war" or call it brand extension; call it a "cinematic universe" or a corporate behemoth — the latest Marvel extravaganza furthers the studio's cross-pollination of action franchises in a way that's sure to satisfy devotees.
"Posing serious questions about violence and vigilantism while reveling in both, Captain America: Civil War is overlong but surprisingly light on its feet. It builds upon the plotlines of previous Avengers outings, bringing together known marquee quantities and introducing the Black Panther and a new Spidey in winning fashion."
5. Empire
"Here you get Ant-Man v Spider-Man, Hawkeye v Black Widow, Scarlet Witch v Vision, The Winter Soldier v Black Panther and (well, duh) Captain America v Iron Man, all rolled into one. And that is what you call the ultimate Marvel superhero event.
"Matching its blockbuster scale and spectacle with the smarts of a great, grown-up thriller, Captain America: Civil War is Marvel Studios' finest film yet. There. We said it again."
6. TheWrap
"The film tangles itself up with fears of endless war and the annihilation of innocent humanity, and in doing so it continues to validate the ongoing series.
"It's a fact of movie history that films are created as both a response to, and a product of, the larger world. And superhero movies, which are the current cinema's site of obsession over anxiety-making issues of global safety, must continue to address the unthinkable if they're to be more valuable to culture than mere moneymaking products on an assembly line, or retreats into childhood nostalgia that only pretend to be making sense of the environment that produces them.
"Civil War strikes that admirable balance: serious-minded action that never forgets to indulge in serious fun."
"Civil War may be overstuffed compared to the slightly superior The Winter Soldier, but it will certainly wash that bad taste out of your mouth for superhero blockbusters after Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. At this point can you ask for much more?"
8. Uproxx
"Captain America: Civil War feels like a pinnacle for Marvel. Like, I can't imagine their movies getting any better. This feels like the crescendo.
"This feels like the movie this series has been building towards for eight years. After all these movies, Marvel earned this fight. This is the best Marvel movie so far."
Captain America: Civil War opens in the UK on April 29 and on May 6 in the US.
Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
