Captain America: Civil War is captivating. Moviegoers will be taken aback by the monumental showdown between Captain America and Iron Man. With its political tones rivaling those of its predecessors, this newest instalment to the Captain America film franchise will resonate with audiences. The film’s development was strong, with its political themes of conflicting ideology and civil unrest.

Reprising their roles as Iron Man and Captain America, Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans deliver charismatic performances as the famous Avengers superheroes. The civil war mentioned in this film’s title was finally realized through a colossal battle between two opposing groups of superheroes led by Captain America and Iron Man. While this battle amongst heroes was an extension of their political beliefs and motivations, it was one of the most iconic scenes that will be remembered from this film.

When Steve Rogers (Captain America) decides to help his long-time friend Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier) to evade arrest, a dispute begins between Rogers and Tony Stark (Iron Man). As public tensions rise concerning the world’s demand for superheroes’ accountability, Rogers and Stark continue to develop opposing political beliefs that will spark a civil war between them.

Audiences had the pleasure of seeing for the first time the ferocity of Black Panther and the twisted mindset of Helmut Zemo. We also had the honour of seeing Spider-Man (Tom Holland) in action, providing us with a glimpse of what to expect from this famous webslinger and wall-crawler in the next Spider-Man revival in 2017.

Over the course of the film, there seemed to be two core plot points that spearheaded the story. On one hand, you had Captain America’s attempts to aid Bucky, while Bucky himself acted like the Jason Bourne of the film, avoiding capture and staying hidden. On the other hand, you have this conflict between not only Rogers and Stark, but also among other heroes who have fought alongside them in the past.

As the film’s story became more tension-filled, comic relief — between Bucky and Falcon (Anthony Mackie) as well as the naïve personalities of Spider-Man and Ant-Man — allowed us to not get too distraught by the emotional turmoil.

When the dramatic confrontation between Captain America and Iron Man finally reached its climax, saying I was blown away would be a great understatement. From the stylish visuals of Iron Man being overpowered by the relentless strength of both Bucky and Rogers to Iron Man and Rogers duking it out in a no-holds-barred fight, the film immersed the audience in these great heroes’ raw power and intensity.

While it is a superhero film, Captain America: Civil War is unique from all the rest. It emphasizes how modern politics continually influence our beliefs, and how far we’re willing to go to stand by them. Stark and Rogers’ emotional turmoil left the audience awestruck at the sight of these former allies now as enemies.