The year of 2016 has been associated with several clashing ideologies, between the presidential election, Batman v. Superman, and even Captain America v. Iron Man.

The new release of Captain America: Civil War has gained a lot of attention in the media, mostly due to extensive advertising, that has led to the division of the Marvel fanbase: into team Captain America and team Iron Man.  Yet, did this film really live up to the hype?

For those who missed the last installment of the Avengers series, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Marvel disappointed many fans with a nearly pointless film in which the gang faced a villain that Tony Stark made himself.

Thankfully, things did not work out the same for Captain America: Civil War. Though it was greatly advertised, the film actually lived up to the high expectations that were set by the company this time.

Those who are fans of Marvel have long anticipated the return of Bucky Barnes ever since both Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the post-credits scene in Ant-Man, and the time has finally arrived.  In the latest film, Bucky is finally back to normal, or at least for the most part.  For a great deal of the movie, Bucky is the guy that Steve grew up with. However, for a couple of scenes, Bucky is trained assassin, brainwashed and under the control of HYDRA.

Another character that fans cheered for was Black Panther, a new addition to the Marvel film industry.  He is first introduced as T’Challa, the son of Wakandan King T’Chaka, at the signing of the Sokovia Accords, a global initiative that would contract each and every member of the Avengers to the U.S. government.  A bomb goes off by the site of the signing and, as a result, T’Chaka is killed.  T’Challa then transforms into the Black Panther with a suit made of vibranium (yes, the same material that Captain America’s shield is made of) and the absolute dedication to get the man who killed his father, one he believes to be Bucky.

The addition of Spider-Man to the Avengers squad also enthused members of the Marvel fanbase. In the latest Captain America film, Peter Parker is portrayed as a curious, yet innocent, young boy with a lot to say. This can be noted in the fight scene outside the airport where Peter is colloquially conversing with those on the other team, while in the midst of fighting them.

As far as the formerly introduced characters, the movie introduces relationships that some would not have thought of.  For example, a growing bond between Sam and Bucky.  While in the car together with Steve, the two begin to form a friendship as they joke around and tease each other the way most siblings do.

On top of this, Wanda and Vision seem to have something going on. Although the two were married in the comics, this relationship was a bit of a surprise to many viewers, especially since most of the Marvel films sway greatly from Stan Lee’s original vision. However, the bringing together of these two unique characters is justified and appreciated, unlike that of Steve and Sharon.

Although the couple seemed a bit cute in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the extension of this relationship was completely unnecessary.  At Peggy’s funeral, the viewers learn that Sharon is the niece of Peggy Carter, Steve’s love interest in the 1940s.  Later in the film, Sharon and Steve share a kiss, yet it seemed quite unnecessary and, frankly, odd, given the situation.

Not only was there great character development and introduction in the film, but there were also outstanding fight scenes.  The airport scene was the greatest, including all previously mentioned characters. Both the choreography and the special effects of the scene were absolutely phenomenal considering the amount of people involved and the smoothness of everything.

The fight scene between Bucky, Steve, and Tony was also amazing since it included a great deal of action but also brought tears to the eyes of viewers because of the emotion behind it.

Overall, Captain America: Civil War was by far the best film out of both the preceding Captain America films and Avengers films.  It not only brought action, but also emotion into play, really bringing out the best story possible.