Coming off the heels of the pretty abysmal DC/Warner Bros. blockbuster “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and last year’s less-than-stellar “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” Marvel needed a real hit to stand out from the plethora of modern-day superhero movies. Fortunately, “Captain America: Civil War” is not only a great addition to the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe, but a refreshingly nuanced genre flick, which effectively balances its action spectacles with a multilayered story.

Set one year after the events of “Age of Ultron,” the movie opens with Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) and the New Avengers on a mission in Nigeria, which quickly goes south when Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) loses control of her powers while trying to contain an opponent’s bomb blast. As the bomb explodes near a civilian building, the collateral damage here acquires international attention, prompting the United Nations to intervene with the Avengers’ activities.

With this not being the first instance in which the Avengers’ victories have come at the cost of innocent lives, the team is presented with the Sokovia Accords, a law requiring them to be a government-sanctioned division rather than act as a private organization. Yet while Cap is quick to say no to this, fearing that it would threaten the liberties and freedoms of him and his friends, fellow Avenger Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) desires nothing more than to prevent the deaths of more innocents and as such is a firm supporter of the law.

In the midst of all this, Steve’s former sidekick turned brainwashed HYDRA assassin, Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), has come out of hiding and seems to be responsible for another tragedy. Meanwhile, a mysterious villain named Zemo (Daniel Brühl) lurks in the background. In order to protect Bucky and get to the bottom of these events, Steve and his loyal companions stand against Tony and several other Avengers, thus setting the stage for an epic battle between Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Not unlike “Batman v Superman,” “Civil War” is an equally ambitious juggling act. Yet whereas the first drew overwhelming criticism for its relentlessly grim tone and lackluster character development, the latter injects just the right amount of fun and humor to counterbalance its more serious themes; while also providing the most emotionally driven character drama in the MCU to date. Given that audiences have come to know and love these characters on the big screen for nearly a decade, seeing both their ideologies and emotions clash in the final act is better than any showdown with Loki that we have seen.

Moreover, without venturing into spoiler territory, screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely don’t provide an easy cop-out in the conclusion. While it’s obvious that Cap and Iron Man will fight together again on screen in the future, the ending makes it clear that there are wounds here which can’t be erased. Throughout the movie they present legitimate reasons for why characters either oppose or support the Sokovia Accords, thus intensifying the main conflict and making the conclusion all the more impactful.

Likewise, directing and scriptwriting duo, Joe and Anthony Russo (who also helmed the previous Captain America movie “The Winter Soldier”), finally address the one-note villain problem which has come up time and time again in Marvel movies. While not as charismatic or entertaining as fan-favorite Loki, Zemo is an authentic villain with real human motivations. Brühl, known for another sinisterly role in “Inglorious Basterds,” brings a certain blend of brutality and empathy to the character which sets him apart from the one-dimensional space elves and mad scientists in the Marvel universe.

Other newcomers include the African warrior prince T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), and the MCU rendition of Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), both of whom already have fans eagerly anticipating their own standalone movies. Yet while T’Challa plays an integral role in the main conflict, Spidey is a bit more shoe-horned in, but is nonetheless a real scene-stealer.

All in all, “Captain America: Civil War” has everything viewers could want from a superhero movie. With its eclectic storytelling and emotionally charged action sequences, the Russo brothers deliver a breath of fresh air into a genre saturated with forgettable effects-heavy spectacles, making this one of the best Marvel movies to date.

4.5 out of 5 Stars