Before Avengers: Endgame arrives this week, let’s revisit the 7 essential MCU movies you should rewatch before the Infinity Saga comes to a close…
What’s it about? In the wake of the destruction of Avengers: Age of Ultron, the government issues the Avengers with the Sokovia Accords: essentially saying the heroes can only act when ordered. Iron Man is all for it but Captain America doesn’t agree. So ensues a battle between the former friends which only intensifies when Bucky Barnes’ fate is caught in the middle.
Why is it essential? In TV terms, Civil War is the midseason finale, the episode that spins the story arc in a new direction that heaps on extra trouble for our heroes. In this case, it breaks the Avengers apart just when they need to be united against the incoming threat of Thanos. It also features the introductions of both Black Panther and Spider-Man.
Why is it worth re-watching? As well as being super-important to the overall story, Civil War is a heck of a rollercoaster ride. If you just want to see superheroes smash into each other, the airport scene has you covered. If you want a deeper dive into the tragedy of these friends coming to blows, it’s got that too. It’s here that directors the Russo brothers proved they could helm a big ensemble team movie ahead of Infinity War.
What’s the best scene? The aforementioned airport fight scene is terrific but the more powerful for me is the three-way climactic battle between Iron Man, Cap and Bucky. It’s genuinely gut-wrenching to see these people whaling on each other when they should be stopping the villain. Tony Stark and Steve Rogers’ reconciliation in Endgame should carry a lot of weight after this.
What should I watch out for? You know that grieving mother who confronts Tony? You may recognise her as Alfre Woodard AKA Luke Cage‘s Mariah Dillard. Either this proves the Netflix shows aren’t in the MCU or that lady was actually the Harlem crime boss in disguise…
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