This film served as a "mid season finale" to both the Avengers films, the Captain America Trilogy and the Iron Man trilogy.

First and foremost, this is a sequel to Captain America: Winter Soldier. We see a clear impact of the events of the previous film on Cap and influencing very important decisions he makes throughout the course of the film. We also see character arcs coming full circle in the film. Cap's interaction with Bucky, Sam (Falcon), Natasha and the Carter girls really highlights and builds upon the relationships that had been established in the earlier movies.

Secondly, this was a sequel to the Iron Man films, as well as to the Avengers flicks. We see Tony's character in a much different state of mind than he was when he was first introduced to us in 2008. We see how each of his actions, in the events in the films that led to this one, have taken a toll on him and made him more somber. We also see some form of resolution and expansion to the relationships he had at the end of Iron Man 3.

Scarlet Witch and Vision really helped tie in the Avengers films' story into the story. I felt the interplay between the two was done really well, and the film just established Wanda as powerhouse. She was intimidating and just flat out overpowered. I LOVED every moment she was on screen. One of the best characters in the film. Furthermore, the film also ties in the catastrophic events that occurred during both the Avengers flicks.

In my opinion, you need to watch all the Avengers, Captain America and Iron Man films in order to enjoy this film to its fullest and to be invested in the character motivations in the film. But even on it's own, this film rocks. Spider-Man's role in the film was so beautifully handled with love and care. He was the star whenever he was on screen. Spider-Man is essentially Marvel, and Marvel is Spider-Man. Ant-Man had some fantastic scenes. Black Panther / T'Challa just had a presence about him. Chadwick Boseman really highlighted the character's regal decent as well as the warrior aspect. Definitely another epic addition to the MCU. Black Widow was great as always, and by now has solidified herself as a legitimate badass.

Overall, this film was brilliant. It had the perfect balance of emotions, humor, grit, and action. The action in this movie was so meticulously crafted, so well handled, I feel that this film is, hands down, one of the greatest action movies ever made. What really elevated the action, were the emotional beats as well as the humor that was peppered throughout the film. It never felt like it dragged on. One slight nitpick, that I do have, is the fact that the ending of the film felt slightly abrupt. I would've liked them to have lingered at some shots, to really let the moment sink in at the end. The villain served a purpose. He was functional for the film.

I'd give this film a 9.7/10 You're in for a treat .