Marvel has seriously outdone themselves once again. Civil War is a near-flawless cinematic experience that neatly packages one of the most pivotal story lines in comic book history. As for what Marvel has up its sleeve before 2018's release of Avengers: Infinity Wars, is anyone's guess. But I assure you it's in good hands. The same directors and writers behind Civil War are piecing together the next Avengers and if this movie is any indication, it's going to be fantastic, if not a satisfying conclusion to decades of story building.

At the root of that is Civil War's greatest strength – and the reason it makes all thought of the recent Batman v Superman debacle evaporate on contact. The Russos' film has an unshakeable faith in these decades-old characters: they're not wrangled into standing for anything other than who they are, with no gloss or reinterpretation or reach for epic significance required. This is the cinematic superhero showdown you've dreamt of since childhood, precisely because that's everything – and all – it wants to be.