MANILA - I wish I could assure you that this review will be free of any bias for superhero films, but that would be a lie. Since director Joss Whedon assembled the Avengers back in 2012, I have religiously followed the movie genre and have been tireless in scouring the past decade or so to satisfy my craving for more.

Some of my favorites include Tim Burton’s “Batman,” Pixar’s “The Incredibles,” and "The Dark Knight." Unfortunately, I have not had the chance to walk out of a theater following a date with those particular superhero flicks. But I could imagine myself grinning from ear to ear, like a kid on Christmas morning, after each film.

Last Wednesday, I attended a press screening for “Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War” — a more than two-and-a-half hour superhero spectacle that pits Captain America (Chris Evans) against Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), as well as the other members of the Avengers team with each other.

Directed by brothers Joe and Anthony Russo, who have proven their deft hands in crafting political thrillers in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” the film forays into matters of consequences, accountability, and the dangers of super-powered individuals, reveling in moments where there is no clear-cut “right” side for viewers to comfortably fall on.

On one hand, Captain America is right for fighting in the name of freedom amid his growing distrust for institutions of power that claim to have the best interest of the people in their minds. He presents the argument that the Avengers should be above the law otherwise they lose their own capacity to decide right from wrong, the good guys from the bad.

On the other, Iron Man is also right when he said that the Avengers should be accountable for their actions as countless lives have paid for their recklessness. Following the earth-shattering events of “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” where his rogue creation nearly leveled the city of Sokovia, Iron Man forwards the idea that the best hands to save humanity may not be their own.

The Russo brothers, working with a script penned by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, should be credited for carefully navigating the gray area of the moral questions surrounding free will, avoiding the trappings of making one side appear outright villainous.

But more than that, the directional tandem deserves praise for peppering the film with just enough smirky humor to keep things from turning into a drab-piece. And their dabble into the more playful colors of the superhero spectrum comes to a peak during the airport brawl sequence between the teams of Captain America and Iron Man midway through the film.

Under the guidance of the Russo's, the ingeniously-designed fight scenes between the bickering superheroes effortlessly toggles from one perspective to another. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, a brash, quick-witted, and science-savvy teen, steals the show in this slugfest along with Paul Rudd's Ant-Man: clever and crafty with the use of his toys.

Fret not, there were no bathroom sinks to be found in the area that the Avengers could use to bash each other on the head. It was entertaining, funny, and felt like a proper superhero brawl as nearly every superpower gets a turn in the spotlight.

It also comes at a point in the film where it becomes painful to watch — a testament to the emotional investment Marvel Studios has instilled in their viewers for these characters— given that both are clearly on the side of protecting mankind from further destruction.

As for the actors, Evans and Downey Jr. put forth a serviceable effort. It is what one have come to expect from a Marvel Studios film starring the two. Evans still exudes the charm that makes the shield-wielding captain likable, while Downey Jr. still has the egotistical Tony Stark down pat.

But perhaps the breakout star of the film is Chadwick Boseman’s portrayal of the fearsome Black Panther. He has relatively few lines, but he delivers them with such regalness befitting of a Wakandian prince, even when he is consumed by his grudge.

Needless to say, I walked out of the theater grinning from ear to ear, appreciating the compelling and tightly-woven character conflict between Captain America and Iron Man. Both believe they are on the right. Both are unwilling to compromise. Go ahead, pick a side. If you can, that is.

"Marvel's Captain America: Civil War" opens in the Philippines on Wednesday.