Fancy a trip to the cinema this weekend? here's our guide to the new cinema releases

Captain America: Civil War (12A)

Showing at: Empire, Odeon, ABC

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THE fragile alliance between the Avengers is shattered in the third Captain America film, directed at a breathless pace by brothers Joe and Anthony Russo.

Opening with a flashback to 1991 that sets one major character on their self-destructive path, Civil War underscores its bombastic title by pitting former allies against each other in a series of dizzying showdowns that cleave apart the Marvel Comics universe.

Scriptwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely repeatedly inhabit the blurred lines between heroism and villainy, examining the moral conundrums faced by superpowered warriors who have pledged to protect the innocent from the righteous crossfire.

Alas, no one emerges unscathed from the melee and the deep psychological wounds inflicted in these bombastic 147 minutes suggest that this muscular chapter signals a bittersweet end for some characters while blatantly teeing up standalone spin-offs for Spider-Man and Black Panther.

Captain America: Civil War could easily trim 20 minutes from its bloated running time without diminishing the impact of the special effects sequences or the pivotal plot twists.

The Russo brothers choreograph destruction on a grand scale, including an adrenaline-pumping motorcycle chase on the streets of Berlin.

Evans and Downey Jr puff out their chests in every lavish frame, while Johansson somersaults sexily between the feuding factions.

Demolition (15)
 

Showing at: Empire, Odeon


Grief, we're told, comes in many different forms.

There’s no wrong way to grieve, apparently. Except of course, there is.
And nowhere is grief more structured than in Hollywood.

Demolition, the new comedy drama from Wild and Dallas Buyers Club director Jean-Marc Vallee, then offers neither trope for its anti hero, Davis Mitchell (Jake Gyllenhaal).

It’s not a version of grief any of the dearly departed would want for their loved ones.

While sentimentality could be rife, Demolition avoids it largely due to the welcome flashes of humour and thoughtful performances from Gyllenhaal and co-star Judah Lewis.

Ratchet & Clank (U)

Showing at: Empire,Odeon, ABC

Hollywood's turbulent relationship with the video gaming industry has frequently ended in tears including forgettable big-screen renderings of the Mortal Kombat, Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, Silent Hill and Hitman franchises.

Ratchet & Clank is a solid and broadly comic introduction to the eponymous champions, who have appeared on various PlayStation platforms.

Visuals are colourful and shiny if lacking in meticulous detail with the movie encouraging us to dream big, even if its ambitions are limited.