So there is some justice in the superhero movie world.
Captain America: Civil War has had a bigger opening in Australian cinemas than Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
If you're not a fan of Hollywood superhero movies, you might be thinking, "Who cares?". But any fan of good movies should care.
Marvel's latest blockbuster deserves to succeed so much more than the hugely hyped showdown between the Caped Crusader and the Man of Steel.
It's an embarrassment that Batman v Superman opened strongly in this country, even if ticket sales spiralled down 65 per cent on the second weekend then another 55 per cent on the third weekend.
It showed yet again how Hollywood can massively hype a blockbuster, hold it back from critics and preview audiences until almost release day then rake in the cash before word spreads about how disappointing it is.
Sadly, it paid off in a big way. Batman v Superman looks like taking $US875 million globally, boosted by a simultaneous worldwide opening that included $US95 million from the booming Chinese market.
Given the plot similarities – superheroes who should be allies battling each other – that could have really damaged Civil War.
But while the third Captain America might not be the best superhero movie we've seen, it has seven elements that we – as movie fans – deserve to get in every Hollywood movie but were sadly missing from Batman v Superman.
1. A coherent story
In Batman v Superman, this viewer was never entirely sure why they were battling each other. Then why – spoiler alert – they suddenly became allies to battle a giant CGI monster.
In Civil War, at least I could tell that Iron Man was on one side and Captain America was on the other side of a fight over whether superheroes' powers needed to be controlled.
2. Characters worth investing time in
Batman seemed mopey. Superman was grim.
While it's not essential you like the characters in a movie, there has to be someone compelling, charismatic or at least intriguing.
Wonder Woman could have been, but after her mysterious arrival in Batman v Superman she disappeared then mysteriously turned up again for the climactic battle.
True, Captain America is not the most exciting kid in the creche. And Hawkeye is a worry.
But there were some appealing, flawed characters in Civil War, led by Iron Man, Black Widow, Ant-Man and the new Spider-Man.
3. A light touch
Following Guardians of the Galaxy and Ant-Man, Deadpool brought humour to the genre.
But Batman v Superman just felt leaden and lumbering, with barely a lighter moment.
If Civil War starts seriously, the comedy of Ant-Man and Spider-Man brings a lighter touch to the main battle scene.
4. Avoiding the cliches
Yet another climactic battle between superheroes and a CGI villain? Wake me up when it's over.
After so many superhero movies, their makers have to do better than that.
Civil War did a smart thing in – spoiler alert – quickly killing off the other Winter Soldiers to head in a different direction.
5. Deft handling of set-up elements
It's a particular skill working to set up sequels and spin-offs.
As director Jon Favreau said when he launched The Jungle Book: the balancing act is to understand the audience's expectations and "do something both expected and unexpected at the same time."
The way Batman v Superman set up Wonder Woman, Aquaman and other characters for their own movies was just plain witless.
Compare that with the clever way Civil War told Black Panther's origin story and introduced the new Spider-Man.
6. Memorable moments
Batman v Superman? Nup, nothing especially memorable springs to mind.
But there were a couple of seemingly improvised moments in Civil War as the Winter Soldier and the Falcon watch Captain America talking to Sharon Carter – firstly a gag about moving the car seat forward then a cheeky response to their kiss.
While they could have taken us out of the movie, they were fresh, they were human and they worked.
7. Deeper significance
The best movies have a decent theme. It shows the filmmakers are trying to say something about the world their audience lives in.
Batman v Superman was such a leaden muddle that it's hard to say what director Zack Snyder wanted to say except "buy a ticket".
In Civil War, it was the need for a global superpower like the US to have limits to its power. That shows directors Joe and Anthony Russo wanted their superhero movie to be smart, not just successful.
