Went to see Captain America- The Winter Soldier a few weeks ago. I'm not much for going to the theater anymore, but since I'm following the television series Agents of SHIELD, I felt it necessary to watch this movie sooner than later because its events have so radically transformed the landscape of that series.
What I discovered was a rousing adventure story with firmly established heroes battling some really repulsive villains with the very freedom of the world at stake. Grand stuff!
The Cap we meet here is confident and effective. Gone is the brashness which sensibly informed the character in the first movie, replaced by a calm reserve nurtured by a long time in our modern world working for a spy organization. Cap hasn't lost any of his remarkably upbeat view of the world, but very few of those around him share it anymore. These are warriors who are not saving the world for democracy necessarily, but are willing to moderate their expectations to what they believe is doable. Captain America, always the idealist and the consummate realist aims a bit higher.
The villains are hidden in the shadows and emerge to strike in ways which undermine the very institutions which were built to ensure the security of the world. Hydra as imagined in this story does make sense, not as some peculiar variation on the Klan, but as a secret society dedicated to its own unusual sense of order.
Cap has three partners in this movie. His newest is Iraq war vet Sam Wilson who has one of my favorite lines in the movie. When asked what he does, he says simply in reference to Cap, "I do what he does only slower." His action scenes are incredibly dynamic. The Black Widow is back and looks and fights fantastic. We learn a bit more about Natasha, the character is slowly but surely stealing this whole series. The third partner in this one is Bucky, but a different Bucky. Cap's oldest friend is back from the dead and he's not exactly a happy individual.
The action in this one is superb. From the opening battle against Batroc (yes I said "Batroc") to the finale, the fights are potent and violent. We for the first time fully get a sense of just how much better Cap is than everyone else, and why he's a worthy leader for the Avengers.
Great movie, really!
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I agree with everything you've said, but how about the myriad ways the shield was used in battle? Comic book action that I never imagined would translate that well. I think Kirby would have nodded in approval.
ReplyDeleteHe might have done indeed.
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I completely agree. I really enjoyed it. The fights and action were great. The story was good. And the characters and character dynamics were great. I especially like the dynamic between Black Widow and Cap, how she keeps trying to set him up with a nice girl. And the other great dynamic is the fast friendship between Cap and Wilson. One of the best fight scenes was Cap vs. everyone in the elevator.
ReplyDeleteI liked that Cap had friendly relations with his co-workers, but the awe never seemed to go away, save with Sam.
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