Captain America and I have never
really seen eye-to-eye. Having grown up as an avid basketball card collector, I
scoffed at those who dared to "collect" anything else. (Comic books
included.) So there's no Captain America nostalgia stirring inside of me when I
see the movies. And then there was that two hour lecture on why we shouldn't be
bullies like the Nazis: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). Why, Hugo
Weaving, why?!
"We knew we were going to make the first movie a period piece. It was the only way to make a Captain America movie that would not come off as ridiculous. A man does not decide to put on an American flag outfit in 2011, but he might in World War II." - Co-screenwriter, Stephen McFeely.
There's something too Superman-esque about Captain America. If anything he's Marvel's answer to the caped crusader. It's as if Uncle Sam's wet dream finally came true... in 3D. Patriotic, sacrificial, physically intimidating, yet painfully humble. He always does what is right and pisses on what's wrong. Give me House Of Cards' Frank Underwood over this so called American Hero.
There's something too Superman-esque about Captain America. If anything he's Marvel's answer to the caped crusader. It's as if Uncle Sam's wet dream finally came true... in 3D. Patriotic, sacrificial, physically intimidating, yet painfully humble. He always does what is right and pisses on what's wrong. Give me House Of Cards' Frank Underwood over this so called American Hero.
At the outset of The Winter Soldier, our Captain (Chris Evans) is found doing
laps of the memorial site in D.C.. Still ripped - putting all other 90 year olds
to shame - and still as humble as ever: "On your left".
Exposition is spread neatly throughout the first hour, but when Hydra manages
to creep back into the picture - it unfortunately had to happen - we are left
wanting to brush up on our "crazy left wing Nazi totalitarianism meets
American policy making" theories.
What stands out about this sequel compared to other post-Avengers Marvel sequels (think Thor 2) is that things get political. After S.H.I.E.L.D.'s role in society is questioned and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is taken for a hellacious ride, questions of national and international security and foreign policy arise. There are also some juicy questions to answer surrounding intelligence gathering and civil liberties. Where's Edward Snowden when you need him? And to try and authenticate this wide spread of everything conspiracy, the Marvel minds brought in THE CONSPIRACY MAN, Robert Redford (3 Days Of Condor, All The President's Men).
Where the film flops, however, is in the bit character of the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). Not only are we left wondering why they threw in this fledgling, half-baked, sentimental plot twist character, but all I could think when his mask was torn off was, "Why was he wearing a mask?!" If he has no idea who he is, then why the mask? It was hard to get around this thought... and the constant Dodge advertising placements.
Chris Evans registers somewhere around Chris Hemsworth's Thor when it comes to the superhero game. It is as if these blokes are only there to make Robert Downey Jr. look good. Seriously, can't we get something more than a rippling body, a few 'fish out of water' lines and a bunch of arse kicking? Give us something else. Well, ok, something other than Scarlett Johansson. Not that our eyes aren't grateful. Her increased role as Black Widow does the movie some good, with an actual character beginning to be developed!
Yet, as far as the conspiracies go, at heart this is still a swashbuckling action movie. Henceforth, we have our usual high octane scenes which always end with a hefty clean up bill. High-tech weaponry is wielded, while explosions and bone crunching fight scenes are served hot. As grand as these sequences are, though, the man-to-man combat had my eyes straining. Yes, it's the shaky-cam craze! There were moments when I needed to rest my eyes, for the shaky-cam tactics, in 3-D, were beginning to get the better of me (think Bourne... in 3-D).
Marvel set Captain America into motion in 2011, and in 2014 they've attempted to roll the dice. The masterstroke has been bringing the conspiracy questions we battle with today into the fold, and using Cap' to play judge. But Hydra's return stretches plausibility too thin over these 70 years following the end of WWII. The Uncle Sam and Nazi hocus-pocus is a bridge too far for a history student who didn't grow up with comic books.
It's Marvel's (cinematic) world, and we are all just paying rent.
What stands out about this sequel compared to other post-Avengers Marvel sequels (think Thor 2) is that things get political. After S.H.I.E.L.D.'s role in society is questioned and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is taken for a hellacious ride, questions of national and international security and foreign policy arise. There are also some juicy questions to answer surrounding intelligence gathering and civil liberties. Where's Edward Snowden when you need him? And to try and authenticate this wide spread of everything conspiracy, the Marvel minds brought in THE CONSPIRACY MAN, Robert Redford (3 Days Of Condor, All The President's Men).
"I don't think Marvel's ever done anything like this. The [Russo] brothers said right from the start that we were really doing a '70s thriller. And I think just Cap's abilities mesh well with that kind of genre. I mean, his powers are very meat and potatoes. Faster. Stronger. Punch. Kick. That works with those types of movies. It would be more difficult to put, say, Hulk in that kind of context." - Chris Evans.
Cast as Alexander Pierce, the dude who appears to run the country (where was
the President in all of this?), Redford gives the film bite. We know he's not a
trustworthy bloke, but what we don't know is his true agenda. Is he good yet
willing to accept the idea that the end justifies the means? Or is he bad,
power hungry and willing to break people to gain total control?
Where the film flops, however, is in the bit character of the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). Not only are we left wondering why they threw in this fledgling, half-baked, sentimental plot twist character, but all I could think when his mask was torn off was, "Why was he wearing a mask?!" If he has no idea who he is, then why the mask? It was hard to get around this thought... and the constant Dodge advertising placements.
Chris Evans registers somewhere around Chris Hemsworth's Thor when it comes to the superhero game. It is as if these blokes are only there to make Robert Downey Jr. look good. Seriously, can't we get something more than a rippling body, a few 'fish out of water' lines and a bunch of arse kicking? Give us something else. Well, ok, something other than Scarlett Johansson. Not that our eyes aren't grateful. Her increased role as Black Widow does the movie some good, with an actual character beginning to be developed!
Yet, as far as the conspiracies go, at heart this is still a swashbuckling action movie. Henceforth, we have our usual high octane scenes which always end with a hefty clean up bill. High-tech weaponry is wielded, while explosions and bone crunching fight scenes are served hot. As grand as these sequences are, though, the man-to-man combat had my eyes straining. Yes, it's the shaky-cam craze! There were moments when I needed to rest my eyes, for the shaky-cam tactics, in 3-D, were beginning to get the better of me (think Bourne... in 3-D).
Marvel set Captain America into motion in 2011, and in 2014 they've attempted to roll the dice. The masterstroke has been bringing the conspiracy questions we battle with today into the fold, and using Cap' to play judge. But Hydra's return stretches plausibility too thin over these 70 years following the end of WWII. The Uncle Sam and Nazi hocus-pocus is a bridge too far for a history student who didn't grow up with comic books.
It's Marvel's (cinematic) world, and we are all just paying rent.
6.5/10
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is out April 4.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is out April 4.
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