Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a sequel to both
Captain America: The First Avenger and
The Avengers,
two of the best of the Marvel series of movies to come out, and
manages to rank right among them in terms of sheer entertainment
value and thoughtful comic-book execution.
Chris Evans (Scott Pilgrim,
Push) returns as Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, the World
War II hero who found himself cryogenically frozen for decades, still
adjusting to the world of today. He has been actively working
with S.H.I.E.L.D., with his main contact being Nick Fury (Jackson,
RoboCop), who sends
him off with his best agent, Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow
(Johansson, Her).
However, it soon becomes apparent that not everything is going to plan
within the powerful world espionage organization, causing Rogers to
reevaluate just what side he has been aiding all along -- the good
guys or the criminals he has sworn to take down.
Enter the Winter Soldier (Stan, Black
Swan), perhaps the most treacherous assassin that
Captain America has ever faced, who is out to kill him and his friends
in the organization for reasons unknown. To find out, Cap is
going to have to investigate his own organization, though he's not sure who to
trust any more, not even his own superiors. With the help of
Romanoff and a fellow war vet named Sam Wilson (Mackie,
Runner Runner), Rogers is being
targeted by good guys and bad guys alike who are out to take him down
with deadly force.
Sibling directors Anthony and Joe Russo take over the directorial
chores from Joe Johnston, taking on their biggest endeavor ever (their
background is in small-scale and small-screen comedies, including the
abysmal You Me and Dupree), and they come
through with flying colors. Whereas Johnston infused his film with an
appropriately retro vibe, the Russos give it a modern, even futuristic
vibe as with the other Marvel efforts. It's a marvelous looking
film that eschews green-screening and CGI when possible (though there
is still plenty), which may be why it often looks less like a cartoon
than other similar efforts.
Returning screenwriters
Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (Dawn
Treader, Prince Caspian) continue to score big with the
Captain America character, and this time they outdo themselves by
making a grand-scale action film with an undertaking that comes closest to
rivaling the scope and intricacies of The Avengers as an
event (Supporting player Anthony Mackie describes this entry adeptly
as Avengers 1.5). But it's in the smaller, more
bittersweet nostalgic moments that The Winter
Soldier succeeds, with scenes that have time to breathe and build
up character depth before we're whisked off into another incredible
set piece.
The screenplay is gutsy, as Marvel could have just
rested on its laurels and continued to churn out formula films like
they did with its prior two Phase 2 flicks,
Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World,
which had a few
interesting insular developments but added very little to the overall
universe as a whole. The Winter Soldier shakes up the
status quo of the Avengers-verse in a very permanent way
-- where even superheroes can and do get harmed, bleed, and die -- creating fan interest in the next chapter of the Avengers
crossover that would not have been there without such risk-taking in
its plot.
The screenplay may fall under the realm of typical superhero-flick
formula from time to time, but for the most part, Winter Soldier
is more of a straight-up thriller with bursts of explosive action for
its first half, before finally cutting loose with a very prolonged
(perhaps a touch fatiguing) action climax. And
not just some cheesy knockoff, but one that ties in themes that speak
to modern-day issues like the lack of privacy in today's digital age,
the overreaching hand of national security, and the mass information
culled about us all from an overreaching government entity that tracks
our every move. Is it protection, or is it oppression of the
public, to keep them fearful in order to control them?
It's an eye-opening experience for Steve Rogers, whose most essential
core values necessitate trust of his fellow warriors and knowledge that he
fights for good,
to learn that the government forces he once laid out life and limb is
now potentially compromising the beliefs and values he fought so hard
to maintain, and may actually be the big bully he had always sworn to
take down.
Marvel continues to excel at putting together strong superhero films,
getting the right directors and right actors for the task in each
successive release. It's hard to imagine a better Captain
America than Chris Evans, who exudes charm, humor, physical strength,
and believable wholesomeness. Perhaps because of his boyishly
good looks, perhaps because of his brawn, Evans doesn't get nearly
enough credit for actually being a terrific actor and capable leading
man. If you need toughness, sincerity, humor, romanticism,
emotional resonance, and 'aw, shucks' old-fashioned values without
seeming corny, Evans exudes that stalwart quality through and through.
The supporting cast is terrific, including the ever-calming presence
of Robert Redford (All is Lost,
Lions for Lambs) as the most
influential member of the World Security Council, and most vital
mentor to Nick Fury. Redford's presence hearkens back to such
1970s paranoid thrillers as his own
Three Days of the Condor or All the
President's Men -- films The Winter Soldier often
hearkens to in its storyline of shifty government agencies and public
paranoia. Scarlett Johansson gets a real chance
to shine, as she's not as much a supporting player as a sidekick to
Captain America, contrasting his virtuous nature well with he kind of
real-world earthiness that makes for a good, balanced team, especially
as her combat skills are of a similar vein. And speaking of
sidekicks, the supremely enjoyable Anthony Mackie plays the man who in
the old Marvel comics would actually be Cap's sidekick for a spell,
the Falcon. Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury is also expanded upon
for this film, given much more to do from an action standpoint than in
previous entries, showcasing how he became the kind of respected
and feared leader he is.
Though the special effects are as first-rate as you'd expect, what
definitely gives The Winter Solider a leg up is the quality of the fight choreography.
If you have been wondering just why Captain America is considered a
major superhero in the comics universe, his ability to deliver a
high-flying kick or wince-inducing blunt attack is in full evidence in
this film, which is carried through with some of the best panache I've seen
outside of a film made in Hong Kong. Bad guys don't just get
knocked out, they're downright pummeled to submission or tossed
through windows for even daring to foolishly think they could best
America's ultimate super soldier. And lest you think that Cap's
shield is a silly costume piece of only occasional use, it is shown
here as not only the best means of protection, but a most formidable
weapon. He may not be lost without it, but he'd be a lot less
invincible.
With solid characterizations, fantastic action, provocative subtexts,
bold directions, major reveals, and just good, smart
comic book thrills, Captain America: The Winter Soldier
easily goes down as one of the best Marvel movies yet, as well as one of
the best blockbuster sequels of any variety. McFeely and Markus are now two for two with their Captain America
films, perhaps usurping Iron Man's claim to be the Avengers
solo hero worth watching most. If you're already invested in
this universe, it's a must-see film, as it sets up for future entries
in a very big way. If you're not, you should catch up to speed
ASAP with a triple feature of The First Avenger, The
Avengers, and this one; you'll call yourself a fanboy in no time.
-- There is an extended mid-credits scene setting up a future film, as well
as a post-credits capper to what's come before.
-- Followed by Avengers: Age of Ultron
Qwipster's rating:
©2014 Vince Leo
