CAP... back when he wasn't as great as he could've been...

Rating: Null/10 (6 April 2019)

Captain America was a character I was obsessed with but knew little to nothing about the character. I think it was because at this point, I knew that this Universe was going somewhere. That it was real, and an Avengers movie was underway. Again, I didn't see this one in the cinema. But I really tried to. I finally got the chance to see it a few months later and left the film extremely underwhelmed by the film and character. Over time it has changed, but I, personally, don't understand audience's strong appreciation for The First Avenger.
POSITIVES!
The plot is enjoyable. It's interesting to have a period piece set in a comic book film, but also set around one of Marvel's icons. Chris Evans stars in the title role and for the character he was given, Evans does a very acceptable job. Evans in this role hadn't received the exact praise that I give him now but was still a good performance. The real standout was the gorgeous and talented Hayley Atwell as Agent Peggy Carter. Not just a strong female character, but just a great character. Evans and Atwell shared incredible chemistry onscreen. Although I wasn't a major fan of her spin-off series, I was still happy she got the reception the character and actress deserved. Tommy Lee Jones is always an entertaining presence, so it was great to see him. Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull was awesome. Just the perfect choice to deliver that character. Joe Johnston directs this project and he does a fine job. As a director, he can create an incredible atmosphere that really feels like a throwback to '40s cinema and just that time period. This is also a praise to the sets and the costumes within the picture. I really enjoy this Captain America uniform. There's a lot of inspiration taken from the Ultimates run, but we also get the classic suit which is a lot of fun. The shield that Cap uses is such an obscure weapon but is very memorable for its prop and sound design. The score and music utilized in the film is another cool throwback to that time period and is quite catchy.
MIXED!
A big mixed element on the borderline of a negative for me would be the writing. Although I enjoyed the look of the film and so forth, as a war film it feels very held back. I understand that they couldn't go too dark with it, but they could've explored deeper themes and have some controlled imagery. This would've made Cap's ideals and characteristics stronger for the character he was. Even though he does these impossible things that makes him a legend, I didn't find him to be a "legend" character. A problem I had with the Red Skull was that he felt like a clichÃ© villain. Wasn't bad, just had the feeling of recurrence.
NEGATIVES!
It's probably not an editing issue but it's an issue. The amount of montages in this film, glossing over very important events, is unacceptable. As soon as Cap is on the frontlines of the war, the film goes into montage-madness. Basically, skipping over what could've made Cap a stronger character in this film. Something else that would be a major con would be the CGI. So many shots and visuals are clearly fake. Shots of an obvious greenscreen. Not as bad as some films, but still disrupting.
CONCLUSION!
So, Captain America: The First Avenger is a film that a lot of audiences enjoy, and some audiences have grown to appreciate. For me this film feels rushed. It feels as if that they needed a Captain America film, but Avengers was right around the corner. I think if the filmmakers took a few more risks with exploring WWII. Quicker storytelling so we get to see Cap in more of a war setting. Really adapt some of those incredible concept arts, making this one of the darker entries into the MCU than this would've been one of their greatest films.