Captain America: Good story, good message, almost perfect

Rating: Null/10 (12 August 2011)

Going into this film, I wasn't too familiar with Captain America's story; I've always been more of a Batman and Spider-Man kind of guy when it comes to the comic book heroes. However, I think I am right in saying that director Joe Johnston and screenwriters Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely did a great job at portraying the character's origin.
Steve Rogers is a rather small guy, one who has a strong voice for his beliefs and what is right, but is bullied often because those he speaks up against are usually twice his size. Both of his parents were involved in the military and he longs to go into the army and fight in the war; not to kill but because he hates bullies. His size is also a persistent problem here, as well, never making the cut to enlist in the service no matter how many attempts he makes. America has just entered World War II and seeing the courage and strength within Steve's heart, Dr. Erksine gets him to volunteer for Project Rebirth, a top secret military project that aims to create super soldiers to help them defeat the Nazis. Undergoing the experiment, Rogers' body is transformed into what can only be described as the body of a super hero. When Dr. Erksine is immediately assassinated by a German spy from the Nazi's secret research department, HYDRA, it is up to the newly named Captain America to go after and defeat the head of HYDRA... Johann Schmidt a.k.a. Red Skull before he uses his newly harnessed "powers" to destroy the world.
With a great cast leading the way (the likes of which include: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Dominic Cooper, Tommy Lee Jones, Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones and Hayley Atwell) Captain America does a great job at entertaining the audience while also delivering a great story with a message that relates to each and every once of us today, even though the film is set in 1942.
The 3D didn't really add anything special to the film; a little bit of depth to a scene where some of the men zip-line from atop a cliff down onto a speeding train, plus a few smaller gimmicky things, but that's about it. Would have looked the same in 2D... that holds true to most 3D releases these days, though. When it came down to it, I only really had one complaint: I think the ending could have used a bit of a re-write. I understand where they were trying to take it and the meaning they were trying to give it, but I didn't feel like the relationship between Rogers and Peggy Carter was developed enough to give the final scene the emotional pull it needed to accomplish.
I am anxious to see the sequel, of course Captain America will first appear in The Avengers before that, but if they keep the same writers, now that his story has been established I think they will be able to make an even better film!