I think it works...

Rating: 9/10 (28 July 2011)

What sets this movie apart from the continuous stream of comic book movies we've been getting so far this year? Well, for starters, this one takes place mainly in the 1940s during WW2 (except for the WTF opening, that makes you wonder if you've wandered into the wrong film). Aside from the beginning and ending, I enjoyed this film immensely. It's this change of scenery/time period that gives Captain America a different sort of tone and makes it stand out from the crowd. It's like a good old-fashioned action adventure movie. A rollicking good time - which you would expect from Joe Johnston (who directed, among others, the classic film The Rocketeer).
Another large part of the film's success is the cast. To any who doubted Chris Evans, he more than adequately fills the shoes of Steve Rogers. Yes, with some excellent computer-aided trickery, we meet Steve as a scrawny "90 pound asthmatic". He's a nice kid, with a great never-give-up attitude, who sadly no one takes seriously when he wants to join the fight against Hitler. Evans is truly convincing as this character. He brings heart to the film, which is what counts. With the help of a serum and a kindly scientist, Steve gets to be the first in a planned long line of super soldiers. He is transformed into the epitome of physical perfection. And so we see Scrawny Evans turned into Steamy Evans, a musclebound man with enhanced abilities. No, he doesn't have a robotic suit doing all the work for him, but what he *does* have is the ability to finally be the best that he truly can be. Evans proves the right guy for the job, as he makes you believe in this zero-turned-hero. I also appreciated that he wasn't yet another wise-cracking smart-arse, as a lot of 'heroes' seem to be lately. He actually has an earnestness & naivety about him which makes him likable, and it's this endearing quality which catches the eye of Agent Peggy Carter, played by gorgeous British actress Hayley Atwell, who does quite a lot with what she's given. She's not just the ordinary run-of-the-mill damsel in distress in need of rescuing. She handles herself exceptionally well, being handy with a gun, and gives Rogers a run for his money when it comes to never backing down. Atwell brings a lot to the role, much of it being in the looks that she gives. That's not to say she doesn't get some good lines. I thought she was actually one of the best female leads in a comic book movie to date. Her and Evans play off each other well.
Tommy Lee Jones is really good as the gruff Colonel Phillips. He's a bit rough around the edges, but manages to show that he's not entirely without heart. Stanley Tucci is also excellent as the doctor who sees in Steve something that not many do. A real friendship develops between the two, and it goes a long way to making sure that when Dr. Erskine exits the film, we feel what Steve feels. This isn't the only loss, though. There is one other significant casualty, that actually packs an emotional punch when it happens. As Steve's best friend Bucky, Sebastian Stan plays another likable character. Their friendship feels very real and believable, as Bucky is one of the few to stand up for his friend in the early part of the film.
Lastly, Hugo Weaving does some major scenery chewing in the role of Johann Schmidt. Not everything goes according to plan for the crazy Nazi dude obsessed with becoming a god (when will these bad guys in comic book films learn NOT to experiment on themselves?), and he winds up the disfigured red-skulled villain his name would suggest. I actually liked how the reveal of Red Skull was approached, with only very vague hints to what was lurking underneath the surface early in the film (like with the painting of him whilst he stands in shadow). Once we do finally see him in his full Red Skull glory, this is when Weaving seems to really cut loose and relish the role. His face, and nose cavity, are quite distracting.
The film has several standout sequences and the action is handled with expertise. Though one sequence that I especially liked in the film isn't action-based at all. It's early on, before Capt. America has even gotten a proper costume. Instead he's dressed in laughable tights (all those moaning about the update of the Captain America costume need only see this nod to the original version to realise that changes did indeed need to be made) with little wings jutting out from the sides of his cowl. What makes this scene so memorable is the fact that we are treated to a performance by a gaggle of star-spangled dancing girls dressed in red, white, and blue, who perform a catchy "Star-Spangled Man" song whilst Captain America travels around the country to boost morale and sell war bonds. It really was a delightful surprise moment.
Thankfully, Cap eventually gets upgraded to much more practical star-spangled duds (which resembles a tricked-out airman's jumpsuit), complete with a mask which looks to be adapted from a WW2 helmet and a handy shield which doubles as a kick-arse Frisbee. And so Captain America is able to kick butt without looking stupid.
The only slight negative I found in the film was the ending. Due to how things have to end up, the ending to this movie stinks of merely being set-up for The Avengers (of which there is yet more set up for, plus a teaser trailer of, at the end of the credits). And sadly, the relationship that was blossoming between Steve and Peggy hits a rather large snag (though their goodbye scene is emotional/quite effective). Here's hoping for a proper sequel to this film, so that we can get to see Steve show up for his date.