Surprisingly dull

Rating: 4/10 (1 August 2011)

Based on the comic book. In the 1940s Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is deemed unfit for military service being too small and frail. He takes part in an experiment that makes him tall, ridiculously muscular and possessing almost superhuman strength. He joins the army and helps them battle the evil Nazi the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving).
I heard a lot of good things about this movie and was surprised to see how dull it was. It takes far too long setting up the back story and Cap doesn't show up until 30 minutes in. I don't mind slow movies but this was deadly dull. The movie drones on and on and moves in fits and starts. I never got involved in the characters or the story. Also there's tons of casual violence but no blood (to get the all important PG-13 rating). The special effects are good but don't help that much. Evans is OK as Captain America but he comes off as sort of dull. He never shows any range of emotion. Hayley Atwell walks through her role as Peggy Carter. She's not a bad actress but she's given nothing to work with. Tommy Lee Jones gives yet another bad performance as an Army colonel. He can do this part in his sleep--and he does! Weaving sneers his way through his role and plays the Red Skull as a one-dimensional evil man. Only Dominic Cooper(as Howard Stark) and Sebastian Stan (as Bucky) give good performances. This isn't the worst comic book movie ever (that award goes to "Green Lantern") but it's slow and dull. I give this a 4.