Not a Perfect Solider, but a Good Man

Rating: 7/10 (4 May 2016)

In preparation for the upcoming Captain America: Civil War film, I've decided to go back and reexamine Iron Man and Cap's previous entries that I haven't reviewed.
Much like Iron Man 2, I wasn't a huge fan of The First Avenger the first time I watched this film years ago. But every single time I have watched it since, I have enjoyed it more and more. It has its cartoonish moments and an unmemorable performance from Hugo Weaving as Red Skull, but Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell bring so much charisma to the film that it's enough to outweigh some of the mishaps.
Probably because we have been spoiled with how Joe and Anthony Russo have portrayed Captain America, but Joe Johnston doesn't get a ton of credit for his directing job. Granted, the film is uneven in tone at times and it has a certain amount of bombastic elements to its visuals, but The First Avenger is about as good of a job as you could do at introducing the man out of time.
With the Avengers coming out merely a half a year after, the film had the task of giving a proper origin story to a man with morals structured around a completely different time period. It's the only true period piece Marvel has done as more than 90 percent of the film takes place in the 1940's as Cap receives super soldier serum in an attempt to counter Red Skull and Hydra's attacks.
Red Skull felt much like every other Marvel villain, wasted. Weaving comes off as more cartoonish and James Bond-villain-like than the tone of the rest of the film. Even if that's who the character is in the comics, I think there were some changes that needed to be made.
With that said, I really enjoy everything that's going on in the army, led by very solid performances from Tommy Lee Jones, Stanley Tucci, and Hayley Atwell. Atwell is positioned as the love interest for Cap and it couldn't have been handled any better. Much like the film itself, their relationship in this film has grown on me over time.
The First Avenger is an origin story through and through, but that doesn't stop it from having some cool action sequences both before and after Cap gets his suit. And of course, I have to mention the heroic score from Alan Silvestri. It was unfortunate that they didn't carry it over to The Winter Solider, but Henry Jackman ended up doing it justice.
Overall, the most unique film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a solid way to introduce us to the undeniably likable Steve Rogers, even if it has plenty of faults both in front and behind the camera.
+Cap & Peggy
+Supporting performances
+Silvestri's score
+Evans' is so dang likable
-Cartoonish Red Skull
-Uneven directing
7.6/10