Probably the most underrated of MCU's Phase 1

Rating: 10/10 (12 September 2016)

As Screen Junkies noted in their Honest Trailer for 'The Avengers', Captain America was 'no one's favorite hero'. However, I'd argue that his first MCU film, 'Captain America: The First Avenger' is one of the best of Phase 1 up there with the first 'Iron Man' and 'Avengers'. After the disastrous adaptation of the character in 1990 that was never released in theaters, this film does a fantastic job in telling the origin story of Captain America. Chris Evans, in his second major Marvel role, very much shines in the role of Cap, immediately establishing himself as a humble and likable superhero. But he's also backed by one of the best 'ensembles' to ever grace an MCU film; Hayley Atwell as Cap's love interest Peggy Carter, who of course would end up starring in her own TV series a few years later, Tommy Lee Jones as Colonel Phillips, Sebastian Stan as Cap's loyal pal Bucky Barnes, and of course Hugo Weaving as one of the best MCU villains to date as the Red Skull.
This is very much an old-school summer blockbuster with the modern tricks. The period design is excellent, showcasing director Joe Johnston's talents for period pieces, and I won't lie; the ending in which Cap 'sacrifices himself' by crashing the plane into the arctic, unaware he would only end up getting revived decades later, is quite emotional. 4 words... "I had a date"
And that's why 'First Avenger' is one of my favorite MCU films. It's well-directed, terrifically acted all around, and I'd argue it succeeds in making its main protagonist one of the best characters in the MCU to date.