Rah Rah Rah Red White and Blue

Rating: 8/10 (7 August 2011)

First, and perhaps most importantly, remember -- it's a comic book character – bigger than life, written at a time when America needed heroes in every size, color, shape and gender – and this is one of the most likable heroes of all time. He's the skinny weakling, brunt of the playground jokes, Mr. Nobody makes big. He has just one dream, to kick Hitler's ass, to serve his country, to be a part of the war effort like the playground buddies he is losing to the war – but he can't get into the military, and is a 3 time 4F failure at enlisting until a scientist (Stanley Tucci) Abraham Erskine recognizes his greatest asset, his heart. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) has the heart and soul of a hero and is recruited into the super-soldier experiment to become Captain America – a muscular and cellular enhanced super fighting machine.
However, to his chagrin, his first assignment is to "wear tights" in a silly super hero costume and be a walking talking breathing ad campaign for war bonds – the money used to fund the war is as needed as soldiers according to higher ups but upon learning that his childhood friend is trapped behind enemy lines that all changes and Captain Rogers comes into his own as a warrior – fighting for truth justice and the American way – cliché and the movie is cliché but that does not detract from its broader appeal. Everyone needs a hero –
The strength of this film is the hero – local boy with a great heroes heart makes good on promise to kick butt in Germany or some such – he doesn't even need the fancy equipment the magic vibranium shield or the super motorcycles to win our hearts – he did than when he threw himself on a dummy grenade in training and showed everyone what a real hero is made of. I wish they'd had more character development between Rogers and Hayley Atwell (his main squeeze) because she did an outstanding job as a 40s bombshell in uniform – and they could have used less fighting – after all, and again, we were already won over to him in the first 15 minutes – he had nothing to prove to us – fall in love, kill Hydra –the creation of a failed experiment by the same doctor that created Captain America - (the great and gruesome antagonist played by a heavily made up and unrecognizable Hugo Weaving) and come home to live happily ever after but and no buzz kill here, the ending leaves a perfect prequel set up (what a shock) perhaps for next year's Avengers? Always yummy Tommy Lee Jones plays the gritty General who is expected to make the scrawny kid into a soldier and as always he plays his role with believability, wit and his fabulous southern drawl – again I wish we could have had more interaction between Rogers and Jones. Nevertheless, Jones role helps the whole thing gel and he is no matter his age, raw masculine eye candy.
The storyline is good – not great – but not a wet comic book – very retro and very rah rah rah red white and blue but it's a comic book – if you see it with that in mind you'll enjoy it - it's worth the $10 bucks for an afternoon of escape at the local mall
The directors and writers do an excellent job of tying the beginning to the end and following a story line – flows very well and does not leave you wondering what just happened – the writers did a good job – not great – this is not an award winner but is good solid enjoyable film making and perfect summer entertainment for the kids and the kid in you.