The Star Spangled Man With The Plan ;)

Rating: 9/10 (22 July 2011)

I chose the humorous song from the movie as the title of my review, because truly this film had a plan. They stuck closely to the Cap's origin, and doing it as a period piece was the only plan that I believe would have worked.
The 1940s vibe will surround you as you watch the style, dress and politics of the period. The World's Fair-like event, headed by Howard Stark's Car of the Future. The enlistment posters.
The nostalgia that was that decade ... that time is a big part of this movie. Combine that with Chris Evans' convincing portrayal of Steve Rogers, the 90-pound weakling that wants so badly to help serve his country. Stanley Tucci's Dr. Abraham Erskine, builds a sweet friendship with Rogers, and his respect for the latter helps form the bond of who Captain America will become.
Then, there is Hayley Atwell, who as Agent Peggy Carter admires Rogers - even as the 90-pound weakling version - for his courage, his passion and most of all his character. There is more than an on-screen chemistry between Atwell and Evans, there is a believable, albeit tragic romance. Without revealing the end, I found myself feeling sympathetic towards these characters, as this was not your average, run-of-the-mill comic book movie.
Director Joe Johnston brings us another classic period fable in the vein of THE ROCKETEER, one of his earlier works. And screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely do a nice job capturing the vernacular of Rogers and his comrades. Erskine's line, "Stay who you are, not just a soldier, but a good man," is destined to go up there with Uncle Ben Parker's, "With great power, comes great responsibility." Johnston gets great performances from everyone involved including Oscar-Winner Tommy Lee Jones, and Sebastian Stan as a rebooted Buck, Cap's pal. Everything from the look of Cap's classic costume, to the shield being a character in itself, just adds to this period classic. The action sequences are not only top-notch, but interesting and do help to advance the story. And, then there is Hugo Weaving as The Red Skull. Awesome.
Without revealing just how, the movie opens and closes in a TITANIC-like fashion, and I truly enjoyed the way it was presented. Truly this film, did have a plan, and I for one, love it when a plan comes together. ;)