Good: 7.5

Rating: 7/10 (27 July 2019)

The next chapter in the Avengers saga has arrived. And, like Thor before it, it is dumb, big, and loud. However, this is slightly less dumb than most action movies these days, because of two main factors. One of these is the film's style. In an uncommon twist of the comic book subgenre, this is an undeniable period piece. WWII-style dialogue, cinematography, and technology are everywhere, and could not have provided a better backdrop for the action taking place on the screen. However, it is at this point that I think the film could use some improvement. The action scenes simply were not that compelling or entertaining. Honestly, this is the last complaint I expected to have about this movie, given that Thor and Joe Johnston's previous film, The Wolfman, both had this as their selling points. However, the dialogue was one of the finer points of the film. It was better-written than I had expected, and that's no small thing. The other main positive factor of this film is that it has a message. Unlike the last two Marvel movies, this one has a theme that most, if not all, people can get behind: simply that, no matter who or what you are, if you try hard enough, you can make a difference. This is something that the lead actor, Chris Evans (Scott Pilgrim) exemplifies extremely well. He plays both the pre- and post-op Steve Rogers with great emotion and deftness. Oh, and for all you Marvel fans, there are A LOT of little nods to Thor and Iron Man, as well as other (read: non-Marvel) stuff.