Great Action Movie!

Rating: 9/10 (20 March 2012)

There are too many comic book action films that have been coming out but Captain America is not only the best one, but is also the only one that I actually liked. Now, some might argue that X-Men: First Class was fantastic (I am NOT a fan of Thor), but, while not bad, I felt it didn't reach its potential. As for Captain America, its main distinction to other summer films is that it doesn't dive right into the action. I appreciated the time it took to develop its characters, and, gee, there actually seemed to be a story going on here. I also have to warn those of you who might expect a straight up action flick to not get your hopes high. Although it didn't bother me, it does take a while before an action scene actually appears.
Another distinction that separates itself from other superhero films is the look of the film, coinciding its setting in 1942. Captain America looks and feels like an old-fashion film, and I really embraced it. This is also due to Alan Silvestri's score, which feels more classic than modern film scores. Our protagonist, Steve Rogers, feels like a real person which adds an emotional weight to the film. We feel for him and want him to succeed in his goal. And once the story is set up and the action finally comes to play, the action doesn't seem to appear for action's sake. It actually propels the story. It also doesn't hurt having a romance brewing between him and Peggy Carter. It was sweet and didn't feel forced to me.
Chris Evans plays the title character and he's great playing both the skinny, average Joe and the buff, all-American hero. He certainly steps up his performance here compared to his other superhero character, Johnny Storm. He brings a sort of charisma and puppy dog charm to his role, and it seems like an automatic response to be on his side when we first meet his character. Hayley Atwell is totally believable as his love interest as well. I would love to see what other things she has to offer in future roles. With all good superhero films, there must be a villain to match it. In that case, it's not surprising that Hugo Weaving doesn't disappoint. Just as the person he is, he can withhold an audience's attention without even trying.