Captain America is a super soldier in a rather super film

Rating: 8/10 (21 August 2017)

I see over the years the score has lowered here on IMDb, but to me the film is still a very good origin story. I enjoyed it more than Thor that was released the same year; however, the other two Captain America films would be better than this one. Of course they would be as there is more action and such, but for an origin story it does alright. The main problem with the film is that it is so well done at first, the second half almost seems a bit rushed. Not bad mind you, just like they were running out of time or something. That being said it did have a really cool battle between hero and villain at the end. This would be the fifth and final Marvel film leading up to the Avengers and basically where Disney took over pretty much all the Marvel films. This is good and bad as now all the films seem to have the same flow, but at the same time, you did get a bit more unique experience when different filming companies were doing them.
The story has a team during the present finding a huge airship at the North Pole. Then the film turns back the clock to World War II where a team of Nazis known as Hydra bursts into a cathedral where the head Hydra agent, Schmidt finds an object of immense power. Over on the US side a man by the name of Steve Rogers is being declared 4F by the military again as he keeps trying to enlist in the army. He and friend Bucky go to the Stark expo of the time and instead of enjoying himself, he wishes to try and enlist again. This time a doctor with some clout sees him and gets him into the army in a super soldier program. Soon he is chosen to be the first super soldier, but unfortunately, he is the only one as the good doctor is killed by a Hydra agent. Captain America is born and at first is stuck doing promos and such to help boost of the sale of bonds and enlistment, but once he learns that his friend was in a group of infantry men demolished by Hydra he goes to the rescue. During the rescue he meets Schmidt who has taken on the persona of the Red Skull due to the serums gruesome effect on his face and the two race towards a final confrontation as Captain America and a group of troops destroy the Hydra bases one by one.
The film is good and a large part has to do with the casting as Chris Evans does a very good job as Captain America. He is completely different from when he did the Human Torch in the two Fantastic Four films. Tommy Lee Jones is also good in his role as a cranky colonel who even when he warms up to Rogers still remains the same. Hugo Weaving though was totally excellent as the Red Skull and I do not see anyone else doing as well as he did in the role. Which also saddens me because he has yet to turn up in another Captain America film. I thought for sure he would be in the second Captain America or something.
So, I enjoyed this film a lot. Though once again, after a certain point the film seems a bit rushed to me. Basically, after Captain America saves the prisoners and then gets his trademark shield this occurs where we only see a few clips of battles and things going on. Even the infiltration of the last base seems a bit rushed. One wanders when Captain America and Agent Carter had time to develop feelings for one another during this stretch. Still, the final fight on the huge airship is cool and it ends nicely as it sets up the Avengers film.