An Amazing Film That Cements Itself In This Crazy Universe

Rating: 9/10 (12 December 2019)

This film might be my top three films that Marvel has ever produced, even after Endgame. I might even go as far and say that it's my number one favorite movie from Marvel. Some people might call me crazy, naming Winter Soldier my number one film when Infinity War and Endgame exists, but let me explain why this film might be my favorite film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
This film calls back to The First Avenger. A movie set in the 1940's in which we see Steve Rogers become Captain America for the first time. With many references to the First Avenger's love interest, his enemies, and friend-turned-foe, we continue to see Steve Rogers re-evaluating what he thought he once knew. From the 1940's to 2010's, Steve Rogers is truly "a man out of time". This modern age of espionage that he is living in gives up privacy and a right to a fair judgement in turn for complete safety throughout the nation. Despite finding out that S.H.I.E.L.D. has the ability to eliminate anyone they see as a threat before they can actual become a threat, as the righteous man he is, he stays true to his core belief, because the way he sees it, "that's not freedom, it's fear." We see his internal struggle with his morality and what the modern age of espionage has become and is simply trying to find his place in a world that was once so much simpler than now.
Things get even more complicated when a person from his past returns in the present. Surprised by this turn of events, he can't help but wonder if he could've done anything to prevent things from turning out the way they did. He blames himself for the creation of the Winter Soldier, but blames himself even more that he can't seem to pull the Winter Soldier from the brink of darkness. It creates an interesting dilemma that ponders the question, "What happens if you put someone who won't give up fighting for his friend against someone who won't stop until he finishes his mission?"
The spy genre really works well with the Captain America series. It's interesting take on a Marvel character who normally goes up against global threats in a red, white and blue costume. By putting him in this espionage setting, with a darker uniform, and obstacles that have him reaffirm his morals, and opting out of the big CGI spectacular of villains, it makes the film a lot more grounded and real. It poses questions that are relevant in today's society about government interference in the nation's freedom.
The choreography in this film is just truly spectacular. The stunts, the fights, the shots. They all are visually appealing. Not only that, but because of the groundedness of the film, it allows us to appreciate the more intricate parts of the fights. Every time Captain America and Winter Soldier go toe-to-toe, you can't not be amazed at how well done the fight scenes are.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier takes a character from the past who generally is a hopeful and morally righteous person and places him in darker, modern day society, working for an agency which has him question his beliefs. This spy genre is certainly something that isn't new, but this film does a great job in combining the spy genre with the superhero genre. And what is created is something that will leave you in awe the first time you see it, and in disbelief the subsequent times you see it, because how can a movie be THIS good?