Captain America: The Winter Soldier outperforms its predecessor in every way

Rating: 8/10 (4 May 2014)

Captain America: The First Avenger was one of the weaker films in Phase 1 of Marvel's Cinematic Universe. But, besides Iron Man and The Avengers, really all the Phase 1 films were sub par compared to those films (The Incredible Hulk just being abysmal). Phase 2 however is really bringing it back. Iron Man 3 was a complete step up from Iron Man 2, Thor: The Dark World gave us the Thor movie we wanted after the disappointing 2011 film and now we have Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and its good, really good.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier follows Steve Rodgers as he once again faces a global threat that puts him at odds with everyone: who can he trust?. The plot is full of twists and turns that I honestly wasn't expecting, and from a superhero film such as this one thats nice to see. The film is set in modern terms, unlike its predecessor, so the idea that this would feel like a completely different film is warranted - but the film actually fits very well into the Captain America series and Marvel hasn't simply abandoned the WW2 era that Rodgers lived in most of his life. They show him still adjusting to life in the new world, he even has a notebook of all the things he has to catch up on and then even goes to visit an aging Peggy Carter in a shockingly emotional scene that makes you feel for Rodgers as a character far more than the previous film ever did.
The plot, like many have stated, is a lot like a spy thriller, superhero film mash-up. Its got the sneaking around looking for information while hiding from a powerful organisation, but its also got the classic over the top gadgets and hover-crafts and stuff goes boom and it's all very well and good and its all there and accounted for. The idea of Captain America going rouge is great idea that showcases the threat he's facing is very real. Its also is great for showing the relationship between Cap and Black Widow who have a wonderful buddy cop - like relationship on screen. Constantly cracking jokes to each other shows there're both very close and the fact they speak to each other as equals contrasts well to everyone else talking down or giving orders to them like their superior and Cap and Widow are just foot soldiers.
The film isn't all perfect however. They sadly under use Anthony Mackie as Falcon who I found a great wing-man to Cap and I felt it was a shame they didn't focus on him a little more because I think he has huge potential, similar to War Machine in the Iron Man series. Robert Redford I thought wasn't playing the bad guy the way I know he could, maybe the material just didn't allow for it but, I thought he underplayed his role a bit too much. The Winter Soldier, while undoubtedly a very bad-ass character I felt got underplayed in, what I assume, a film all about him. I get that there's a lot more going on, so they can't just focus on The Winter Soldier but I felt by the end of the film, I didn't see him enough to care about him as Bucky Barnes (because the previous film sure didn't care about him). Sebastian Stan has been signed for 9 films, so I have no doubt Marvel intend to replace Evans with Stan as Captain America, once Evans leaves the role.
Overall, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a fantastic follow-up to the very flawed first film and a fantastic entry in Phase 2 of Marvels Cinematic Universe.