Marvel gets mature

Rating: 8/10 (5 April 2014)

Where do I start? Well, I'll begin by stating I would easily put this amongst the best comic book/superhero sequels ever made. I also feel it's the best of the MCU films released post Avengers. It's fast and furious, but certainly has enough story and character development to balance things out. At just a little over two hours, it never feels bloated or overlong and there's enough going on to keep you on the edge of your seat until the final credits roll.
I had a feeling going in that the action would be the highlight, but here was the surprise...Marvel Studios offers up their grittiest and most adult-friendly film yet. Sure, it's bombastic, but the plot fashions itself more as a geopolitical spy thriller than a superhero epic. Think Jack Ryan or James Bond with an indestructible shield. The combat is very grounded and practical. Lots of hand to hand, probably the most gun play (sans Punisher) I've seen in a Marvel movie and outside of the finale, fights that take place on the streets. There's also some social commentary that plays alongside the story concerning the level of privacy this country has. Heck, the world even. We can all linked by technology through a few clicks of a button, which is as amazing as it can be terrifying. On top of that, someone is always watching. What are the powers that be doing with what they find from said watching? The film touches on such matters, adding a little wrinkle of legitimacy. Yea, there's a McGuffin that would help the villains achieve world domination, (big surprise, right?) but it's built upon some real world ideas and fears.
To wrap it up, this movie does for Marvel what The Dark Knight did for DC. It forces you to take the source seriously. Captain America: The First Avenger (underrated in its own right, I think) was a fun romp. A throwback superhero flick that let you escape and flip your brain off for two hours. The good guys are good and the bad guys are bad. The Winter Soldier is an entirely different beast. This time around, there are shades of gray. There are statements made about jaded idealism and blind loyalty. There is fun to be had, but it's not the pure sugar rush The Avengers was. It's got a great mix of action, drama and intrigue. Plus, there are a few laughs peppered to keep things loose. Go see it whether you're a comic book fan or not. It delivers on nearly all fronts.