More than just a comic book movie, it's also an astute and timely political thriller

Rating: 10/10 (14 November 2014)

Finally, I got to see this! This was one of my most anticipated movies this year, and boy was it worth the wait! In this latest installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America and a few friends take on S.H.I.E.L.D. after an assassination attempt on Nick Fury. Along the way, he uncovers some secrets that fundamentally change his understanding of how he thought things were. That's probably all the plot you need going in, because to say anymore would spoil the experience. Everything and everyone fires on all cylinders here. Chris Evans is outstanding as Captain America, as well as Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Falcon. What I appreciated most was the attention to character development in addition to the jaw-dropping action sequences. But what surprised me was how smart this film actually is. The basic premise of the film, you could say, is "ripped from the headlines." With the NSA scandals and privacy vs. security debate currently going on in the US, this film couldn't be more timely. It also fits in nicely with the other films in Marvel's Cinematic Universe. While the story is self-contained, there are nods to other Marvel characters and past events so that everything ties together quite well. Honestly, there's not too much more I can really say about it, except that if you haven't seen it you don't know what you're missing. Also, as expected with comic book films these days, don't forget to stay for the mid- and post-credits sequences, which hint at things to come.