Marvel continues to ride high after the success of Avengers Assemble

Rating: 7/10 (20 May 2017)

THE WINTER SOLDIER is a far superior sequel to the original Captain America: unlike the first film, this doesn't descend into a CGI mess in the second half, and instead remains tight and compelling right up to and throughout the climax. This one has a retro, '70s political thriller-type feel going on, with Chris Evans cast as a friendless figure out of his time and out of his depth, at the mercy of sinister and unknown forces.
It's a decent film too, one never less than entertaining, and the second-best Marvel film I've seen, right behind AVENGERS ASSEMBLE (which had the huge budget and scale as a result). The fast-paced narrative includes all manner of martial arts-based fight scenes which, although reliant on CGI, are still exciting to watch. The elevator sequence is a real highlight and expertly staged. The effects are generally above average and the humour and camaraderie that these films are known for are both present. Scarlett Johansson shines here and Samuel L. Jackson gets more depth than usual, while Robert Redford is fun in a stock role. I wouldn't call THE WINTER SOLDIER a masterpiece, but it certainly does the job well enough and never disappoints.