"Looks like you're giving the orders now, Cap".

Rating: 8/10 (12 April 2014)

I just read an interesting article on the film's directors, Anthony and Joe Russo. When they say it, you have to believe it - the picture is something of a commentary on present day, big government spying and terror-suspect 'kill lists' that have become topical with the advent of wiretapping by the National Security Administration and drones equipped to target enemies of the state. One of the more chilling ideas presented by Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford) in the film was his objective to put seven billion people on the planet under his rule by wiping out a few million at a time until everyone gets their mind right. The movie presents society at a tipping point between freedom and chaos, and Cap had me when he declared his life against the threat of modern day tyranny.
That's probably all just a bit too deep for a film based on a comic book super hero. But comics have never been shy about dealing with current topics, and neither have films. However if all that makes your head hurt, you can simply go into this as a slam bang action flick and it will still be entertaining. Captain America (Chris Evans) and his trusty shield deal out some nasty damage during the course of the story, and sometimes it's so fast paced you wish they'd slow things down a bit so you can keep up with it all. With Cap, you have a 1940's hero who's still trying to adjust to his new life while holding on to the values that made America great.
So while you're trying to keep up with the fast paced action, there's also a story line that can get a little tricky if you're not paying attention. The whole notion of not trusting anyone posited by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) keeps Cap and the viewer on the look out for a double cross at every turn. He finds he can put his faith in a couple of resolute companions, the sexy Black Widow Natasha (Scarlett Johansson) and high flying Falcon Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie). Mackie actually gets some of the picture's best lines, like when he describes being a sidekick to the Captain - "I do what he does, just slower".
And as always, my Marvel movie review wouldn't be complete if I didn't tip my hat to one of the guys that started it all back in the day, the inimitable Stan Lee, who cameos here as a security guard. When he discovers that someone (it was Cap) stole the museum's original Captain America uniform from a patriotic display, he declares his fate by stating - "Oh man, I am so fired".