Marvel Universe Continues to Evolve

Rating: 8/10 (27 March 2014)

I have to admit that after the first Avengers film, I wondered where the franchise would go. With the five films that went before it, surely there was only so many ways we could see a superhero bash a bad-guy.
Well, after an impressive Iron Man 3 and Thor sequel, I can tell you that Captain America does not disappoint and things are all looking rather good for Disney/Marvel. In fact, it may well be the best of the '2nd phase' films, if not one of the best of the series!
Without giving anything away, this film feels like a genuine Marvel story. It has all the superhero ingredients, but mixed in with a good dose of conspiracy thriller. It feels tense and very real in places; probably more-so due to the off- world antics of Thor in the previous movie, this connects to the audience due to its 'real world' setting. Captain America is a hero but also not invincible, The Winter Soldier is a genuine nemesis, the Captains comrades (no spoilers), are all well written. Key to all of these modern Marvel films, is how to introduce the characters in modern films without them looking daft. And with this film a new Avenger is introduced, and it works 100%.
The CGI is kept to a necessary minimum, with lots of action feeling chunky & real, much like the Bourne films. And the 3D adverts that preceded the film: Spiderman2; X-Men; and Guardians of the Galaxy, all look to be cracking films in their own right.
All in all, this film is definitely worth a cinema viewing, with a big bag of popcorn.
The only grumble I have is that the 3D is rather redundant, compared to films like Gravity etc.
Make sure you stay to the very end of the credits, as there are two interesting scenes to be enjoyed, which leave threads open as usual.