Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Rating: 9/10 (27 March 2015)

Hydra, a terrorist cell within S.H.I.E.L.D thanks to German scientists (like the malicious Zola whose "brain" exists within ancient databanks in an old warehouse), supposedly kills Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) and plans to use a Project Insight (with special aircraft machines equipped with superior weaponry) to annihilate anyone on earth who might threaten to deter their mission of herding humanity into captivity to follow a security rule. This would be to abandon freedom so anyone that might be a detriment to Hydra's plans is targeted for extermination. It will be up to Captain America (Chris Evans, who has made this character his own; this character will define his career for the most part) and former KGB officer, current S.H.I.E.L.D member (that was until Fury was attacked), Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson, with red hair and toned, athletic body) to stop Hydra. Joining them is former soldier, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackle), going by Falcon because he has a special device in his backpack that unfolds metallic wings that allow him to fly. Assisting Hydra besides an equipped strike force called S.T.R.I.K.E is a former buddy of Captain's named Bucky (Sebastian Stan), captured by the Germans and built into a supersoldier called The Winter Soldier. With an arsenal of hi-tech weapons (including a computerized metallic arm akin to Captain's shield, explosives, and guns), impressive strength (he is one that can go man to man with Captain America), and fighting prowess (when Captain and the Winter Soldier do battle, neither can get an edge over the other), The Winter Soldier is quite a threat; he's the perfect solution to the pesky Captain America. Within S.H.I.E.L.D, Fury thought he had an ally in Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford; this role a direct departure for the actor), who is a high ranking member within the organization, but is wrong.Pierce is Hydra and believes the solution is to coral the human race into rule. To him, The Winter Soldier is his weapon along with the Insight heliacarriers that will remove future threats to his and Hydra's dream rule.
Convoluted plot or no, Captain America: Winter Soldier is an incredible action film and utilized the popular comic book super hero amazingly well. It brings him into this century and wisely incorporates the past and present to flesh out and evolve the character. It also takes a hard look at "compromising" one's ideals in order to survive in this day and age, with Captain America a throwback to old fashioned heroism, values, integrity, and defense of freedoms long fought and died for. Redford is a kind of example or symbol of corrupt idealism where the use of murder is necessary in order to adopt and secure a control over people, forgoing the moral entanglements that come with eradicating millions in order to achieve a master race of sheep. To stop war, diplomacy isn't the answer, it's removing millions so that the billions under Hydra rule could be part of a brand new future.
Anyway, if you just want a comic book action film, this is perfect. You get incredible car chases (Fury's evasive van drive through the city in an attempt to avoid Hydra forces, Captain America and Natasha's first meeting with The Winter Soldier and members of S.T.R.I.K.E), breathtaking fight sequences (Captain's overcoming the strike force in an elevator and battle with The Winter Soldier on board a heliacarrier, and Captain's early fight with Georges St Pierre on board a ship where hostages of S.H.I.E.L.D are held), and eyepopping special effects (Captain's disarming a heliacarrier with his shield, Nick Fury's van withstanding major damage thanks to a protective shield, Captain's feats of strength through the use of his shield by going through windows and moving through the use of running like a locomotive) really provide the audience bang for their buck. A rather complex plot aside, this had something to say along with all the bells and whistles. Marvelous entertainment. The story of the Winter Soldier in relation to Captain's past is also well done. Anthony Mackle gets a plum supporting part while Redford successfully plays against type.