Fantastic action espionage thriller

Rating: Null/10 (6 July 2015)

One of the best things about the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the variety of their characters and the possibilities that stem from that fact. It allows them to make a huge variety of movies, straddling different genres with ease. Whereas the Thor movies belong more comfortably in the fantasy genre and whereas the first Captain America film was a war period piece, this film can more accurately be described as an espionage thriller.
And it works great! It totally embraces the genre and gives us an interesting, multilayered and nail-bitingly exciting mystery to unravel, yet it still feels like a Marvel film - perhaps even more so than some, because it's the film in Phase Two that arguably moves the story forward the most.
So what is this story? Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) has joined S.H.I.E.L.D. after the events of The Avengers and along with Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) he fights against global threats to keep Earth safe. Yet it seems that tensions are rising even within S.H.I.E.L.D. and when an old Soviet threat, the Winter Soldier, re-enters the fray, Captain America has to use all of his skills and assets to solve the mystery before the world is doomed.
Basic premise, but its the execution that's so much fun. Johansson and Evan are a fantastic battle couple together, having some of the best chemistry I've seen in a long time. The various supporting actors are also A-list through and through, delivering some great performances. I also really appreciate how the film ties so many of the other Marvels movies together, yet it doesn't feel crowded with references.
The action scenes are also fantastic. Captain America is one of the more normal superheroes in the Avengers, yet that somehow makes all the action seem even more exciting because you know that he is not that much above the human norm, making all of his feats seem even more impressive. The fight choreographies are also suitably down to earth yet impressive, the special effects support all other aspects beautifully and it's simply a very competent film on the technical level.
If I had to name flaw, I'd say that the name of the film is a bit misleading as the eponymous Winter Soldier isn't really the central focus of the film, which can lead to some disappointments if you've set your expectations erroneously.
Nevertheless, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is one of the best Marvel movies made to date and a clear proof that Steve Rogers is the beating heart of the franchise. Definitely worth a watch.