Marvel continues to create a world so depthy they may not like hitting bottom

Rating: 8/10 (20 April 2014)

My title might sound ambiguous as to whether I enjoyed this film or not well let me assure you that I did. I have such a great amount of respect for Marvel/Disney and what they've done with this Superhero Universe. It is so diverse and instead of bottoming out with each film they release they seem to continue to set the bar and open up new avenues in this world. Captain America: Winter Soldier serves to do exactly that...add layers and layers to the Avengers world. This is both its success and its curse. At times Captain America: Winter Soldier feels like an epilogue unlike Thor 2 which stood firmly on its own two feet. It does attempt to create its own story while making sure to fast track the Avengers storyline but even the main story is really just more for The Avengers to cover in Age of Ultron. This isn't a bad thing, it just means that Captain America: Winter Soldier doesn't stand out very well on its own. There is a myriad of terrific action scenes, apparently done with minimal CGI and I LOVE that!! The hand to hand combat scenes are plentiful and really well choreographed. Then there is a ton of story development, thrills and twists and turns (some are a little obvious I think) but the comparisons to the spy/thriller genre are apparent. This, again, is both its curse and success. Sometimes it felt like it dragged just a little bit and when you go into Captain America you aren't necessarily prepared to see a thriller with a lot of story. Its all very well done, please don't get me wrong, it just is a little off-putting after seeing the non-stop thrill ride that was Thor 2.
I have always liked Chris Evans but I wasn't he would make the right Captain America. I was completely wrong and he proves it again for a third go around. He embodies the innocence and morality and yet is tough as nails as a soldier. Evans actually gets to demonstrate a lot of depth for an action hero and he does so well. He is perfect in the role and it would be hard for anyone to take that role from him. Scarlett Johansson returns as everyone's favourite gorgeous Russian spy. Johansson really gets a significant role for the first time is basically a co-star to the story. Her chemistry with Evans is near perfect and their potential romance is well dealt with without getting in the way. I was never sure I was a huge fan of Black Widow in these films but she really won me over in this. The supporting cast in this film was what really won me over. There were some truly great characters and performances. Of course you have Samuel L. Jackson playing a significant role as Nick Fury and he's good in the role but man are we finally being over saturated with Jackson? He does so much and his twist in the film I could have seen from a mile away. Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce is a subtle performance and he does seem to be showing his age but this guy is Hollywood royalty in my books and he instantly adds to any scene he is in and he fits the cast very well. Anthony Mackie is a great addition to the cast if not slightly underused but I would hazard to guess they are establishing a character for future films. Same for Emily VanCamp who has a good role and I love her as an actress but she is underdeveloped in this film but establishes her for future films. In my opinion the films biggest flaw is its villain. The entire concept of this movie should be "The Winter Soldier" played by Sebastian Stan. His origin is not really a surprise but they do their best to make it seem that way. Stan is a decent villain with some good scenes but just when he's getting his bad-ass vibe in check he vanishes and you're left feeling underwhelmed by the villain. It plays into the fact that Captain America: Winter Soldier is more of a bridge between Avengers films than its own entity.
I'm more than surprised that Marvel and/or Disney turned to the Russo brothers for direction. I don't mean to imply they did a bad job, this is a very good movie but the Marvel bar is so high with Iron Man 1 and 2, The Avengers and Thor 2 (I left out Iron Man 3 because it, like this, felt just a little underwhelming.) Anything less than a 9 to me has to be dissected when it comes to Marvel films. The Russo brothers have a long history of experience in Television and when you're making a film like this it needs to be self-contained while still propelling the Marvel Universe. All that aside you won't be disappointed. The film absolutely has a different vibe which they were aiming for and they throw around "70's thriller" a lot and I can see that homage to it and bravo to them for that. It properly captures Captain America and what he stands for. Everyone is raving and it will make a ton of money and for good reason. It isn't perfect nor is it high on the list of what they've produced thus far but it is a great start to the blockbuster season and a fun time at the movies. 8/10