Edward Snowden Strikes Back

Rating: 8/10 (21 August 2016)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier fixes some of my complaints of the first movie. In my review for The First Avenger, I opined that I never felt convinced about the relationship between Steve Rogers and his best friend Bucky Barnes. This film does a much better job going back and delving into that relationship to make it seem more convincing and relevant. If you are wondering why I mention Bucky Barnes in a movie called the Winter Soldier, well, connect the dots and keep in mind that I did warn you with a spoiler alert.
Scarlet Johansson is at her best as Black Widow as the relationship between her and Captain America really develops as she finally takes responsibility for her previous mistakes. Also, Anthony Mackie is a wonderful addition to the Avengers as Falcon and seems like less of a throwaway than Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye.
I believe the film does a decent job mulling over the moral implication of mass surveillance programs, and you even feel some empathy for some of the villains and their goals. As a result, Captain America: The Winter Soldier does seem to be the most morally relevant of the MCU films to date.
My only complaint with this film is it seems a bit rushed at some points and the plot comes together a bit too conveniently; it seems like a lot has to go right (or wrong depending on which side you are) for things to come together in the epic finale. I guess I'm just not convinced that so many people (police, S.H.I.E.L.D., politicians) were working on the bad side without there being leaks. Maybe I'm naive but maybe not.
The Winter Soldier gets 3.5 out of 4 hydras.