A Captain for the Modern Times

Rating: 9/10 (5 April 2014)

Abandoning the campy nature of the World War 2-era newsreels that influenced its predecessor for a more serious and modern tone, "Captain America: The Winter Solider" proves to be another outstanding addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Using espionage as a major story driver, Captain America, who is a bit less naive and more in tune with the world as it is now, finds himself in a tangled web of lies and deceit that makes the film feel less like a standard comic book movie and more like a spy thriller.
Chris Evans does a fantastic job of transitioning everyone's favorite shield throwing super hero into a more stern and figure-head type of leader as seen in the comics. This transition is helped out masterfully by the great performances of Anthony Mackie, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Redford, and Sebastian Stan. Mackie, who plays Sam Wilson, stands out big in this film, giving arguably his best performance since 2008's "The Hurt Locker".
While the film does super kick the viewer in the chest a bit with it's over the top action at times, some of it can be forgiven thanks in part to some incredible up-close fighting and choreography that might be the best seen yet in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Aesthetically, the film does a good job of using practical effects and CGI to create a vision that feels natural and one that keeps the attention of the viewer.
"Captain America: The Winter Solider" could be one of those sequels considered to be better than the original when all is said and done. Although the pacing of the film does have a few hiccups, the mixture of action, humor, and subtle nods to fans, supported by a fairly strong plot, make it a film worth seeing in the theaters a couple of times.