It’s been a couple of years since we were last in touch with the Captain, things seem to be back to normal following New York but a new threat in the shadows could change everything in the lead up to the highly anticipated Avengers: Age of Ultron.
The Captain (Chris Evans), now well and truly stuck in modern times in Washington DC, is still trying to adjust to his new life. Following the events of The Avengers (which hasn’t really seemed to phase our hero, nor is it really mentioned), it’s business as usual for Steve Rodgers. He meets an ex-soldier, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), almost straight away. The two have a lot of similarities and they share a moment, a ‘bro-ment’, if you will. After a mission to save a group of hostages from a hijacked S.H.I.E.L.D boat—which includes a bit of an awkward fight scene—Rodgers soon finds out that Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is still keeping secrets from him, a common theme for Rodgers since The Avengers. It leaves Cap’ once again unable to trust the people and system that he once had so much faith in. It’s a battle for the Captain, who lives by a strict morale code, that everything he ever fought for, everything he ever believed in, seems to now be in vein. He’s a man out of his own time, alone and still trying to find his place in his new world. When a mysterious figure, dubbed the Winter Solider, attacks Fury and S.H.I.E.LD, it’s up to the Captain to find out what’s really going on. Unsure of who he can trust, and uncovering secrets which will shape the universe we’re likely to see come 2015, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is an intense flick full of exhilarating action sequences and a surprising story arch that’ll leave you wanting more.
While Captain America often lacks a funny edge that we’re so familiar with in the Iron Man franchise and to some extent, Thor, it isn’t without trying in this outing. Scarlett Johansson‘s Black Widow has her moments during her attempts at matchmaking for the Captain, but it’s the introduction of Anthony Mackie’s character, Sam Wilson/The Falcon who provides the comic relief for this more often than not serious film. The Falcon was a much appreciated addition to the cast as Mackie brings a warmth we haven’t yet seen from a Captain America character, and it now leaves Rodgers with a comrade in arms for possible future films. And Cobie Smulders gets a much better outing as Maria Hill in an equally ass-kicking female role. This is where The Winter Soldier ultimately takes a huge turn for the better. This film really taps into the Marvel mythology, more so than ever before. The introduction of many new faces, good and bad, is mouth-watering for fans. And it only gets better by the amount of loose ends and open stories that can be explored not only in the upcoming Avengers blockbuster next summer, but also the next Captain America film, whenever that will be.
Captain America if often dubbed ‘Marvel’s dullest Superhero’. Yes, he is a serious character, but if you look closely you can’t help but think that’s how he has to be for his character to work. They can’t all be Tony Stark with their quick wits, or Bruce Banner with his constant inner-battles with himself and that little thing where he turns into a giant enraged monster. When you break it down, Steve Rodgers is just a man, a man ripped from his own time and now with great responsibility on his shoulders. He’s a soldier in the purest sense, a man of honour, but time and time again that honour that he holds so close to his heart is put in doubt, because what he thinks he’s fighting for is in fact a lie. That’s not to say the film isn’t without its flaws though. The excitement of seeing Robert Redford in a Superhero film soon dies down as his character, Alexander Pierce, is sadly a disappointing addition to the cast as he never really blossoms on screen. We also witness an awkward moment when Cap’ struggles to beat a human with martial arts skills, yet we know he took on an alien invasion in The Avengers, and later fights a man with a bionic arm, but that’s neither here not there.
The Winter Soldier is much better than the first outing. While it falls just short of Iron Man 3, it far surpasses what Thor: The Dark World was, and is sure to send fans home happy. There’s still one more Marvel adventure to come in the form of Guardians of The Galaxy, but that still has the potential to be its own film in regards to the world we’re likely to see in Avengers: Age of Ultron, so Captain America: The Winter Soldier could essentially be our ‘go home show’ before the main event, and it definitely did the trick. With a whole host of new faces, a fragile alliance and a kick-ass post-credits scene that you cannot miss, The Winter Soldier is sure to make you hit your breaking point of excitement for next summers’ Blockbuster, that will reunite our favourite Superheroes, and some new enemies alike. It’s a strong story with slick action sequences, great characters (new and old) and relationship developments. Captain America: The Winter Solider proves why the Captain is an underrated Superhero
Rating: Trust and conspiracy are at the forefront for this exciting pre-summer Blockbuster (6.5/10).
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