Captain America: Winter Soldier Review
The first Captain America film was okay. It was more like a pulpy Sunday morning cartoon than intense superhero action film. Which is fine. But it didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the Marvel films which all had a different tone than that one. But that was the point. Marvel purposely hired Joe Johnston because of his work on other period films. This time, Marvel brought in the Russo brothers who were known at the time for their work on the television show, Arrested Development. So it was a weird announcement that they were announced as the directors of the new Captain America film. I will be honest, I wasn't looking forward to watching it. I waited a while before watching it and I can say that it was a mistake.
After the cataclysmic events in New York with The Avengers, Marvel's "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," finds Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow, Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon. However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy--the Winter Soldier.
This is probably the best sequel in Phase Two of the Marvel Universe. Which is surprising. The Russos were known for comedy so the fact that this movie is as great as it is, is just great. The movie plays like one of those old conspiracy theory films that some of which, coincidentally, also included Robert Redford. Almost everything is perfect here. The action is fantastic and brutal and almost real. The causeway scene is great because it isn't just a fight scene. The Russos build as much tension as a horror flick as it progresses. The story is fantastic too. It features hints at other Marvel movies and it sets up future films. If there is one thing to bother with, it's the script. It's fine, it just isn't anything new. It has more snappy dialogue than the first, but it's nothing compared to the dialogue of Iron Man's films. But that's it. Everything else is great and it is a much needed improvement in the Captain America series.
