**1/2 out of ****
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is pretty enjoyable
and continues Marvel’s lineup of films that fall short of superhero movie
greatness until we get another Avengers movie. This movie is what it is and I
enjoyed myself when watching it, but do we really have to wait for Joss Whedon
every time a character needs closure to an internal struggle?
In this film, we get to catch up with Chris Evans playing
Steve Rogers (a.k.a. Captain America) again, staying busy with S.H.I.E.L.D. operations
as he continues in his adjustment with the modern world. A big chunk of material
featuring this hero from the forties trying to find his place in the
twenty-first century, was cut from The Avengers for time. Writers Ed Brubaker, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely were smart enough to re-create that kind of content in this movie, catching up on the Cap’s personal life and his struggle to get behind today’s America.
It starts off great, as Rogers takes a morning super-run in
scenic DC, passing joggers multiple times with his unending energy and
strength. He befriends Sam Wilson, played by Anthony Mackie (good casting), a
fellow soldier who bonds with Rodgers on the difficulties of coming home from a
war. Later he will be an important ally to our hero.
After a mission with mysterious results and the revelation
of a new spy aircraft weaponry program, Rogers’ distrust of his fellow
S.H.I.E.L.D. members grows. Even Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Nick Fury
(Samuel L. Jackson) seem questionable. Meanwhile, Fury is ambushed by a
mysterious assassin and leaves behind a clue for Rogers, who suspecting
corruption in the organization goes on the run to find answers. The film
essentially becomes a comic book espionage thriller. It is only fitting that
Robert Redford is in the movie as a high-ranking official.
The film’s setup and character development follow all the
responsibilities of a good sequel. It is only when the story and obstacles
develop that it starts to feel unfocused and uninteresting. The main
antagonists of the story are pretty bland. I also think that it’s corny
whenever a villain – yes even a villain to Captain America- is creating mayhem
because they intend to “destroy freedom.”
Brothers, Anthony and Joe Russo who have directed episodes
of Community and 30 Rock may be unlikely choices to have made this film,
but their work is decent. Still, this is a movie made by committee. The action
is very expensive looking. Some of it is exciting and some is headache inducing.
Regardless, there’s a little too much of it. Every time I review a new action
movie, I feel self-conscious. I don’t want to give the impression that I’m the
wrong person to be talking about this stuff. Yes, an action movie without much
action… wouldn’t be an action movie. It just seems as though only a few
talented filmmakers out there know how to marry the action with the drama …or
comedy –or whatever kind of action hybrid you’re dealing with.
Captain America will return and I guess that excuses these
filmmakers of being responsible for what they’ve established, including tough
questions about our country’s lack of innocence and the illusion of freedom.
This review feels so incomplete but I really can’t go further into it without
divulging spoilers. It’s certainly better than Thor: The Dark World and just
about as good as Iron Man 3 but we all know that Age of Ultron is where the
goods are. Unfortunately we won’t get that for another year.
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