Captain America: First Avenger

I had the pleasure of watching a sneak preview for this and thought it was a great superhero movie. It follows the "superhero formula" but that's to be expected. There are plenty of references to the comics as well as the other Marvel movies. There are numerous comic book references and foreshadowing that I probably can't even write here but will excite most of the comic book fans. In fact, Howard Stark plays a prominent role in this film and you see where Tony Stark gets his charm.

The movie really captures that patriotic spirit that permeated the US during WW2. The movie itself almost becomes like one of those military recruitment ads it showcases. It is chock full of flag-waving patriotism. But you probably should expect that going to a movie called "Captain America."

Chris Evans is a good Captain America and downplays any flashiness associated with him as the Human Torch. The CGI effects that show him as a scrawny twig were seamless. He carries that vulnerability with him throughout the film whether he is getting beaten up physically or emotionally.

The rest of the cast fills their roles well- especially Tommy Lee Jones as the gruff, but lovable, colonel and Hugo Weaving as the evil baddie bent on wold domination. Those two play their characters the way you would expect them to. Although I was waiting the whole time for Hugo Weaving to say "Mr. Anderson." The only odd twist is that Captain America's sidekick from the comics, Bucky Barnes, is much tougher and older than you'd expect.

There are numerous one-liners throughout the movie that drew chuckles from the audience. You also get plenty of action and explosions which are always a crowd favorite. Stylistically, it's very similar to Iron Man. Overall, it's a fun comic book adaptation that really adds into steam Marvel is building up to with The Avengers. Nice work.

Of all the Marvel comic adaptations, I most worried about Captain America because this is a hard comic to adapt. Steve Rogers AKA Captain America is essentially a flag waving, patriotic boy scout and that works in printed form but could end up being a cheesy corn dog on screen. True "Thor" is about an Asgardian thunder god but at it's core it is essentially a fantasy film and we have done that before, so I had a lot of trust that it would work. Captain America however is rooted in the real world and it would be really easy to make this a nauseatingly patriotic Michael Bay movie.

So this brings us to "Captain America: The First Avenger", the latest in the current series of Marvel films that lead into next year's "The Avengers". Did director Joe Johnston ("Jumanji" & "The Rocketeer") manage to bring Captain Steve Rogers to the big screen successfully? The answer is simple, yes he absolutely did. Johnston and his writers, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, have found the balance to bring Cap to life and one of the prime reasons this works so well was the decision to take the character back to his origins and set it in the World War II era. It would have been easy for the filmmakers to have a short World War II intro and then bring Cap into the modern world like the 1990 Albert Pyun version but we probably would have ended up with a similar mess.

The 1940's wartime era plays into that patriotic symbol theme that is vital for Captain America to work. Today it would have seemed tacky to send Captain America to Iraq or Afghanistan. The World War II setting offers Captain America a chance to be a real war hero, in a time when war heroes were celebrated, and to fight a clearly defined, evil enemy that everyone recognizes as a threat. Smart move Marvel Pictures.

The story of "Captain America: The First Avenger" is simple and for anyone who has ever read a Captain America comic, instantly recognisable. Week, puny Steve Rogers wants to join the army and fight for America. What he lacks in body size or health he makes up with bravery, heart and a solid moral code. When asked if he wants to kill Nazis, he answers that he doesn't want to kill anyone, he just hates bullies. After being rejected over and over again he is finally spotted by a scientist who is working on the super soldier program. The scientist, Dr. Abraham Erskine (played brilliantly by Stanley Tucci), recognises that Rogers has the right stuff for his program. A quick experiment later and wimpy Steve Rogers is turned into the super buff super soldier.

Let me just take a moment to say how much I loved Chris Evans in this film. Evans has always played brash and cocky characters. Take a look at "Scott Pilgrim Saves the World" or the "Fantastic Four" films for examples. We loved him in those roles to be sure, but Steve Rogers allows him to play a really humble, polite and sweet character and even after his transformation, he retains that pure and humble spirit. He may have superpowers but he really is just a kid from Brooklyn. While other superheroes are dark, brooding and full of doubt and/or pain, Captain America is like a breath of fresh air, he is brave and bright. He wants to be a superhero to do good, simple as that.

Okay, back to the film. After a minor action scene, Rogers becomes really popular in the USO circuit selling war bonds as Captain America, cheesy costume and all. It is when his best friend Bucky (Sebastian Stan) goes MIA that Steve Rogers jumps to action and the real Captain America is born. With a new costume, super shield and a crack team of commandos at his disposal, Captain America sets about systematically dismantling Hydra, the super evil science division of the Nazis led by Germany's own super soldier, the evil Red Skull.

Hugo Weaving's scenery chewing performance as the Red Skull is brilliant and he often steals the film. In fact the performances by the entire supporting cast are rock solid and this helps Evans sell the more fantastical aspects of the film. Along with the already mentioned Tucci, Weaving and Stan is the ever reliable Tommy Lee Jones as Col. Chester Phillips (Cap's superior officer) and Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark (yes, Iron Man's dad). But I have to give special mention to Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, Steve Roger's love interest. Atwell is not only physically beautiful but she also has guts and can hold her own with the boys. I found the mutual attraction between Rogers and Carter pitch perfect and I think it is one of the most successful love stories in the Marvel films yet. She is a star in the making and I look forward to her future career.

So far I have gushed and to be fair I must point out that the film's third act does have a minor logic flaw, but in the great scheme of things it doesn't take away the sheer pleasure of watching this film. I found that I had a smile on my face from beginning to end.

"Captain America: The First Avenger" proves again that Marvel knows how to bring their heroes to the big screen like no other company can. It is simply the best Marvel superhero film yet and Chris Evans IS Captain America. I can't wait to see "The Avengers" in 2012.

Oh, and one last note: stay to the end of the credits for the most satisfying post credit sequence to date.

I originally posted this review on my site http://geekactually.com

I have had the pleasure of watching "Captain America: The First Avenger," a Marvel movie that tells the origin story of one of the most iconic superheroes in the Marvel Universe. Directed by Joe Johnston, this film is set in the 1940s and follows the story of Steve Rogers, a scrawny but determined young man who is transformed into a super-soldier and fights against the evil forces of HYDRA during World War II.

One of the things that impressed me about this film was the way it captures the spirit of the time period. The film's visual style and production design are absolutely stunning, transporting viewers back to the 1940s with great authenticity. The film's use of sepia-toned colors and vintage aesthetic make it feel like a classic comic book come to life.

Chris Evans gives a standout performance as Steve Rogers, bringing a vulnerability and humanity to the character that makes his transformation into Captain America all the more compelling. The supporting cast is equally impressive, with Hayley Atwell delivering a strong performance as Peggy Carter, Tommy Lee Jones adding a touch of humor as Colonel Phillips, and Hugo Weaving embodying the menacing Red Skull with great conviction.

The action scenes in the film are thrilling and well-executed, with the use of practical effects and CGI blending seamlessly to create an immersive experience. The pacing of the film is also well done, with a good balance between action and character development.

Overall, "Captain America: The First Avenger" is a triumph of superhero cinema that deserves more credit than it often receives. The film's strong performances, impressive visual style, and well-crafted story make it a standout among Marvel's vast cinematic universe.

I've never followed Captain America in comics though I do know a little bit of the origin. So I'm one of the people who could sit back and enjoy the movie for what it was rather than nitpick on gaps in the CA lore.

The best thing about the movie is what's not in it- and that's cheap advertising gimmicks, such as a character opening a laptop to show an Apple or Sony logo, or car symbols or Coke, Pepsi or any fast food restaurant. It, however, would have been interesting to see if they could tie CA into their food products by having Marvel burgers or the American Superburger...I dislike cheap advertising tricks and thankfully this was completely avoided. Gone also was any chance of using high tech gadgets much like what was shown in Iron Man 2.

I found the plot interesting- the buildup to Steve Rogers becoming Captain American was done well and very interesting. The downside would be the action sequences which I thought would be more realistic or appropriate to the time setting. Instead several sequences were more reminiscent of what Iron Man 2 felt like.

As I'm not a CA follower some of the historical nods to certain symbols or the side characters themselves were lost to me but I did enjoy that Howard Stark's character was in the movie as it introduced the origin of Stark Industries and it's technologies of the future.

Actingwise Chris Evans did a surprisingly good job. In Fantastic Four he was OTT and hammed a lot and was generally quite annoying. Here he's more serious, focused and determined. There were a lot less quips, something I really detest in American made super hero movies. The cheesy quips might work in graphic novels or comics but in movies it comes off as plain lame. Hugo Weaving was quite good though too- he's becoming quite popular in characters taken from literature, comics or cartoons.

This is a movie for pretty much every age gap. There are no swear words (I don't even think the word damn makes it into the movie!) and no sex scenes so kids are perfectly fine to watch it. It's definitely the best superhero movie of the year and one of the better ones made entirely. I doubt that any sequel will be as good in terms of plot and story setting but in the meantime enjoy this summer gem.

ONE LINE REVIEW : Utilitarian use of CGI and thoughtful story make this a don't miss movie RATING : See it in theaters (Rating scale : "See it in theaters", "Wait for the instant download", "Don't waste your time")

NO SPOILERS

Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is a 98-pound weakling who wants nothing more than to kick some Nazi butt. He goes to every recruiting station in Brooklyn to get accepted and keeps getting turned down. On top of that, he is the neighborhood punching bag, constantly getting into scrapes with bullies bigger than him. And that is what drives Steve - he hates bullies and there are no bullies bigger than the Nazis.

He finally happens upon a special recruiting drive where a scientist (Stanley Tucci) is looking for someone with Steve's kind of guts. But tough-as-nails Colonel Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones) is more than dubious and runs Steve ragged in basic training. But Steve's kind heart and determination make him the perfect personality for an injection that turns him into a super-strong Captain America.

It turns out that the Nazis aren't the biggest bullies on the block. No, it's Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) who is just using the Nazi platform as a way of taking over the world. All the players are set and we're off as Captain America goes into battle with the forces of evil.

This movie is the beginning of the Avengers series and we're no doubt going to see more of the classic Avengers from Marvel comics in coming years.

It is set in the 1940's during the second world war and the costuming and period sets are excellent. I really felt drawn into this world. However it's a sort of bizarro world where Nazis really don't show up that much and Red Skull's "Hydra" forces are everywhere.

And speaking of Red Skull - Hugo Weaving is amazing. Not just for his delivery and persona. But for being the best actor behind a mask since Michael Keeton's Batman. Weaving was the man behind the mask in "V for Vendetta" where he delivered the entire movie wearing a Guy Faulks mask. Here, he uses his flesh-and-blood face for the first third of the film and then pulls that off to reveal his Red Skull face. And still delivers a flawless intensity that he has brought to every other role he's plays since Agent Smith in "The Matrix". The man can do no wrong.

Chris Evans starts out the movie looking very frail and sickly. But once he undergoes the special treatment, he is one buff dude. I haven't spent any time trying to puzzle out the CGI magic that makes this possible, but it is impressive. I'd swear there were two actors in the role. Otherwise Evans is a pretty bland character. But he has all the golly-gee-whiz Mom-and-apple pie look and delivery that makes Captain America believable.

I said of "Green Lantern" that is was the perfect super-hero movie. I may have to take that back, because Captain America raised the bar higher. The writers took their time building the character of feeble- Steve. Then they took their time building the character of buff- Steve/Captain America. All the while defining the evil villain, creating relationships between Steve and love interest Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), and Colonel Phillips, and buddy 'Bucky' Barnes (Sebastian Stan). Unfortunately, they spent little time defining the relationships between Cap'n America and his team - but hey - it's only a 2-hour movie.

The pacing was quite steady. I never felt bored and I never felt overwhelmed with last-minute plot devices. Except for one - Red Skull has this amazing technology and they really didn't explain where it came from (other than a reference at the beginning of the film where Weaving's character finds a glowing cube in some Egyptian ruins). The movie has a sort of steam-punk feel to it that I enjoyed.

So, for it's big effects - used in just the right amount. And a story well-told, taking the time to tell it well, I gave Captain America a rating of "See it in the theaters".

BTW: I saw it in 3-d which some reviewers have complained results in dark images. I enjoyed it in Real-3D and found the light levels to be just fine.