Captain America: The First Avenger

Like many comic-book fans I was expecting the worst from this movie. This is not because the character has any less depth than other super-heroes, but I knew that it would be extremely difficult to transition Steve Rogers to film in a serviceable way. The guy is called "Captain America" for heaven's sake.

Any comic-book reader would probably appreciate the ironies and idiosyncrasies behind such ostentatiously patriotic code-name, mostly because in print Cap has challenged the assumptions behind his symbolism, becoming a more conflicted and universal figure.

But its hard to translate any of this idiosyncrasy successfully in 2 hours. Fortunately the film, instead of getting to political, is more old-fashioned pulp like Indy or "Sky Captain," which thankfully never takes itself too seriously (which was one of the flaws of "Thor").

I had my doubts that Chris Evans could pull off the modesty and heart needed for the role, but I was wrong. As the Red Skull, Hugo Weaving was wonderfully evil in a nostalgic, serial-villain kind of way. Haley Atwell is a sidekick/love-interest with the rare quality of not being incredibly annoying, and Tommy Lee Jones is perfectly cast as Tommy Lee Jones.

The reason I found this to be a good movie was because I enjoyed it, plain and simple. It's well-photographed and well-acted. Like its titular hero, it modestly embraced its silliness, creating a charming B-movie experience.

It wasn't that bad of a movie, but undoubtedly it had a few flaws in terms of screenplay. The story itself was fine, and I'm personally a big fan of Captain America's origin story so this movie was a nice watch for me. Maybe not so much if you don't care at all about superheroes such as CA.

At the time it came out, this was my favorite MCU film. I don't know how this one could've been done much better.

The casting is perfect!! Evans was obviously the choice to portray Steve Rogers. I will forever keep Hayley Atwell in that red dress as a fond memory. Weaving as Red Skull? No brainer. No one else could've done it as much justice. Stan, Jones, Tucci, and the rest of the cast of characters bring the story together.

All too infrequently, a much hyped blockbuster hits the mark right on the spot. Captain America First Avenger is such a movie. It's the best big budget movie that I've seen this year. It hits a high standard of excellence by combining a cool plot, breathtaking action sequences, a heavy dose of self discovery and realization, charisma, a dash of patriotism, love and puts it all together in one amazing package. This movie will surprise a lot of people with its heart while sacrificing none of the fun. The inner turmoil worked well, the beautiful thing is that we can relate to each character, especially that of underdog Steve Rogers. His never say die attitude and heart of a champion makes this hero more interesting then most. Captain America delivers on every level and does so with great emotional moments and it's a movie that lives up to all the hype it has generated.

Everything has converged perfectly, delivering what is now the best summer movie season in recent memory. It's certainly the best overall summer for superheroes. The cast is obviously stellar but that doesn't always mean greatness. (American Gangster, Wanted, Sphere, etc.) I'm happy to say this amazing cast delivers in every way. Believe it or not, Chris Evans himself delivers one of the greatest performances in a comic adaptation film EVER. Maybe it's because the character itself is one of the most complex and intriguing that any genre has to offer but that doesn't diminish just what a home run Evans has hit. They took the character seriously but still remembered to include fun and humor. I almost can't convey how much I enjoyed this film.

This is the film where the MCU started building its tone and story. It's a great origin story as it takes us back to the 40's to meet the first Avenger which keeps you engaged in a theme of love for others and America! The cast and acting is great along with great dialogue of happiness and sadness. The cinematography makes the movie feel more in place with the rest of the MCU. The editing is perfect and makes slower scenes not feel to slow and keeps pushing the story. The effects still hold to today with great sound, especially for the shield. The music and theme is perfect because it fits the American patriot tone and is even used many times in later MCU movies. Joe Johnston did a great job introducing Cap to the MCU. I wouldn't say this sticks out but is the perfect movie to make before the Avengers! 9.0/10. A-.