The Marvel Cinematic Universe has come a long way since the original Iron Man six years ago. Now boasting an expansive micro and macro narrative over the course of nine movies, Captain America: The Winter Soldier continues after the events of both The Avengers and the original Captain America: The First Avenger, but also features the biggest shake-up the Marvel movies have yet seen. Fans of the Marvel series will find much to love here, with strong actors and memorable characters, as well as huge narrative events that those familiar with the previous Marvel movies will surely enjoy. Easily the smartest of the Marvel movies so far, The Winter Soldier also stands as a very solid spy-thriller and action movie in it's own right.
After the events of The Avengers, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) i.e. Captain America, has still not yet fully re-integrated into society following his 70 year deep-freeze in The First Avenger. While acclimatizing, he continues to take part in various high-risk and dangerous special ops for the agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., a staple of all the Marvel movies prior. Accompanying him is Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), also known as Black Widow, and the two make up a team reporting to the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), who as of late has begun preparations on Project Insight with fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. leader Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford). Project Insight is a set of enormous Helicarriers to be used to combat threats preemptively in the wake of previous Marvel events (you know, aliens and gods that like to destroy things). This angers Rogers, who sees it as barely above terrorism, and he voices his discontent to Fury. As the Project ramps up, various members of S.H.I.E.L.D come under attack from a mysterious and powerful assassin: The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), who is rumoured to have conducted high-profile hits over the course of the last century. In danger, Rogers seeks the help of his friend Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), an aerial soldier with the name Falcon, who also happens to have an awesome combat suit of which you could guess the nature of. That is all the plot summary you're going to get, I'm afraid, because any more in super spoiler territory. Really, a great deal of this movie's draw and pace is the nature of the narrative, which ultimately acts out like an espionage or spy film. It's a very carefully detailed and linked story that is best experienced rather than told. That being said however, it isn't just plot twists and tension. The film is also an incredibly competent action movie, with some seriously strong fight scenes and pace.
The film hosts a number of exciting and excellently choreographed action and fight scenes. Cap is quick and strong, and despite how completely outrageous the physics are when he throws his shield, the effect and outcome is simply too awesome for there to be any real problem. Indeed; this is a superhero movie first and foremost, so the action is understandably quite elaborate and ever so slightly over-the-top. Even so, neither the action nor narrative ever steps past it's comic counterparts and tries to outdo itself. That doesn't mean the film plays it "safe" though. The action, flying shield included, hits every note possible in the respective scenes, and it's a good thing since the action is more spread out then previous outings. It makes each action beat strong and memorable on their own, and together add up to excellent pacing. There's never a moment that feels shoe-horned in or irrelevant, and the scenes that bring a lighter side with some humour and affection feel natural and fun. And of course, outside the larger action pieces are in-depth looks at S.H.I.E.L.D and its agents, and The Winter Soldier himself, that really affect the tone of the movie and the larger Marvel narrative at play. Friend and foe become blurred fairly early on, and tensions rise as secrets are revealed at every turn, revealing an elaborate set of events that have huge implications. These scenes play out well, and like the action, don't feel out of place. They're meaningful, and when made as a whole, they make an (ultimately) cohesive and exciting story backed by strong action. There is, however, one annoying and glaring caveat to all of this. The fact of the matter is that your enjoyment and how invested you are in the narrative and twists is almost wholly dependent on your experience with the previous Marvel movies, and the Universe as a whole. Granted, if you're seeing Winter Soldier odds are you have more likely than not, lets be honest, seen or have been interested in previous Marvel outings, so it is kind of expected.
Chris Evans is and always has been an optimal choice for Rogers/Captain America, and he fits into the role perfectly. Rogers is compassionate, strong willed, as well as incredibly selfless and noble. He is, after all, named Captain America, but Evans just makes the performance dance. Rogers is 70 years out of his element, so the logical progression of new-age patriotism is met at the forefront, as well as keeping that self-aware and self-referential notion from The First Avenger a key part of how Rogers interacts with the world, and vice versa. It's that dynamic which makes Rogers an incredibly compelling and likeable character, and also how he affects the other members of S.H.I.E.L.D. Johannson portrays Romanoff with a reasonable air of both mystery and uncertainty. It's well enough that even Cap is unsure if she's trustworthy, and her style and elegance both in and out of the action makes her a strong character, and a more than admirable companion to Rogers. Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury is, in all honesty, as badass and awesome as you'd expect. In fact, this is easily the best Jackson has been as Fury, and he even gets a few surprise scenes to really show off just how capable Fury really is. Robert Redford also gives a decidedly sly and fixated performance as Pierce, and he has an added effect of being an interesting counterpart to Fury on a few occasions. Cobie Smulders returns as Maria Hill from The Avengers, and much like Fury, has a few particular scenes where she shines, but is ultimately a little underused. Similarly, it feels like there could have been a few additional scenes with Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson/Falcon, mainly near the end, and this is mostly because of how great Mackie is in the roll. Seriously, he fits right into the rest of the all-star cast flawlessly, and is a guaranteed returner for future instalments. When he dons his Falcon suit, things get really cool, but it's a bummer that there weren't more scenes to portray how sweet the equipment is. Still, I'm very much looking forward to seeing Mackie's Falcon in the coming movies.
Lastly of course, we have the Winter Soldier portrayed by Sebastian Stan. Completely menacing and powerful, the Winter Soldier is a fierce opponent to Cap, and basically the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D. More of his face is gradually revealed as the movie progresses, so I won't spoil much, but suffice to say it's a good build up. Much of how the Soldier is portrayed is through movement and stance, rather than dialogue and facial expression (at least early on), so there is a lot of swift and effortless dodging and attacking particularly when in close combat. There's a certain musical cue (leitmotif) that plays every time the Soldier comes into play, and it's a startling and fierce cue that's also just a teeny bit creepy. A lot of effort was put into making the Soldier a force to be reckoned with, and these earlier scenes, along with the later ones, of which I'm not spoiling, definitely succeed in that regard.
If it sounds like I have nothing hugely negative to say about Winter Soldier, it's because I don't. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a damn good movie, and probably the best non-Avengers Marvel movie yet. It's smart, fast-paced, well acted, and succeeds as both a spy thriller and an action movie, while also not throwing itself into nonsensical obscurity, even despite the incredible revelations it has on the entire Marvel Universe. That's...that's the sum of it, yeah. Go see it!
YAY
- Intricate spy-thriller story and narrative, with twists that redefine the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a big way.
- Excellent acting on all fronts. Chris Evans continues to be a stellar Cap.
- Fantastic and substantial action that matches the pace of the film.
- The Winter Soldier!
- Smartest Marvel movie yet that also doesn't overstep its comic book roots.
NAY
- Usual conceit with this type of film that its overall effect is determined by how invested you are in prior content in the MCU.
- Some characters feel underused.
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