Captain America: The First Avenger-- A Review

Can Marvel do no wrong? I'm actually nervous for The Avengers movie next year, because Marvel just keeps knocking out not just good solid, superhero movies with major box office success, but the quality, the acting, the writing of their movies has taken a notable step upwards. I think somewhere along the way, someone realized that a 'paint-by-numbers' superhero movie wasn't good enough anymore. The quality of the story and the acting mattered.

And Captain America: The First Avenger continues Marvel's winning streak unabated. The story (in case people don't have a passing familiarity with it) is about Steve Rogers, a small, skinny Brooklyn kid who just wants to enlist as America enters World War II, but due to his size, his asthma and a variety of other medical conditions he keeps getting rejected as 4-F, but still persists in his attempts to enlist, just wanting to serve his country, even as his best friend Bucky Barnes ships out to join the fighting in Europe.

When Bucky takes Steve to the Modern Marvels of Tomorrow exhibition (coincidentally MC'd by Daddy Iron Man, Howard Stark- played by Dominic Cooper) Steve attempts to enlist one more time- only this time, he is overheard by Dr. Erskine (Stanley Tucci) who sees something genuinely good in his fervent desire to fight for his country. Soon enough, Rogers is sweating it out and not doing so well compared to his fellow soldiers commanded with pitch perfect aplomb by Colonel Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones)- yet soon wins selection for a special Super Soldier trial and he is transformed into the well-muscled Captain America that soon becomes a hero.

But not at first. First, he's sent on a USO tour to try and drum up support to sell war bonds. But when a tour of wartime Italy lands him near the front when his best friend Bucky Barnes is captured by the mysterious Hydra Division headed by scientist (Toby Jones) and the deliciously evil Red Skull (Hugo Weaving.)

Hydra has been seeking out occult technology, preferring to concentrate on the Norse side of things (finding a magic cube, which, if you've watched Thor, gives you a clue on just how Thor is going to get back into our plane of existence.) They find ultimate power, ray guns and all kinds of badass things that make them formidable enemies until Captain America (now newly badass and ready to kick ass) gets on their case with his buddies. The usual titanic, final confrontation occurs and Captain America sacrifices himself by crashing the Red Skull's super plane into the ice to save New York City- leaving his waiting love interest (Hayley Atwell) waiting for him.

Seventy years later, he's woken up- and they try to ease him into the news by sticking him on a 1940s era movie set with audio of a Dodgers game on the retro radio. Unfortunately, the jig is up quickly as Cap actually went to the game in question back in the day and soon he's loose in NYC of today until Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) finally breaks the news to him that he's been asleep for 70 years. He somewhat sadly notes that he had a date that he missed.

First of all, I have to commend Marvel for picking Joe Johnston to direct this movie- he directed the 1940s period piece 'The Rocketeer' (remember that movie?) and he was the perfect director for this movie- bringing a level of detail and care into creating 1940s America that many other director might have missed out on.

Second of all, wow, Chris Evans. Wow. I suppose like many comic book fans, I was afraid that the cockiness of The Human Torch would bleed through, but hold the presses everyone, Chris Evans has some acting chops- because he plays Captain America just about perfectly!

Hugo Weaving also gets props for his portrayal of the Red Skull. (I also liked the two funny references to 'Raiders of the Lost Ark') Weaving, someday, will undoubtedly get his considerable acting talents into a role that has Oscar bait written all over it and probably win it going away. (The other scenario would be the Academy getting over its genre snobbery, but I'm not holding my breath.)

The other thing that struck me is that there really isn't a better movie for this summer. I mean, Captain America- the symbol of American exceptionalism and pride- and yes, maybe even a touch of nationalism, kicking ass and taking names for the good old US of A. He maybe a fictional character, but there's a certain patriotic surge of pride to see the guy in action on the silver screen. Even as we're trapped in a mindless childish farce of a political process trying to fend off an economic collapse, there's this shining, fictional, cultural icon that holds out the dim hope that America can do better.

Overall **** out of 4: I will have no problems whatsoever purchasing this movie once it is out on DVD. Awesome- Marvel sets the bar extremely high for next summer's Avengers movie. Now they just have to clear it.