Review of Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) by Richard B — 21 Nov 2017

Captain Courageous.

This origin story of CA is a triumph for Marvel because it's humanity is more powerful and emotional than it's CGI. Character comes first, and with a top flight protagonist and super mean antagonist (Red Skull), the film is driven by a predictable but satisfying power.

Chris Evans may be bland, but CA is a bland, moral character from when he is a 90 pound weakling to 220 strongling. The support cast is fine, especially Tommy Lee Jones, who gets all the best lines. Agent Carter, the mysterious English Mary Sue (wonderful when she goes into battle with the men, hair and make-up in place, no unsightly helmet) shows at least a tad of emotion when she ultimately loses the Captain to his own heroics. However clunky the effects are (not great) the story seems rooted in some form of Marvel reality.

It is not the best Marvel but it is by no means the worst. It has most of the ingredients of success - a great character, an easy to follow story and a satisfying, if unusual, double ending.