Review of Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) by Matt L — 04 Nov 2015

The first of the Captain America films is all about Steve Rogers, also known as Captain America, an origin story of the First Avenger. Beginning in 1940s Brooklyn, Steve starts as a scrawny young man who is bullied everyday of his life because of his size. Steve Rogers is the type of person who always stands up against bullies, and that is why he wanted to fight for the allies against the oppressive Nazi army. Steve enlists into the army so he can fight, but is denied every time, again, because of his size. After being noticed by a scientist for his courage, Steve is finally accepted into the army and is sent to training. At the base, Steve continues to struggle physically but excels mentally and continues to show his courage and bravery. Because of this Steve is accepted into the S.S.R. super soldier program. After going through the special process that injected him with the super soldier serum, Steve emerges from the lab no longer a scrawny kid but a six foot tall powerhouse. This is where Steve finally becomes Captain America. Receiving his shield made of Vibranium, Captain America goes off to fight the Nazis, more specifically a group of Nazis called Hydra led by Captain America's nemesis the Red Skull.

This film is full of different themes relating to the weak standing up to the strong and oppressive. This can can be seen within the setting of the film. Using World War II as a backdrop provides a perfect environment for the little guy to fight against the bullies. In a historical context the Nazis invaded the smaller and less powerful countries like Poland and Belgium. Just like the United States of America, Captain America goes to war to fight the bullies stating in the film "I don't want to kill anyone, I don't like bullies, I don't care where they come from." This quote solidifies the cause that Captain America fights for. He stands for is the epitome of American ideals. He stands up for what is right, fighting for freedom and helping the weak, this is essentially the American way.

Captain America's weapon of choice, his shield, is significant to the this theme in the film. Traditionally a shield is a defensive weapon meant to block heavy blows from offensive weapons such as swords or arrows. Unlike the other Avengers, like Thor with his hammer or the Hulk with his brute force that smashes through everything, Captain uses his shield and his mind to get out of situations. The shield fits the Cap's character perfectly, as he is a defender of the people. His shield is a symbol of how Captain America is a defender and soldier for the weak and bullied people in the world. The shield is also made up of the strongest and most rare metal on the planet Vibranium. Vibranium, as it's stated in the movie, can absorb any impact. This too matches Captain America's character almost perfectly. He has strong morals, like the Vibranium, and they are difficult to break. This can be seen by how his spirit is not broken after being bullied all his life and by getting rejected from the military many times. Also like the shield, Captain America is able to absorb all the hits for the people his protecting, since he is strong soldier defending the weak and helpless.

In the movie, the reason why the scientist picked him was that he was a good person and that the serum used would not only amplify his physical body but also his personality. Dr. Erskine tells Steve "The serum amplifies everything inside; so good becomes great, bad becomes worse. This is why you were chosen." Evidence of this being that the Red Skull was the first to take the super soldier serum and that it turned him even more evil than he was before. Referring back to the quote in the last paragraph, Captain America does not want to hurt anybody. All he a wants is to protect people, and he will get his hands dirty if he has to. Captain America is the embodiment of liberty, always fighting for what is right and defending against the forces of evil. He is also the foundation to what will become the Avengers in the future films. This is why it is important that Captain America is the First Avenger, because of his steadfast character of Captain America is not only the perfect person for the leader of the Avengers but also the moral compass for each member. There are many examples not only in this film but in the ones after this where Captain America gets into arguments about the way to proceed in a certain situation, even going as far as to defy orders to do what he thinks is right. Again showing that Captain America is not just a regular soldier who fights for a certain flag, he fights for the idea that everyone should be treated fairly and not subject to oppression.

Captain America's moral code provide an excellent example for people on the screen and off. The film is littered with anti-bullying messages makes it perfect for people who are being treated unfairly to take Captain America's code to heart. This moral code does not only provide people with the message to stand up to their aggressors but to also stand up against other people's aggressors. This movie has a good story and an even better message which is why I would give it two thumbs up.