Review of Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) by Jonathan B — 08 Apr 2016

4/9/16.

Who the hell's Joe Johnston? Oh right, he directed the satisfying Captain America: The First Avenger. Well that was fun for a pre-Avengers era that was more innocent, but things have changed, both for Cap, and for us. We open with the Marvel Studios banner and fanfare, followed by Washington DC in the early morning. There, we reunite with Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), and after having seen Tony Stark return to Malibu and Thor return to Asgard, it's fun to see him where he is now because he can't go back to 1940s Brooklyn. We start by seeing him work out, and keep passing a man we come to know as Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie). After their run (if Sam can call it that, according to Steve) they have a little fun with a 1940s man in the 2010s, but duty calls when Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) picks up Steve for their mission: infiltrate the Lemurian Star, a pirated SHIELD ship, and from there, it's a nonstop thriller: an action packed fight sequence ensues when Cap meets the head of the pirates Batroc (Georges St-Pierre), proving he's more than just a shield, and after a side-mission Natasha takes, Cap confronts SHIELD director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), who shows him project Insight, SHIELD's latest security project we all know won't go well, but that won't stop Secretary Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford) from making it happen. After an exchange, Nick calls in Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) while driving, and then is attacked by some mysterious police-impersonators who seem hellbent on murdering him, which leads to one of the most high-speed car chases ever committed to a Marvel movie, and ends with a mystery figure (Sebastian Stan) getting real close to taking him out. After Nick is shot in Steve's apartment, he has to go on the run with Natasha in an epic spy film that perfectly displays old fashioned methods (Captain America's Boy Scout moral compass) and modern methods (Black Widow's quick-thinking and readiness to adapt) contrast and work together. Everything just meshes together perfectly, and doesn't let up for long (if at all). Seeing Captain America's story continue after The Avengers is a thrill ride from "On your left" to (Redacted due to spoilers). He anb Black Widow have perfect chemistry as the old-fashioned soldier who sees the world as black-and-white (in terms of morals, not race) and the modern spy who sees the world as one, big, grey blob. It's also fun to have Natasha ship Steve with various women that we never meet. Their dynamic perfectly contrasts and works. All of this is presented to us in an amazing picture, from the DC sunrise to the fight scenes, infiltration scenes, high-speed car chases, and the third act that makes you think "they should have called in the other Avengers, Hulk would have been really useful in that one thing." Nick Fury doesn't stand for crap, and neither do the Russo brothers, since everything is there for a reason; the fight scenes were effective, the necessary characters were there, etc. Henry Jackman's score works perfectly for Winter Soldier; while Alan Silvestri's "Captain America March" made a quick appearance in the Smithsonian exhibit, that kind of music doesn't go well with a modern spy story (except for where it was featured). It quickened when the action quickened, and it stayed quite where it had to. It wasn't simply a spy film, but a film about people, I repeat, people who were spies doing their thing, and so plenty of humorous and human moments are sprinkled in to make Captain America: The Winter Soldier Marvel's best movie ever, especially when Cap opens his little notebook early on and shows us everything he's catching up on (fun fact: the list is different in other regions). And now to dump this review on the internet so everyone can see it!

4/18/15.

Note: SHIELD read this review, and got to the author before it was posted. What you see is a redacted copy meant to protect the world from spoilers, released only to uphold the first Amendment of America's Constitution. If you read this review, then watch the movie, you will thank SHIELD for keeping its secrets. If you have seen the movie, you'll get it, but remember, ears everywhere.

Remember in my Thor: The Dark World review where I said it was not a memorable thrill ride? This one's the complete opposite. This film opens with Captain America (Chris Evans) on his morning exercise routine, constantly surpassing paratrooper turned VA trauma guy Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), and they become instant friends over the fact Captain America is famous. This meeting is short-lived because Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) picks up Cap for an extraction mission on the Lemurian Star, a ship used for Project Insight that Agent Jasper Sitwell (Maxamiliano Hernandez) was sent to by order of SHIELD director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) on the episode of Marvel's Agents of SHIELD that aired 3 days before the release of this film. Coincidence? Anyway, Cap, Natasha, and his team that includes a comics character named Brock Rumlow (Frank Grillo) invade the ship that has been pirated by pirates led by Georges Batroc (Former UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre). While on mission, Natasha goes off record to download as much of the harddrive as possible on orders from Nick Fury, which is the starting point for spinning a web of deceit and mistrust. Without spoiling anything, the plot does move rapidly, although there is some question to motivations to actions, and a huge question you will have asked then answered: How did (Redacted) get into (Redacted) without (Redacted)? The plot also raises the theme of freedom, its cost, and what it means, and how things like that have changed since the post-modern era began and how we can never go back now. Impressive acting from Robert Redford with Secretary Alexander Pierce, and Chris Evans' Captain America, who so convincingly sells the moral beliefs of this 95-year-old-man-in-a-20/30-something-year-old-body. Natasha's past is teased as it was in The Avengers, but less is revealed than Loki's "Red Ledger" speech from said film, but we can't let too much out there. Guess (Redacted). It is also notable how comfortable Natasha and Cap are after the events of New York, and Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson have nice on-screen chemistry when they go on the run from (Redacted), I mean, a covert enemy. It brings a little comic relief to a sinister story. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo (Of this film, not SHIELD) were right to use more practical effects, coupled with the grandeur of Henry Jackman's score. Instead of having Scarlett Johansson behind a green screen when jumping down a stairwell, she actually jumps (With safety in mind for her of course). The fighting here is more intense than Phase Two up to that point combined: Hails of gunfire, hand-to-hand combat not covered in CGI, street-fighting, explosions that are cool, yet still-wouldn't-please-Michael-Bay, these are some of the ways this is more mature and thrilling. Going back to Henry Jackman's score, he just barely uses the original Captain America theme Alan Silvestri crafted back in 2011. To reflect the intensity of the present, there is a more techno vibe, but that is reserved for high-stakes scenes such as when Cap and his team invade the Lemurian Star and when we get exposition about the bad guys, who are (Redacted). It's not quite Hans Zimmers' Joker theme, but it creates tension, and reminds us this is not World War II Captain America: This is 21st Century controversy-is-frequent-and-so-much-has-changed Captain America. Christopher Marcus and Stephen McFeely prove they can write a mature, contemporary, cool, exciting, solid screenplay without George Carlin-ing it up, except for one hint at one of those words, but I'm not that kind of writer (Wonder if Cap wrote that guy in his notebook). It goes to show, Captain America stands for patriotism and freedom that isn't a gun to the world's head, whether he's fighting the Red Skull and Hydra in World War II, or fighting (Redacted) in modern times, I mean covert enemy that has no name.

4/5/14.

Intense! After the invasion of New York, we've seen Iron Man fight terrorists, and Thor fight darkness. Now, we find our friend in the red, white and blue (Chris Evans) adjusting to the 21st century, and fighting a covert enemy. We also see Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) return from the battle of New York, and meet new characters like Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie). They must go up against the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). It needs to be noted that Winter Soldier is exactly what a villain should be: Antagonizing, brutal, and yes, conflicted. The plot was amazing and well thought, and was very violent throughout, which should please more adult fans. Don't worry, it's not all shoot-em-up conflict, everything-explodes-yet-nobody-dies, the plot makes room for the likes of humor that works more with the plot. The majority of special effects are practical, making for a fuller picture. Henry Jackman does a remarkable job at the soundtrack. Ultimately, probably the best of phase two of the MCU if you're more an adult fan, or if you enjoy political thrillers.