Captain America: The First Avenger
Sometimes, there is no substitute for old-fashion storytelling. Start with your scrappy, goodhearted hero. Give him a challenge, a villain who aims for nothing less then world domination. Then let him use his good heart to save the day. Captain America is just such a film.
Steve Rogers, a hopeless weakling, desperate to fight in WWII, gets chosen to be the first in a new program that, is able to turn regular men into super-soldiers. After emerging, and gaining the moniker Captain America, Rogers ends up locked in combat with Johann Schmidt, head of the Nazi's research division and the only other human with the same abilities Rogers now has.
The reason Captain America works so well is that it takes its time setting up its characters and conflicts. Seeing Steve Rogers making heroic, selfless decisions wouldn't have nearly the meaning if we didn't first witness Rogers as a 90 pound weakling, who, even though he could be beaten up by a kindergartener, still had an unwavering desire to do what is right.
This highlights during a great montage after he has become a super-soldier. Steve goes from state to state selling war bond, staring in propaganda films and his own comic (called Captain America, of course). The audiences love him. The scene starts really fun, and I can't help but smiling during it. The montage ends with Steve, performing his routine in front of a division of troops who have just been destroyed in battle. They heckle and taunt him. The people he wants to help the most drive him off stage. Due to all the time spent building up his character, this moment had some real power for me.
Of course, all the development in the world doesn't amount to anything if the person playing Steve Rogers doesn't convince. Fortunately, Chris Evans is up to the challenge. He imbues Rogers with a strong desire to do what's right without ever feeling self-righteous, or a stick-in-the-mud.
As Peggy Carter, fellow soldier and love-interest to the Captain, Hayley Atwell manages to rise above being a simple pretty face into a compelling character of her own. Her killing of a getaway driver during the first half of the film is the most bad-ass moment of the film. Tommy Lee Jones has his grumpy act down to a science as Colonel Phillips, Rogers' commanding office. Stanley Tucci is fun as Dr. Erskine, the scientist who turns Steve Rogers into Captain America. Also on hand is Howard Stark as played by Dominic Cooper. Howard Stark will go on to father Tony Stark/Iron Man, so I would be foolish not to mention him, although Cooper's performance isn't as strong as the rest of the main players.
The only real flaw to the movie involves the main villain, Johann Schmidt (aka the Red Skull), and his plot to destroy the world. There are two flaws with it. First, Hugo Weaving does an amazing job as Schmidt, his face expressing an evil glee that makes him a blast to watch. About halfway through the film, he tears his face off to himself as the Red Skull. Although the special effects that create his
Red Skull face are convincing, it isn't nearly as interesting as Weaving's own face.
Second, Schmidt never emerges as much of a threat to Captain America. The second half of the film is spent watching Rogers and his team defeating Schmidt's forces again and again. There is never that moment where you wonder how the heros are going to get out of the villain's devious trap. Although still enjoyable to watch, the end of the film doesn't have as much suspense as it should.
The special effects all have a charming, retro vibe, giving the feeling that this could have been filmed in the 1940's. Visually, the film is reminiscent of director Joe Johnson's 1991 film, The Rocketeer. The action is fun. The big, heroic score by Alan Silvestri fits the film perfectly.
Although Iron Man is the best Marvel film up to this point, Captain America is my favorite. I love believing in the heroic, goodhearted Steve Rogers. Echoing a sentiment by Roger Ebert, let's hope Marvel uses this film, and Iron Man as the blueprints for its future movies.
**** (out of *****)
Well said. This and IRON MAN far surpass the others.
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