This summer’s other standout superhero film, X-Men: First Class, might have touched on revisionist history and racial prejudice but Captain America is, rightly, much more concerned with derring-do, heroism and chucking Nazis out of planes.
#Captain america the first avenger movie critic review serial
Johnson wisely plays up the Saturday morning serial aspects of the character, patently referencing Raiders of the Lost Ark, bringing Hayley Atwell’s assets to the fore and letting Lee Jones and Stanley Tucci revel in the limitations of their characters. In terms of tone, however, Captain America is difficult to fault. A major death feels utterly meaningless given how little time we spent with the character and Team America fans will struggle not to smirk when Tommy Lee Jones’ gruff Colonel Phillips seems to press the ‘Valmorphanise’ button during a chase scene.
Despite Hugo Weaving’s fine Werner Herzog impression and arrogance, he’s also a drain on the otherwise rip-roaring pace of the script. It’s by no means perfect, with needless 3D muddying the by-the-numbers third-act action and jeopardising what’s supposed to be a fist-pumping comeback scene, while the villainous Red Skull is risible to look at. A climactic sacrifice nods to Powell and Pressburger’s A Matter of Life and Death to set up Cap’s snowy fall and modern resurrection and, unlike Jon Favreau’s overcooked Iron Man 2, you’re left genuinely eager rather than apathetic to see the final assembly of The Avengers. Whether he’s standing up to bullies with a head that’s evidently too large for his 90lb body, struggling to inspire troops at a propaganda rally or taking out umpteen Nazis with his starry shield, he’s likeable and, despite the cartoonish aspects of the character, genuine.ĭirector Joe Johnson – whose appointment struck fear into the hearts of fanboys everywhere – marshals the story with only minor glitches to create a stirring and knowingly conventional adventure. He might not get to punch the real Hitler, but Evans does a superb job as the skinny student-turned-super soldier. Thankfully, the answer to both questions is a resounding yes. Nick goes on to talk about the Avengers initiative, and the next adventure begins.He’s iconic, but an anachronism, so how can the Star-Spangled Avenger – even his nickname’s naff – hope to appeal to audiences as much as Robert Downey Jr’s laconic Iron Man, or Chris Hemsworth’s mighty Thor? Moreover, can this precursor to The Avengers maintain enough interest in a superhero supergroup that’s been very slowly assembling since 2007 to make Joss Whedon’s ensemble effort a hit? Confused, a man named Nick Fury comes in and tells him that he was "out" for decades. Steve wakes up in a 1940s hospital room, but it is a decoy. Captain America commandeers the plane, says goodbye to Peggy over the radio, and crashes into an icy expanse. Red Skull and Captain America have a monumental battle in a mountain lair, culminating on a huge aircraft filled with bombs aimed for major American cities. Steve is devastated, but with Zola revealing Red Skull's location, Steve, Peggy, and Col. In a mission to capture Red Skull's scientist Zola, Bucky plummets down a mountainside to his seeming death. Steve succeeds in saving Bucky and the rest of the soldiers and soon they go on a fighting spree around Europe, beating the Germans. He comes face to face with the HYDRA leader The Red Skull who escapes the site as it burns. At a show in Europe, he learns that Bucky and some soldiers are held captive at a HYDRA site. Instead of going to war, Steve becomes Captain America, the poster boy for American military, a sort of mascot who rakes in war sponsorships and appears at USO events. When Erskine is killed by a German soldier, Steve pursues him, and discovers he works for HYDRA, a Nazi group dabbling in scientific experimentation. In a secret lab, Steve is injected with a serum that gives him incredible strength and agility.
He is then selected for the project, where he meets a smart and pretty British officer Peggy. Philips (Tommy Lee Jones) pick up on Steve's bravery and honorable qualities. Despite Steve's weakness during drills, Dr. Erskine (Stanley Tucci) enlists Steve to join a top secret army project, but he must first complete field training. But his weak and sickly appearance hinders his goal. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is determined to enlist as a soldier for the impending second World War.