This
was my first period superhero film, and I remember immediately loving that
aspect of it. I really enjoyed Iron Man when I initially saw it, and it
remains a great film, but after I finally started digging into these movies
after seeing The Avengers, I was drawn
to the different feels of Thor and
this film.
Captain America, as a superhero
film, is less unconventional than Thor
in that it offers up a fairly traditional origin story, but it’s told very well
and makes excellent use of its 1940s setting.
Steve Rogers’s transformation from a scrappy weakling to a
scientifically-modified super soldier provides engaging drama, and it’s great
to see him find his place in the fight against fascism. And even though it takes place so many years
before Marvel’s other Phase 1 films, I like that plot elements from it have
important bearing on The Avengers.
Any
discussion of the movie’s good points has to start with Steve himself. Cap is just so fantastic. Before seeing The Avengers, I knew that Captain America had a reputation for
being something of a boy scout, and I was expecting him to be squeaky-clean and
dull (like the titular son of Krypton in Superman
Returns, yeesh.) Quite the contrary
– this series understands how goodness can be compelling, and this film
introduces us to a good man trying to do his best. He doesn’t always succeed, and it takes him
some time to find his way, but he’s a hero who stands up for the little guy
because he knows what it’s like to be one.
Chris Evans really taps into this with his performance – it’s so earnest
and rootable, not the least bit Pollyannaish.
So much love for the captain.
Even
better, he’s not alone. Peggy Carter is
my favorite superhero love interest ever, and it’s only because Black Widow is
so awesome that she’s not my favorite Marvel woman in general. This gutsy, competent agent, played superbly
by Hayley Atwell, has claimed a seat at a very male-dominated table, and she
doesn’t take crap from anyone. She’s
both badass and feminine, and she’s directly involved in the action rather than
being stuck solely in romantic and/or distressed damsel plots. I was predisposed to like Steve’s friend
Bucky, since he’s played by Kings’s
Sebastian Stan, but I really enjoy the relationship between those two. In the beginning, I like that Bucky looks out
for Steve without being patronizing about it and that Steve doesn’t seem to
resent or covet Bucky’s size, strength, or joie
de vivre; he wants to enlist like Bucky, certainly, but Bucky’s success
doesn’t come between them. And later, when
Steve has superhuman abilities and nationwide fame, Bucky doesn’t feel
threatened by this change. And of
course, we can’t forget Stanley Tucci and Toby Jones (the Dream Lord!) as good
and evil scientists, respectively.
I just
love the film’s WWII backdrop. I like
the sepia tones of New York City, like an old newsreel come to life, and I
always love old-timey high-tech gadgets.
The V-for-Victory spirit is captured well, especially in the bond drive
scenes. It’s a shame that we got one Captain
America movie in this setting, but I have high hopes for Agent Carter. Is it January
yet?
Warnings
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