Before Tony Stark came in with his suits, before a giant green rage monster attacked the city, and before Norse gods touched Earth, there was Captain America. In its fifth installment, the MCU looks ahead by showing the past with Joe Johnston’s Captain America: The First Avenger. Is the star-spangled man with a plan able to rouse a good film?
In World War 2, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) wants to do his part for the war effort. Despite his scrawny physique and an array of illnesses, he enlists in an experimental program with the Strategic Scientific Reserves (SSR). The result turns him into super soldier Captain America! Steve Rogers will fight for truth, justice and the American way as he faces off against Nazi off-shoot Hydra, led by the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving).
From the moment you see Steve Rogers getting beaten up in the alley, you immediately feel as if you can relate to him. Chris Evans embodies Steve Rogers. Evans presents a layered character, one who is innocent and one who wants to do what is right. It’s a cheesy sentiment, but this performance makes it feel genuine. Hayley Atwell as Agent Peggy Carter is also a highlight. She is amazing, balancing tough and feminine, and is easily one of my favorite Marvel leading ladies. Peggy Carter made such an impact she even had her own short-lived TV show.
Captain America: The First Avenger goes in a different direction than its Phase One predecessors and that is what makes it so much fun. It is a superhero origin story wrapped in the trappings of a period piece. World War 2 sets Steve as a figure of good and sets his journey on an unusual path. After receiving his abilities, he begins helping the home front through a musical montage. When we finally get into the war, it’s treat to see Steve become a superhero and a decorated soldier. There’s one particular shot that encompasses it all: Cap enters a Hydra warehouse with his Howling Commandos fighting their way through. It perfectly balances Steve Roger’s character as both a superhero and a soldier.
(Image: WiffleGif)
While Cap has an interesting journey, the film does struggle with pacing when Cap actually gets into the battlefield. After all the time taken to establish Cap at the battlefront, it is taken with a grain of salt through a speedy two and a half minute montage. It’s entirely too short and damages the momentum the movie accumulated before. It’s a minor choice that has ripple effects throughout the rest of the movie.
Captain America: The First Avenger is a fantastic introduction to a wonderful character. Johnston lays solid groundwork down for future sequels. For me, this movie gets a B. I honestly believe it’s one of the more underrated movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s really fun and a different take on the origin story. All right, it’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for: stay tuned for The Avengers!
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