Questionable Review: Captain America: The First Avenger

Despite Cap being one of my very favorite comic book characters ever, I had little faith in the ability of anybody being able to bring him to life on the silver screen. Regardless of my affection for ol' Steve Rogers, it's just a little tough to picture the red, white, and blue boy scout being taken seriously when given flesh and blood.
But somehow, some way, not only is Captain America: The First Avenger a wholly entertaining piece of period fiction and faithful to the hero's long lineage, but it manages to be the most humanly satisfying superhero movie that's come along in a great while.

WHAT'S THIS MOVIE ABOUT?

Captain America follows the exploits of Steven Rogers (Chris Evans) during World War II. Having an uncanny sense of duty and desire to do what he feels is right, all the scrawny Rogers wants to do is serve the country he loves. The problem is that aside from being only 90 pounds, Rogers has myriad health problems that prevent any recruiter from taking him. Hope for Rogers comes in the form of Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci). He is looking for young men to join an extremely secretive "Super Soldier" project, and Steve has just the intangibles (selflessness, strength of will, integrity) that he is looking for. It isn't so long after Rogers finally becomes that titular "Super Soldier" when the error of Erskine's past in the form of the maniacal Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving) rears its ugly face. Now, the newly christened Captain America must run a covert campaign against the mad man and his legion of HYDRA soldiers to help bring an end to the war and this threat on all of humanity.

WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT THIS MOVIE?

CHARACTERIZATION! Sure, director Joe Johnston doesn't necessarily paint a visage of incredibly complex characters here, but the way each seems so naturally human through their interactions and relationships with other characters is incredibly well done. Evans in particular embodies the wholesome nature of Captain America without feeling cheesy or forced. This is aided by the over the top, yet completely believable performance of Hugo Weaving as "The Red Skull". The characters are unapologetically two-dimensional, sure, but they own up to that. In fact, the best performance may be attributed to Hayley Atwell as the Captain's love interest, Peggy Carter. She effortlessly skirts the line between the hard, no-nonsense operative, and the caring person who is willing to fight for something on principles alone. The fact that she never plays damsel in distress is refreshing. Tucci as Erskine, Sebastian Stan as Bucky, Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark, and the various "Howling Commandos" bit parts all play their roles admirably.

Captain America is also a movie that isn't afraid to provide a deeper timeline of events to its audience than most other superhero films. A whole heck of a lot takes place in the Captain's standard running time, and all the build-up at the beginning pays off with the punchier second half. It doesn't attempt to shoe-horn in plot details and character development in the film's climax, and the movie is better for it. It allows for the action to take center-stage, and for the most part, it's done well. It has a pulpy retro feel while also being wholly modern. In fact, that feel is what gives Captain America its unique edge. A mid-movie segment that shows "Captain America" touring the USA selling war bonds exemplifies this perfectly. It really wraps the audience up in its setting, while still subtly showing an awareness of its retro feel.

WHAT SUCKS ABOUT THIS MOVIE?

Conversely, certain action sequences feel incredibly artificial. It's nothing too distracting, but during some of the more chaotic or grandiose scenes, the special effects can take the audience out of the experience. After all, when most of the scenes feel so authentic and period appropriate, scenes that use heavy green screening effects and CGI are that much more apparent.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Fans of the character will love all the affection towards past storylines and costumes. Also, I need the "Captain America" song that plays during the USO tour and credits RIGHT NOW!

WHAT'S THE FINAL VERDICT?

Whether you want to call it a superhero film, a pulpy period piece, or a summer action flick, Captain America delivers on all fronts. It's an affectionate, well-made movie that audiences of all ages can easily enjoy. This may be the most well-done film Marvel studios has put out, and should serve alongside films like The Dark Knight as a template for what the genre can achieve.