In an effort to pierce through the cynicism that rules the internet these days, I have taken on the monicker, Mr. Silver Lining vowing to only say positive things about each movie I review. Up first is Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
THERE WILL BE SPOILERS.
+ First and foremost, this movie scratched an itch that the MCU has had for a long time: good hand to hand combat. Captain America, The Winter Soldier, and Black Widow all had scenes showcasing their unique fighting styles. Even Falcon and Agent 13 briefly got in on the fisticuffs.
+ The score was very solid. I've read some criticisms of Henry Jackman's work for this film, and frankly, I don't understand where that is coming from. All of the music complimented the visuals well and really drove the film's suspense. The theme that played during the Winter Soldier's scenes was particularly menacing and really emphasized his brutality.
+ This might not seem like a big deal to some, but I was really glad that Agent Hill took Natasha and Steve to see that Fury was actually alive upon their arrival to his safe house. Less mature screenwriters would've started that sequence with some arguing between the group only to be stopped by the dramatic interruption of Fury's voice dramatically revealing his survival. And this would've left us asking ourself, "Did Hill really keep them in the dark about Fury's survival just so he could have his moment?" That would've been overly dramatic and a missed opportunity to show the emotional connection Natasha has towards Fury. I don't know who was responsible for executing that scene that way but hat's off.
+ The Russo brothers took what made The Avengers so solid and applied it to this film, and that was individual characters moments. Everyone had moments where their character traits were emphasized. But most importantly, Captain America was Captain America. His unyielding nature and inability to compromise his principles in defense of freedom and justice were a real asset of this film.
CONCLUSION: This film provides all the necessities of an entertaining superhero film, while wrapping it in intriguing drama and suspense. Characters native to the source material out numbered the characters created original to this film. This threw a nice bone to Marvel fanboys while not distracting from the film. All in all, an excellent entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.