Ah, better late than never, right? Marvel Studios has yet to produce an inaccurate film, they did Iron Man, Hulk, and Thor right. Captain America is one of those movies that has been long overdue. (I am not counting that 90's flick.) We've been following this movie for awhile, does the studio deliver an accurate representation of the American icon? Read on.
Captain America tells the story of a man who.....is pretty weak. A good respectful person, but a small and fragile one. The film captures this wonderfully, it brings the whole origin up-to-date for the modern audience. Cap is the hero that even people like Iron Man look up to, and the film gives us that.
When we heard Chris Evans was being cast as the lead, a lot were very skeptical, myself included. All that gets washed away with his performance as Cap. Honestly, I can't think of anyone else who could have done a better job. (Those Human Torch memories are destroyed thank goodness.)
Hugo Weaving was a superb choice for the Red Skull. One of my favorite actors, he just knows how to play a villain right, with a touch of villainous humor. His performance deserves an award for best villain. Every time he's on screen, it's truly a treat, one of the best actors out there. I honestly would rather Red Skull than Loki in
Avengers.
Other stars, like the main lady, Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter was good. The old-fashioned look was good, and the romance between her and Steve felt less forced than the one in
Thor.
If it's one flaw I have to say, it's Bucky. Now, Sebastian Stan's performance as the character wasn't bad, in fact, it was quite good. Bucky just felt like a throwaway character, who's death was....not as heartfelt from in the comics. I'm no fan, but I'm sure a lot of his fans were outraged by this.
Another thing, the Howling Commandos. Good performances, they just seemed a little.....empty, and not vital to the plot. If they would have used say Torch or Namor, and called themselves the Invaders, it would have been much better.(Would it have taken the spotlight away from Cap? Of course not.)
The fight scenes were awesome, this is Cap, and he's showing his expert fighting skills. Shoving people with his shield, the fights were some of the best I've seen. Both fights with Red Skull....EPIC stuff.
The little moments for the fans were great. Seeing the Hydra symbol captured so beautifully, and the "Hail Hydra! You cut off one head, and two more shall take its place!" Wonderful, Marvel Studios knows how to bring about these little things that make a comic book movie. Every time Cap throws his shield, it's hard not to smile. The allusions to Thor and his universe were good, but at the same time, kept to a minimum. This is Cap's movie, not some bridging point for a future film. (I'm looking at you,
Iron Man 2.)
In closing,
Captain America: The First Avenger is an excellent film, it brought the character and his universe to life in the best way, sprinkling it with just the right amount of good humor. Captain America is the hero that heroes look up to. One thing I must point out, is that in some reviews I've read, they say a flaw is that Cap is "too perfect, too respectful, just too much of a perfect hero." Well guess what? Cap is the definition of a hero, a good man. Don't you remember what was said about the serum? "It turns a good man into a great man." So you see, Steve was already a good person, but the serum made him the definite hero. So no, that is not a flaw. It is something to respect.
Captain America: The First Avenger gets a 9/10. It is Marvel Studios' best film yet, go check it out.