| PollMaster Rates CAPTAIN AMERICA : First Avenger | |
| | Very Bad | Bad | OK | Good | Great | |
| as a ComicBookMovie | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| Faithfulness to the "comics" | |
| a) character design | Noooh! Those basterds what have they done to you?! | Barely resembles the comic character | Some changes here and there but is still recognizable | Character look is altered for the movie but the design works | Smart/Perfect adaptation and presentation of character design from comicbook page to live media | |
| | | | | | * | 5 |
| b) character personality | "Get out I don't know who you are!" | "Hmmm... I recognize you somewhere?" | "Oh! Hi… hello there." | "This is different but it fits you." | "NOW that's You!" | |
| | | | | | * | 5 |
| c) relation to comicbook storyline | No relation to any comicbook storyline | Generic comic-fare that would fit any other character | Some hint of inspiration from the comics | Original story that is custom fit for the comic character | Excellent adaptation / great story inspired by a comic storyline | |
| | | | | * | | 4 |
| | | | | | | |
| as a MOVIE | | | | | | |
| Picture In General | Vomit Inducing | Meh! | Just Ok | It was Goooood | Uber Great! | |
| | | | | * | | 4 |
| Directing | lousy and clunky screenshots | noticeable amateur shots | A watchable movie | Good scene compositions | Innovative and memorable scenes | |
| | | | | * | | 4 |
| Acting | Skill Non-existent | Amateur | So-so | Inhabits the Character | Is the Character! | |
| | | | | * | | 4 |
| Story | Nauseating and Repulsive | Zzzzzzz… wha… what was that? | That was nice… Next! | It's good | Whoa! Mindblowing! | |
| | | | | * | | 4 |
| Movie Editting | A monkey could have done better | A monkey has done it | Nice but there's still some monkeying around | A monkey has nothing on you | Flawless | |
| | | | | * | | 4 |
| Cinematography | Worse than Crap | Crap | Passable | Alright | Awesome | |
| | | | | * | | 4 |
| Visual FX | I'll gorge my eyes out now | I'm squinting | Doesn't make me dizzy | Good to look at | Amazing to look at | |
| | | | | * | | 4 |
| Costume Design | Good Gawd! | You won't see it near me | Hmmmm. | Love to have one | I MUST... get me one of those | |
| | | | | | * | 5 |
| Sound Editting | After that, I wish I was deaf! | A monkey is doing it again. | I didn't really mind it. | Nicely done | Kudos! Bravo! | |
| | | | | * | | 4 |
| Score | No way that's music! | "Amateurs clanging in the basement" | Highschool Musical Presentation? | Now that's good music | Angelic Chorus | |
| | | | | * | | 4 |
| | | | | | | |
| | | Good Movie | 41 | /50 |
| | | Good CBM | 55 | /60 |
| | | | | | | |
| Recommendation: | Definitely a must see in theaters. |
| | |
POSSIBLE SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT
Just got home from the cinema and I cannot wait to review Captain America: First Avenger.
One word description – inspirational
I know that a lot of you already have watch this, and have written your own review, so I don’t really know how much more I could add (I have not read any reviews so I might be echoing most of what has already been said about this movie).
Again, Marvel Studios has a winner in Captain America; it is a solid movie all through out, with exceptional acting, good story with good visuals to back it up. Every time that Marvel Studios does well in their movies, it rather makes me sad that DC Entertainment cannot match it. This movie makes me feel bad more for DC because as many comicbook fans know Cap is sort of a DC character in the Marvel universe (full of ideals with little character flaws). So, if Marvel can bring great justice to a character like Captain America, why can’t DC do good with their Green Lantern or Superman movies (I’m not touching the Dark Knight because he’s a Marvel Character in the DC Universe. ).
Let us return to Captain America. Chris Evans owns the role, and from here on, he will be more associated to this character than that fiery person in Fantastic Four. Evans is an amazing choice for the role of Captain America (even though he had played several other comicbook characters already). Again, it is hard for me not to compare it to DC’s decision of getting Reynolds (who also had played a good number of comicbook characters) for the role of Hal Jordan, the difference between these two guys is that Evans is a better actor and Reynolds just plays himself.
Many of us was a bit hesitant when Chris Evans got the role of Captain America considering his comedic background, but I think after you watch this movie you’ll agree the casting was spot on. Steve Rogers in the movie had some funny lines but he himself is not a “jokey” character, and Evans played that well. He was able to portray the good-naturedness of the character as well as his great nobility. He was strong, he was courageous and he was inspiring (that was even before his transformation to a super soldier).
The supporting characters were great addition to enhance the movie, and all of them served their role well. I especially like Stanley Tucci’s portrayal of Abraham Erskine, his scene with Steve Rogers is what makes the character of Captain America work. Tommy Lee Jones has several funny lines, and well it is hard to go wrong if you have Tommy Lee in your movie (except if you are Batman Forever). Sebastian Stan as Bucky, Steve Roger’s oldest friend, really made the friendship believable. Even though his character has some major alteration from his comics origin, it doesn’t disappoint, and I really got kick seeing him hold the Shield in the train sequence (if you’re a comicbook fan that image speaks a lot and you’re not even worried for the character even after what happens to him in that scene). Hayley Atwell gave her best performance in the plane sequence where she was talking to Steve (this scene reminds me of Star Trek, which funny enough, that the scene I’m pertaining to is the one with Thor star, Chris Hemsworth and Captain America’s fellow Avenger). The Howling Commandos are not there much, similar to Thor’s Warriors Three, but like the Warriors Three when they are there you like them there. Hugo Weaving has always been good in villainous role and this is no different, but I have to say he did not register to me much; I will still give the best Villain of this year’s superhero fest to Tom Hiddleston’s Loki.
In terms of directing, at first I was a bit hesitant of Joe Johnston considering the lackluster turn out of his last movie, the Wolfman. However, after this movie I think it was more the material than the fault of the director himself, because this was a beautifully made movie. Though I’m starting to feel that Marvel is trying to make their movies more cohesive which would later be constricting to visionary directors but for now it is really serving their Cinematical Universe very well (what I mean is that the directors in these movies do not stray afar visually and presentation wise from the movies that has already happened. Similar to what they are doing to TV shows where they usually have a different director for each episode).
The VFX throughout was good, with some few scenes that are somewhat spotty but will not really deter you in enjoying the movie. Cap’s costume was a good transition from comics to movie, but I have already seen what he’s wearing in the AVENGERS movie. Therefore, what he wears in this movie is appropriate for the time period that they were going for. In total the whole iconic look of Cap is there, the shield with only its slight color alteration is geek paradise, how it returns to Cap’s hand when it is thrown, how it ricochets in its surrounding, how it absorbs energy all of that is pure comicbook. Cap on his Harley racing around and jumping, is like taking a page from your favorite comicbook run.
I really can’t say more - MARVEL STUDIOS still makes the best MARVEL MOVIES and maybe best Superhero Movies.
If you have reached this point then I commend you for your perseverance because you’ll need that also in watching the credits after the movie. (You probably know what to expect but its still worth seeing it in the big screen). Funny thing is that I probably am the only geek in our city, because when my wife and I watched the first screening of Captain America and after the movie was finished, all of the people left the cinema, but my wife and I stayed. The cinema’s usher even came to remind us that the movie is only single viewing, and I told her that we know, and we were just waiting to finish the credits. I guess the usher was surprise when after the end credits the trailer for AVENGERS flashed on the screen, after the trailer finished I told the usher that is what we were waiting for and she just smiled.
FOLLOW ME ON: