Chris Evans

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (2014)

Captain-America-The-Winter-Soldier-Poster

Like Punch usually says given half the chance: “That’s the way to do it”.

A vast improvement on The First Avenger, this sets the precedent now for all Marvel films.
None of the previous ones have come close to the intelligent composition of this film.

The directors-Joe and Anthony Russo (Arrested Development, Community) have raised the bar as far as these kinds of films are made. You can cram in all the set pieces in the world but if there are no real stakes for characters that you don’t care about then all you have is a very shiny empty shell.
The set pieces in this one really deliver, one, which shall go un-named due to lack of wanting to spoil, is probably something I have never seen before, at least with that level of stakes and was hugely enjoyable.

Chris Evans builds on his previous ventures as Steve Rogers and cements the character as one equal to if not greater than all the others. Scarlett Johansson secures her place in the universe and it’s only a matter of time before Black Widow gets her own screen outing. A nice addition to the big screen Marvel characters is Anthony Mackie as Falcon.
It’s great that the lesser known heroes and villains are being introduced.

Samuel L brings his Nick Fury back to the table with a little more depth than usual and Robert Redford brings old school Hollywood weight as Alexander Pearce, another S.H.I.E.L.D. member.

The best thing about this film is that it doesn’t treat its audience as a bunch of idiots.
There is an intelligent script at the heart of it and it is directed with assurance and confidence.

All the previous Marvel films (this time around) have been deeply unsatisfying, Iron Men, Thors, Spidermen, Avengers, X-Men (although First Class was pretty good), and it is definitely a style over substance problem.

Maybe they were just too big for the silver screen or at least too big for the mere humans trying to make them.

Maybe this will be the start of a beautiful friendship.
Let’s hope so.

3.5/5

BUY THE BLU-RAY DVD HERE

DOWNLOAD THE FILM ON iTUNES HERE

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER (2011)

Captain-America-The-First-Avenger

In 2011 this was the least sucky addition to the recent spate of Marvel big screen superfilms but unfortunately it is still missing key elements to elevate it any higher as far as cinema and great storytelling goes.

Everybody was banging on about how good Joss Whedon’s Avengers was and I found it to be an utter yawn-fest, so filled with smoke and mirrors and containing next to no substance at all.
A few well written quips doth not a decent movie make.

These Superhero films should be hugely satisfying; they have a big budget, look amazing, they contain some interesting talent, the potential is huge, then why do they not work?
The contract is always entered into with an open heart and mind.
What doesn’t go amiss is the fact that none of them, thus far, have lived up to their potential.
It is with less and less enthusiasm that I watch these films, but always with a flicker of hope that one day they may deliver.
(The Hellboy movies delivered, BTW)

From the writing of Aaron Sorkin- The West Wing:

Leo to Josh:

“This guy’s walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can’t get out.

“A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up, ‘Hey you. Can you help me out?’ The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on.

“Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up, ‘Father, I’m down in this hole can you help me out?’ The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on.

“Then a friend walks by, ‘Hey, Joe, it’s me can you help me out?’ And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, ‘Are you stupid? Now we’re both down here.’ The friend says, ‘Yeah, but I’ve been down here before and I know the way out.”

I’m not going to go on about how Hugo Weaving is not really doing anything new, he’s very talented but we have seen it all before. And of course, the montages, the lack of adhering to any part of the Hero’s Journey arc and all in all you have another set of smoky mirrors that nourisheth not. This is an origin story of course, and with that comes all the pitfalls, how to tell the story well, at the same time, make sure all the plot elements are there.

It’s all just a bit of fun really.

Hayley Atwell gives good romantic interest with substance. Toby Jones turns up the volume on sinister with his Marvel supervillain, Dr Arnim Zola. Sebastian Stan, who was very good in the one season, biblically inspired, Kings, is perfectly cast here as Steve Rogers, best friend, Bucky Barnes. Tommy Lee Jones is now the undisputed goto king of gruff. Dominic Cooper does Iron Man’s dad justice. Stanley Tucci is just ace in whatever he’s in and Samuel L Jackson returns as Nick Fury, it has been a while since he has shown anything truly amazing. He was very entertaining in Django Unchained and was interesting in The Sunset Limited but not since Jackie Brown has he really brought some serious acting skills.
The film is not all bad but neither is it all good. It is just too much of an ask of director, Joe Johnston. Yes, it made shed loads of dollar bills but was it a great film?

Nah.

How to find one’s own way out of the Superhero ditch?
Stop watching them?

Simple, really.

2.6/5

BUY THE BLU-RAY DVD HERE

DOWNLOAD THE FILM ON iTUNES HERE