When people think of superheroes, our good friend Captain America isn't exactly the first that comes to mind. Even though he's not mainstream, like Batman or Spiderman, Captain America still has the caliber to be, thanks to a terrific film that doesn't falter.
Captain America: The First Avenger follows the story of Steve Rogers, a puny, weak, young man looking to join the army during World War II. Due to health issues, he is constantly turned down. But one day, a Dr. Erksine allows Steve to enlist under an experiment that will create the "super human". It is successful, and Rogers is now the ripped and muscular Captain America, who leads the war against Hitler. He meets Colonel Phillips, a skeptic who isn't completely on board with the experiment and Peggy Carter, the beautiful assistant and potential love interest to Steve. Meanwhile, Dr. Zola, has stolen a mysterious tesseract from Norway in an attempt to steal its powers and create an ultimate weapon, and it's up to Captain America to stop him.
I don't know much about superheroes, let alone Captain America, nor do I care for superhero movies that much, but I really enjoyed the plot of The First Avenger. It was nice and simple, without throwing character after character at you and forcing you to remember their names. Although predictable, it was a fun time. Each character was very well-developed, as well, especially Captain America himself, and Carter. The villain, Dr. Zola, or Red Skull, is also very well-done, and his motives are clear. Also to be appreciated is the nostalgia of the 1940s, when war was being waged. You'll admire the set pieces from New York, and the cars and hairstyles are a sight to see. One scene in particular, when Captain America Version 1.0 tours America rallying troops, is very memorable. It's a nice break from the skylines of modern superhero movies like Spiderman. Also, a fun treat lies after the credits, so don't miss it!
The acting in Captain America was good, but not excellent. Chris Evans is fantastic as Captain America, and seeing him in Fantastic Four gave me a good idea of how he would perform. His sarcastic one-liners kind of bored me, but he did a great job bringing the first avenger to life. With that being said, the supporting characters, mainly Tommy Lee Jones as Colonel Phillips and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Rogers' friend, are sort of just there. They never evolve from nothing but supporting characters. I guess Captain America is sort of a one-man show. Even his love interest, Peggy Carter, is sort of just there for the ride, and she isn't given the screen time she deserves. Luckily, Hugo Weaving, from V For Vendetta and The Matrix series, does a stunning job as Red Skull, and he really provides the entertainment in the acting.
Special effects were fun, but nothing to marvel at, as the focus of the movie is more storydriven, and less focused on mindless action (*cough WOLVERINE cough*). The post-converted 3D is gimmicky, so skip it. The music in the film is patriotic and light-hearted, and a catchy chorus tune with Captain America touring America will be in your head for days.
Captain America: The First Avenger is a great introduction to what I hope will be a franchise as successful as Iron Man. The movie is purely storydriven, which is wonderful, and Captain America is easily the best superhero film this year.
Overall: 4.0/5.0
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