Today’s quick review: Captain America: The First Avenger. During World War II, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), a patriotic young man with a sickly physique, is transformed into a superpowered soldier by a secret Army program. With the help of his childhood friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and a British officer named Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), he dons the mantle of Captain America and leads a series of combat missions against Hydra, the Nazis’ superscience division, and its leader, the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving).
Captain America: The First Avenger is a superhero war movie and the fourth entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film acts as an origin story for Captain America, chronicling his transformation from a weak but spirited young man into America’s most skilled soldier. The film has unusually clear-cut morality, even for the optimistic superhero genre, paving the way for a straightforward heroic adventure untroubled by angst.
The plot revolves around the Red Skull’s attempts to harness the power of the Tesseract, a destructive artifact that fuels Hydra’s advanced technologies. The war setting gives Captain America a unique flavor among the Marvel films and allows it to cover a longer span of time than a more limited story would. The action, driven by Steve’s enhanced strength, enhanced speed, and trademark shield, is a creative extension of wartime combat and hand-to-hand fighting.
Watch Captain America: The First Avenger if you are looking for a fun superhero movie with a war flavor, satisfying combat, and an undercurrent of idealism. Skip it if you dislike the superhero genre or you want a film with more internal conflict.
6.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for Marvel’s typically solid execution.