Captain America: The First Avenger Movie Review

Review By: Peter Van

A Brooklyn Antiques store. That's where this story really begins in Steve Rogers' life and changes this good man forever.

Although prior to knowing how Captain America came to be, we must learn what Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is about and who he is. He is a good man. A weak man, but a good man. With so many men dying overseas fighting Hitler, he wants to join the fight. That is all he wants. Unfortunately, with a list (and it's a list) of ailments, he is denied in four cities.

That is, until Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) overhears his conversation with his friend James "Bucky" Barnes (Sebastian Stan) who is to leave for the front line the next day.

Intrigued, the Doctor gives Steve a chance to join the army and join the Super Soldier experiment.

The film's plot, while very predictable, is a fun ride. Setting up the precursor to the 2012 blockbuster The Avengers (as if the subtitle did not give that away), this is a great retelling of the Captain America/Steve Rogers story. As most other Marvel films it takes some liberties with the source material (Bucky is a good friend from back home prior to the war in this film instead of being a younger counterpart to the already-famous Captain America), but it does not really matter.

Marvel has proven again with this film that it is able to update their much-beloved comic book characters to the new age, throwing out the cheesy parts and keeping the good parts, yet still retaining what makes the characters what they are.

The jokes are a little lighter in this film than previous Marvel outings, but that does not mean that the jokes that the film did break out did not land. Steve Rogers is a straight shooter for most of the film, but has some zingers here and there (mostly to do with fondue).

Chris Evans does a good turn at portraying Steve, and any worries of portraying two iconic Marvel characters (Human Torch being the other) should be relieved as he has separated these two very distinct characters. The supporting characters also churn out good performances, especially Captain America's team of soldiers, who genuinely look like they are having a fun time.

Tommy Lee Jones also appears to be having fun in his role, first as a growly Colonel who looks down upon Steve, but grows to appreciate his expertise.

As other origin stories usually do, the story suffers and slows down at certain parts since the writers attempt to cram an origin story, the villain, and cut it down to a good size makes it a little too abrupt at points and dragged at others. The film definitely hypes the 2012 film and successfully brings Captain America from the frozen tundra of over 70 years into the present. While the present is what we all know, a transport back to the past to kick some royal Nazi and HYDRA butt is not a bad thing to enjoy this summer.

Grade A-