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558 reviews in total

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74 out of 140 people found the following review useful:
Guten tag her Blaskovitz, 27 July 2011

Author: Gregory from Estonia, Tallinn

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Every time the heavy solider walked in I could not laugh and say "Guten tag her Blaskovitz". I know its Captain America and its better than the previous versions, but it is still unbearable not to rif on.

OK, ignoring one lousy editing shot around the end, the movie has good visuals and feels adequate. It's what many wanted out of such a movie after previous failed attempts.

But the main hero is a hypocritical boy scout. He says he doesn't want to kill anybody, yet desperately try's to enlist into the war as a soldier, and in the end deliberately throws enemy soldiers out of a airborne bomber.

The first half of the movie is about a CGI man in his 30es, as it's impossible to take that voice seriously with that body. Any skinny stand-in would have sufficed for this, but they decided to dangle CG for 40 minutes in front of us and think we would not notice. And then they make a pro-steroid add outright into a hulk rip-off.

The idea to throw the Red skull as an independent German villain during WWII is just insane. His Hydra monologues sound like he thinks being slapped by the enemy makes him stronger. His superweapons are overpowerfull, but never properly utilized because his soldiers are stromtrooper dumb. And where does he get his easily replaceable loyal henchmen in such numbers? Not from the Hitler loving loyalist Nazis that's for shore.

But what's really unbearable is how the two powers meet every time. Nobody can see some guy skulking around at a well lit military base, or fire anywhere other than at his shield, which covers only 1/3 of his body. Hell, the badguys even have flamethrowers to deal with the guy, but every time something stupid saves his hide.

Oh, and the ending… "I wanted to bring you in slow" and that's why I even made you a fake girlfriend and put you into an easily escapable facility in the middle of NY, after which you get a very odd looking finger by Uncle Sam.

Its too insane not to rif on. My best was: You labeled one of your nukes "New Yourk"? I'm now half expecting the camera to pan off and see another labeled "Mutter".

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98 out of 188 people found the following review useful:
Saluting the stars and the honor!!, 25 July 2011
Author: Akshay Chugh from India

Marvel Entertainment has everything to make it's films survive the standards of conceptual film-making and also knows that secret recipe to make those superhero films fun to everyone. Captain America the first avenger is yet another film which will not change your mindset and also have something unique both in the sense of big on screen action and plenty of WOW moments. So does the World War 2 setting adds to the uniqueness, definitely yes!! The story is just not set during WW2, it reconnects those times with the modern era.

The theme of the film is simple and interesting enough to make you stick to your seat. It's storyline is simple yet classic and does exactly what was asked to do in establishing it's lead character as an iconic superhero. The film features Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) a mere 98 pound skinny weakling with strong feeling to serve his country during the dark times against Nazi Germany. Yet another thing that America needs more strong and super soldiers cause Germany already have one, Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving). Despite of his weak and skinny body his spirit is not enough to overcome his body limitations, so he catches a scientist Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) who's been working on creating a genetic breed of super soldiers. With his serum he successfully transforms Steve into a genetically enhanced super hero and Steve decides to put that power to good use, for his country as Captain America.

Captain America: The first Avenger is the type of movie that has many positive assets being the characters, the plot, timing, action and it's amazing tone and feel. With a little comic book tinch in it's storytelling director Joe Johnston did an commendable job in presenting those movie pieces in an authentic way. Overall, a great feature film with some really nice elements and amazing action sequences. Definitely a must watch.

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11 out of 15 people found the following review useful:
A great, old-fashioned adventure that towers above its flaws., 26 October 2011

Author: Hardwicke Benthow from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

As there's something about the the 1930s-1940s that appeals to me, I tend to prefer movies set in the era and made in its cinematic style. And being fond of the adventure genre, I anticipate movies like the Indiana Jones trilogy, "The Rocketeer", "Sky Captain And the World of Tomorrow", "The Mummy" (1999) and, of course, "Captain America".

When I first heard about this movie, my expectations soared. The director was Joe Johnston, who made my favorite superhero movie, "The Rocketeer". It was set during WWII, made in a 1940s style, and scored by Alan Silvestri. Alas, my heart sank after I found out that they were going to do the whole frozen alive storyline I've always hated. But, I reasoned, the only reason they are making it is because of "The Avengers". Without that storyline, they wouldn't even be making it. Beggars can't be choosers.

Well, after two years of waiting, I got to see the movie. And to my surprise, it surpassed my high expectations. I didn't even hate the ending, although I would have much preferred a happier one more in line with the original 1940s comics (in which Cap stays in his own era, then fights commies in the 1950s). So, here are my thoughts on the movie.

Acting.

Chris Evans was great as Captain America. He nailed the character. After watching him as Captain America, I can't see anyone else in the role. The special effects performed on him to make him look skinny for the first part of the movie were absolutely seamless. If I hadn't known about them, I wouldn't have been able to tell they were there. But those effects would not have looked nearly so great if it had not been for Evans convincingly "acting skinny". No matter what condition Steve Rogers is in, shrimp or super soldier, Chris Evans portrayed him flawlessly.

It was refreshing to see a non-angsty, pure-hearted hero for the first time in a while. Instead of portraying Cap with irony or satire, they took him seriously, and it really payed off. Cap, despite (or because of) his delightful simplicity and earnestness, comes across as incredibly deep and human, proving once again that the notion of the old-fashioned hero being inferior to his modern antihero counterpart is merely a haughty assumption.

Hugo Weaving's Red Skull was effectively menacing, darkly humorous, and overall deliciously like an old-fashioned serial villain. Haley Atwell was charming, feisty and classically beautiful as Peggy Carter. Stanley Tucci's Dr. Erskine was played to perfection, Tommy Lee Jones was a scene-stealer of the highest order, Toby Jones was very memorable as a sympathetic, almost lovable Arnim Zola, Richard Armitage was effectively despicable, Dominic Cooper was good as Howard Stark, and Neal McDonough made his presence known despite very little screen time. Sebastion Stan was also quite good as Bucky, although he wasn't quite as memorable as many of the others.

Visuals and Action.

My feelings on the visuals are mixed. I was hoping for a bit more of a photo-realistic feel, but it instead looks a bit too much like "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" (a movie whose visuals I like very much, but would prefer to be a novelty, not the norm). That said, the use of wide lenses did help make it look more real than many other movies with such massive amounts of CGI. The color in many scenes is quite good, or at least by today's standards. I did dislike the muted color used in some of the winter scenes, though. I wish they had gone for more of a Technicolor look, but I'm pretty satisfied with the look of the movie, except for the winter scenes.

I didn't like the action montage too much, as it had some slow-motion effects, as well as giving off a feeling that you're being cheated out of some scenes. I also thought that the motorcycle-chase felt somewhat rushed. Other than that, however, I did like most of the action scenes. The Kruger chase, Cap's first mission, and the final fight with Red Skull were standouts.

I would have preferred that the HYDRA soldiers' uniforms look a bit more Nazi-like, but the look they have works well. Red Skull doesn't care about them as individuals. He is the Hydra, and they are merely his many identical heads. Thus, their faceless, almost robotic look works very well.

Music.

Silvestri's score is the best superhero score in years. His main theme unfortunately doesn't have the "flow" that some of his better works do, and seems a little clunky at first. But after you hear it a few times, it grows on you. It's now stuck in my head. Overall, Silvestri's score hits all the right notes, and captures menace, adventure, and every other mood required of it, while having actual themes. Media Ventures, eat your collective heart out.

Writing.

The humor was great throughout. The levels of "heart" were set to maximum. The romance, although sparse, was memorable. Everything was portrayed swiftly, without padding, The plot was very well thought out. Memorable lines and scenes abound. Overall, the writing was excellent. Some things that I particularly liked were Steve's journey from shrimp to super-soldier, the USO scene, Cap's first mission, the role-reversal with Bucky, and the romance. I also liked how Red Skull was his own boss. It gave him more menace. Plus, using HYDRA ironically makes it feel more historically accurate. Having Captain America defeat the Nazis would mess with history too much, and having him lose to them just wouldn't do. All I really disliked were Bucky's death and Captain America getting frozen alive. That could work well in some movies, but a 1940s-style adventure of this sort just cries out for a happy ending. Plus, the modern-day bookends detract from the overall atmosphere. Still, the final scenes were poignant, although out-of-place.

9/10.

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23 out of 39 people found the following review useful:
Team America **** Yer!, 6 March 2012

Author: john-4323 from United Kingdom

The epitome of bad taste wrapped up in an advert to the world of the all American hero is once again pushing sickly sweet crap down the throats of consumers. If you thought independence day was a load of rubbish then you're going to hate this garbage also. Having wasted the hour or so watching this film I have to say, I want my life back and yes it is that awful. The star of the fantastic four is dressed in a leotard and prancing around and single handedly taking on a large army of superior armed soldiers and winning. Yes he can simply walk undetected into highly secret bases unnoticed while wearing his unconvincing garish costume for all to see. Somehow everyone who shoots at him aims for a small shield and without any noticeable super powers takes on the might of the Nazi power. "Enemy at the gates" this is not, nor is it a fun or family film, in fact i would go as far to say that this is nothing more than propaganda of the most ridiculous kind as the world will always be a better place with the good ol' US of A involved. On a scale of 1 to 100 i would vote this marginally above a Tom Cruise film but below any sanitary or worth your while to watch. Avoid at all cost, Pass me the bucket i think I'm going to puke

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17 out of 28 people found the following review useful:
Red, White, and Blue!!!, 1 August 2011
Author: zardoz-13 from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

"Rocketeer" director Joe Johnston's "Captain America" amounts to a timeless David versus Goliath tale set in the Marvel Comics' universe where good always trumps evil. Unlike "Thor" and "Green Lantern," "Captain America" ranks as a thoroughly spectacular but larger-than-life extravaganza with a genuinely charismatic hero struggling against a marvelously malignant villain. Chris Evans' engaging performance as the 'First Avenger' is something else, too! If you recall, Evans had the time of his life several years ago playing egotistical Johnny Storm, aka 'the Human Torch,' in the two "Fantastic Four" flicks. Make no mistake; Evans is nothing like he was in those two super heroic sagas. Indeed, "Captain America" boasts some amazing special effects, but its best special effect is the sincerity that Evans brings to the role of Steve Rogers. Whether he plays Rogers as either a scrawny, 98-pound zero or a brawny, fleet-footed hero, Evans imparts heart to this $140-million thriller. During the first half of "Captain America," Johnston gradually builds the momentum to let us grow accustomed to Evans as a scrappy little fellow who suffers the wrath of bullies. This pathetic weakling refuses to let anybody keep him down, and it's fun because Evans makes it look so authentic despite the obvious CGI effects. Hugo Weaving registers as the ideal villain who holds the upper hand throughout most of the supercharged shenanigans. Tommy Lee Jones and Hayley Atwell co-star respectively as Captain America's superior and his love interest.

"Captain America" opens in the present before it reverts to the past. Typically, movies with contemporary openings and endings sacrifice any sense of suspense. After all, you know if the characters thrive in the present that they must not have suffered in the past. Basically, this constitutes nothing more than a narrative cinematic convention. The chief difference here is that we're only given a glimpse of Captain America's legendary star-spangled shield instead of the eponymous protagonist himself. Anyway, the film unfolds in the frozen wasteland of the Arctic Circle as a Russian oil expedition stumbles onto something buried in the ice. They contact the Americans who slice into the ice with a laser, find a commodious craft of unknown origin, and uncover a circular red, white, and blue shield with a star. The scene shifts to March 1942 as despicable Nazi officer Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving of "The Matrix") and his men storm into Tønsberg, Norway, and confiscate an enigmatic tesseract. Essentially, this is a magical cube boasting incalculable power. Supposedly, the tesseract was a fabulous jeweled artifact that belonged to the legendary Norse god Odin. Once anybody lays their eyes on it, they are no longer the same. Meanwhile, in New York City, the U.S. military brands Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) unfit for duty owing to a myriad of health problems. The resilient Rogers tries to enlist again when his buddy James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes (Sebastian Stan of "Black Swan") takes him to a showcase of futuristic technologies. Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci of "Easy A") eavesdrops on Rogers' conversation with Barnes about his desperate need to get into combat. Suitably impressed by Rogers' attitude, Erskine allows him to enlist. Moreover, Erskine recruits Rogers as part of a "super-soldier" experiment under the aegis of Colonel Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones of "Coal Miner's Daughter") and Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell of "The Duchess"). Phillips displays considerable skepticism about Erskine's contention that Rogers qualifies as the ideal candidate for the procedure. One day during a training exercise, Phillips lobs a grenade among the recruits. Everybody but Rogers scrambles for cover, while he smothers the grenade with his frail body. Predictably, the grenade is a dummy, but Rogers' act of self-sacrificing bravery convinces the colonel that he is the appropriate choice.

No sooner has Rogers emerged from the procedure as an entirely new man with a buffed up body than a Nazi saboteur steps in and kills Erskine. As it turns out, Erskine keep no notes except those in his head. After Erskine dies, Rogers experiences his new-found strength and captures the saboteur. The saboteur lives long enough to warn Rogers that he has to face more of his kind before he crunches on a cyanide capsule and croaks. Roger wins fame and acclaim across the country, but he suffers a setback because he is the first and only of his kind. Colonel Phillips reassigns him and Roger ends up at War Bond rallies where he acts like a cheerleader surrounded by dancing girls. Eventually, when our hero learns that his best friend has been caught, he disobeys orders and leads an inspirational rescue behind enemy lines. Now that Rogers has proved himself, he must face the Red Skull. The Red Skull is Nazi officer Johann Schmidt and he is so ambitious that he not only wants to crush America but also Adolf Hitler. Talk about a villain to end all villains! Anybody who has read the reprints of the World War 2 era "Captain America" comic book should be thrilled with the way that "The Chronicles of Narnia" scenarists Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely have handled the original material by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Of course, Johnston and his scribes have ratcheted up the hardware for the big transformation scene that turns Steve Rodgers into Captain America.

Altogether, "Captain America" is a predictable but entertaining comic book movie with sensational special effects and a sympathetic hero. If you are a Marvel Comic fan, you should stick around after the lengthy end credits for a glimpse of the forthcoming "Avengers" film due for release in May 2012.

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22 out of 38 people found the following review useful:
Awful movie, 24 October 2011

Author: (thulean33@gmail.com) from United States

Every ridiculous cliché comes alive in this one. Utterly worthless film. Not even the acting is good. The Nazis are the big evil bad guys because they deal with mystical powers beyond the human and the shiny happy Americans are the saviours of mankind. I couldn't even finish this absolutely awful movie. Dreadfully void of any intellectual quality whatsoever. And not even the special effects are any good. I can look past the ridiculous propaganda if the action scenes and special effects are good. But not even that is good. It's just bad.

I'm sure some gung-ho Americans will think it's cinematic mastery. Anyone else with intelligence will absolutely loathe this worthless movie. You literally have to be void of any intelligence whatsoever to find merit in this movie. And I gave it a chance. I really did. But 50 minutes in I couldn't take it anymore.

I'm not sure how it's getting a 7 rating. That really compromises my faith in humanity when people in general think this movie is a 7.

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24 out of 42 people found the following review useful:
great movie, 7 August 2011

Author: cburns-5-982453 from United States

Great movie. I thought it was going to be bad but it was really, really good. I will definitely buy this movie when it comes out. I think they chose the right actors for the characters in the movie. The action was good and realistic. Red skull is probably the most epic super villains ever, and is my favorite. I like how it started with cap in the ice and ended with a surprise. The enemy was opposing. I like how tony starks dad was in it. I often thought during the movie, though, if we had that tech then we would have won the war a lot quicker. But yes i will give it 9/10 stars and i would recommend it to anybody who likes superhero/war movies.

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8 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
Captain America Saves The Genre, 17 October 2011
Author: Ken Syme (pghfilmcritic@gmail.com)

Marvel has no shortage of colorful characters to choose from when constructing a new film, but as far as the most popular leading men are concerned, we may soon be hitting a drought. Obviously, the company can (and most likely will) keep firing out sequels, prequels, and remakes featuring Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Wolverine and the X-Men, but comic fans, loyal though they may be, often want something new. Fortunately, one of the last "big" Marvel heroes to get his own movie has arrived, and his vehicle, entitled Captain America: The First Avenger, is a rewarding installment that is smart, clever, confident and, best of all, different.

Most recent origin stories in superhero cinema are similar. Even Thor, who hailed from another dimension, is still dealing with guilt, immaturity, and daddy issues found in almost every Marvel adaptation. Captain America differs not only in the fact that it is an early-'40s period piece, but also in its plausible and palpable originality. The freshness, combined with a strong ensemble and an intelligent script delivers one of the finest superhero adaptations of the year.

Fine as both a noble runt and a gentlemanly superhero, Chris Evans delivers a character worth caring about. Smaller assets pop up at every turn: Stanley Tucci, Tommy Lee Jones, Neal McDonough, Dominic Cooper, Sebastian Stan and the gorgeous Hayley Atwell as Cap's eclectic batch of allies; and, best of all, a meaty but entirely logical editorial approach that encapsulates all of Rogers' early adventures in one tight and refined two-hour frame.

And, sincerely, a certain "propaganda montage" is something special. The action, the chuckles, the surprisingly interesting character development ... they're what make Captain America a very solid action flick. But it's that one special montage that elevates the film into something a little bit cooler than the typical Marvel fare. Captain America also proves once again that great movie making is about much more than special effects – its about acting, directing, scripting, and most of all, it's about passion – something that has been eclipsed by a few clicks.

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9 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
Final preparation, class, for "The Avengers", 11 September 2011
Author: Harry T. Yung (harry_tk_yung@yahoo.com) from Hong Kong

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

After "Hulk", "Iron Man" and "Thor", this one is obviously a must-see as a pre-requisite to next year's major movie event: The Avengers. In what generally acknowledged as a more "human" story, the plot line follows the determined quest of titular protagonist Steve Rogers, a 90-pound weakling (miraculous CGI work on 6-foot Chris Evans) with Hercules-size heart and will-power, to get into the U.S. Army to serve his country in WW II. By a stroke of luck, his dream is fulfilled when he is chosen as an object of a scientific experiment through which he is transformed into not quite Superman, but certainly a man with above-human physical capabilities. Ironically, the ultimate role of this Captain America, as conceived by the authorities, is a "chorus girl" in a public relations and morale boosting road show. To cut a long story short, he finally achieves his goal, culminating in an epic dual with nemesis Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving), a German megalomaniac who seeks first to replace Hitler, then to rule the world. As expected, our hero wins, but not without cost. While fortunate to escape almost certain death, he ends up in a coma, only to wake up 70 years later, to find that he has missed a date with his love interest Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), British military agent with a face of an angel, fists of steel, and a heart that appears to be of the same stuff but actually has a soft spot in it. The cast is impressive. Evans handles well this meatier role after trivial pursuits like Human Torch. Those who ever doubt Atwell's acting ability show see "Brideshead revisited" (2008). Weaving appears in the first half of the movie in his familiar persona and look, and in the second half, while with persona intact, transforms into the hideous "Red Skull". Tommy Lee Jones, looking a little like Bob DeNiro, serves well as the typical army man. Stanley Tucci has a cameo-type appearance as the scientist who discovers Rogers. And there is of course Samuel L. Jackson who appears in his now customary Nick Fury cameo, linking all the component movies of "The Avengers".

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9 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
4F Afterall....A Fine Fantastically Fun Film, 29 August 2011
Author: John_T_Chance from The Attic

The humor, angst and drama are remarkable for a superhero flick. I can't think of a weak moment in the film, as it is strong from beginning to end. Anyone doubting Chris Evans in the role need worry no more. He's Oscar caliber good in this movie. His amazing performance is aided by what can only be called an amazing CG transformation. In this case, it's pre-transformation. Everyone is perfectly cast and perfect in their roles. Hugo gives one of the greatest villain portrayals in modern cinema history.

This easily fulfilled and the exceeded all of my expectations. I can't wait for a solo sequel even though it will be cool to see Cap in Avengers. I like how they handled the modern era and depression era stuff. This really is everything anyone would want in a movie. I know it's everything I had hoped to see.

Captain America is pure fun, a perfect mix of old school dazzle and good old-fashioned charisma. Marvel-ous!

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