Captain America: The First Avenger

ONE LINE REVIEW : Utilitarian use of CGI and thoughtful story make this a don't miss movie RATING : See it in theaters (Rating scale : "See it in theaters", "Wait for the instant download", "Don't waste your time")

NO SPOILERS

Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is a 98-pound weakling who wants nothing more than to kick some Nazi butt. He goes to every recruiting station in Brooklyn to get accepted and keeps getting turned down. On top of that, he is the neighborhood punching bag, constantly getting into scrapes with bullies bigger than him. And that is what drives Steve - he hates bullies and there are no bullies bigger than the Nazis.

He finally happens upon a special recruiting drive where a scientist (Stanley Tucci) is looking for someone with Steve's kind of guts. But tough-as-nails Colonel Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones) is more than dubious and runs Steve ragged in basic training. But Steve's kind heart and determination make him the perfect personality for an injection that turns him into a super-strong Captain America.

It turns out that the Nazis aren't the biggest bullies on the block. No, it's Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) who is just using the Nazi platform as a way of taking over the world. All the players are set and we're off as Captain America goes into battle with the forces of evil.

This movie is the beginning of the Avengers series and we're no doubt going to see more of the classic Avengers from Marvel comics in coming years.

It is set in the 1940's during the second world war and the costuming and period sets are excellent. I really felt drawn into this world. However it's a sort of bizarro world where Nazis really don't show up that much and Red Skull's "Hydra" forces are everywhere.

And speaking of Red Skull - Hugo Weaving is amazing. Not just for his delivery and persona. But for being the best actor behind a mask since Michael Keeton's Batman. Weaving was the man behind the mask in "V for Vendetta" where he delivered the entire movie wearing a Guy Faulks mask. Here, he uses his flesh-and-blood face for the first third of the film and then pulls that off to reveal his Red Skull face. And still delivers a flawless intensity that he has brought to every other role he's plays since Agent Smith in "The Matrix". The man can do no wrong.

Chris Evans starts out the movie looking very frail and sickly. But once he undergoes the special treatment, he is one buff dude. I haven't spent any time trying to puzzle out the CGI magic that makes this possible, but it is impressive. I'd swear there were two actors in the role. Otherwise Evans is a pretty bland character. But he has all the golly-gee-whiz Mom-and-apple pie look and delivery that makes Captain America believable.

I said of "Green Lantern" that is was the perfect super-hero movie. I may have to take that back, because Captain America raised the bar higher. The writers took their time building the character of feeble- Steve. Then they took their time building the character of buff- Steve/Captain America. All the while defining the evil villain, creating relationships between Steve and love interest Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), and Colonel Phillips, and buddy 'Bucky' Barnes (Sebastian Stan). Unfortunately, they spent little time defining the relationships between Cap'n America and his team - but hey - it's only a 2-hour movie.

The pacing was quite steady. I never felt bored and I never felt overwhelmed with last-minute plot devices. Except for one - Red Skull has this amazing technology and they really didn't explain where it came from (other than a reference at the beginning of the film where Weaving's character finds a glowing cube in some Egyptian ruins). The movie has a sort of steam-punk feel to it that I enjoyed.

So, for it's big effects - used in just the right amount. And a story well-told, taking the time to tell it well, I gave Captain America a rating of "See it in the theaters".

BTW: I saw it in 3-d which some reviewers have complained results in dark images. I enjoyed it in Real-3D and found the light levels to be just fine.

At the time it came out, this was my favorite MCU film. I don't know how this one could've been done much better.

The casting is perfect!! Evans was obviously the choice to portray Steve Rogers. I will forever keep Hayley Atwell in that red dress as a fond memory. Weaving as Red Skull? No brainer. No one else could've done it as much justice. Stan, Jones, Tucci, and the rest of the cast of characters bring the story together.

Like many comic-book fans I was expecting the worst from this movie. This is not because the character has any less depth than other super-heroes, but I knew that it would be extremely difficult to transition Steve Rogers to film in a serviceable way. The guy is called "Captain America" for heaven's sake.

Any comic-book reader would probably appreciate the ironies and idiosyncrasies behind such ostentatiously patriotic code-name, mostly because in print Cap has challenged the assumptions behind his symbolism, becoming a more conflicted and universal figure.

But its hard to translate any of this idiosyncrasy successfully in 2 hours. Fortunately the film, instead of getting to political, is more old-fashioned pulp like Indy or "Sky Captain," which thankfully never takes itself too seriously (which was one of the flaws of "Thor").

I had my doubts that Chris Evans could pull off the modesty and heart needed for the role, but I was wrong. As the Red Skull, Hugo Weaving was wonderfully evil in a nostalgic, serial-villain kind of way. Haley Atwell is a sidekick/love-interest with the rare quality of not being incredibly annoying, and Tommy Lee Jones is perfectly cast as Tommy Lee Jones.

The reason I found this to be a good movie was because I enjoyed it, plain and simple. It's well-photographed and well-acted. Like its titular hero, it modestly embraced its silliness, creating a charming B-movie experience.

I've never followed Captain America in comics though I do know a little bit of the origin. So I'm one of the people who could sit back and enjoy the movie for what it was rather than nitpick on gaps in the CA lore.

The best thing about the movie is what's not in it- and that's cheap advertising gimmicks, such as a character opening a laptop to show an Apple or Sony logo, or car symbols or Coke, Pepsi or any fast food restaurant. It, however, would have been interesting to see if they could tie CA into their food products by having Marvel burgers or the American Superburger...I dislike cheap advertising tricks and thankfully this was completely avoided. Gone also was any chance of using high tech gadgets much like what was shown in Iron Man 2.

I found the plot interesting- the buildup to Steve Rogers becoming Captain American was done well and very interesting. The downside would be the action sequences which I thought would be more realistic or appropriate to the time setting. Instead several sequences were more reminiscent of what Iron Man 2 felt like.

As I'm not a CA follower some of the historical nods to certain symbols or the side characters themselves were lost to me but I did enjoy that Howard Stark's character was in the movie as it introduced the origin of Stark Industries and it's technologies of the future.

Actingwise Chris Evans did a surprisingly good job. In Fantastic Four he was OTT and hammed a lot and was generally quite annoying. Here he's more serious, focused and determined. There were a lot less quips, something I really detest in American made super hero movies. The cheesy quips might work in graphic novels or comics but in movies it comes off as plain lame. Hugo Weaving was quite good though too- he's becoming quite popular in characters taken from literature, comics or cartoons.

This is a movie for pretty much every age gap. There are no swear words (I don't even think the word damn makes it into the movie!) and no sex scenes so kids are perfectly fine to watch it. It's definitely the best superhero movie of the year and one of the better ones made entirely. I doubt that any sequel will be as good in terms of plot and story setting but in the meantime enjoy this summer gem.

I have had the pleasure of watching "Captain America: The First Avenger," a Marvel movie that tells the origin story of one of the most iconic superheroes in the Marvel Universe. Directed by Joe Johnston, this film is set in the 1940s and follows the story of Steve Rogers, a scrawny but determined young man who is transformed into a super-soldier and fights against the evil forces of HYDRA during World War II.

One of the things that impressed me about this film was the way it captures the spirit of the time period. The film's visual style and production design are absolutely stunning, transporting viewers back to the 1940s with great authenticity. The film's use of sepia-toned colors and vintage aesthetic make it feel like a classic comic book come to life.

Chris Evans gives a standout performance as Steve Rogers, bringing a vulnerability and humanity to the character that makes his transformation into Captain America all the more compelling. The supporting cast is equally impressive, with Hayley Atwell delivering a strong performance as Peggy Carter, Tommy Lee Jones adding a touch of humor as Colonel Phillips, and Hugo Weaving embodying the menacing Red Skull with great conviction.

The action scenes in the film are thrilling and well-executed, with the use of practical effects and CGI blending seamlessly to create an immersive experience. The pacing of the film is also well done, with a good balance between action and character development.

Overall, "Captain America: The First Avenger" is a triumph of superhero cinema that deserves more credit than it often receives. The film's strong performances, impressive visual style, and well-crafted story make it a standout among Marvel's vast cinematic universe.