Captain America: The First Avenger Reviews

I have been excited about seeing this for months, but to be honest, once I finally sat down to watch it, I really only gave it about 50% of my attention, and perhaps that's because I was watching a downloaded cam version. The special effects were good, the casting good, the writing good, but stacked up against "Iron Man", this movie isn't as entertaining. I like Chris Evans in the role of Captain America, but something is lacking in this, and I don't know what, but it was enough to keep me from even being interested in paying full attention.

When it comes out on DVD, I will watch it again for sure, but I hope The Avengers movie that follows this is better, much much better.

não acho q vale... tem uma cena muito boa que o escudo vem na sua direção, mas é só! Kkkk acho que ainda não aprenderam a aproveitar tanto o 3D nos filmes... ¬¬ ou é preguiça mesmo... kkkk já me convenci q filme q vale a pena em 3D são os que tiverem “água” ou “viagem pelo espaço ” ... porque aí a noção de profundidade realmente faz a diferença! Ah! E Nas animações! ^__^

With the release of The Avengers coming in summer 2012, and having seen all of the films thus far featuring the members of the team (Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Incredible Hulk and Thor), the time has come for this final build-up film. They have saved the story about the leader of the team until last, so having said that, expectations were rather high but it needed a lot for it to be one of Marvel's best films. Captain America: The First Avenger is indeed a very fun, intense and exhilarating film to watch that really does make it an exciting build-up to The Avengers! It was beautifully crafted with absolutely splendid 1930s background design and sublime costumes! There were moments in the film that weren't your typical Hollywood action film overloaded with visual effects, such as Captain America's costume. It was dark so that made it more unique and stuck well to the comics.


The main thing that is getting so good about Marvel adaptations as of late (especially in 2011), is that they aren't getting as colorful or as cliched. There is now a darker tone to the films that has appeared, which we saw in this film and saw in Thor earlier in the year. Lets just hope that Disney don't jeopardize their current status. However, as exciting and intense as this really is, Captain America: The First Avenger does have its weaknesses. It's main weakness is that throughout at least the first half of the film, the pacing of the film was incredibly slow so it took quite a long time to get going. However, despite the slow pacing in the first half, the action and all the fun burst out and it made up for the slow-paced introduction.


It is 1942, America has entered World War II, and sickly but determined Steve Rogers is frustrated at being rejected yet again for military service. Everything changes when Dr. Erksine recruits him for the secret Project Rebirth. Proving his extraordinary courage, wits and conscience, Rogers undergoes the experiment and his weak body is suddenly enhanced into the maximum human potential. When Dr. Erksine is then immediately assassinated by an agent of Nazi Germany's head of its secret HYDRA research department, Johann Schmidt aka the Red Skull, Rogers is left as a unique man who is initially misused as a propaganda mascot. However, when his comrades need him, Rogers goes on a successful adventure that truly makes him Captain America and his war against Schmidt begins.


After previously appearing in the two Fantastic Four films as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, Chris Evans as Captain America was, in my mind at the time, one of the worst casting decisions because it just felt like a cover-up to try and make up for the previous films he has been involved in with Marvel. However, after having some knowledge of Captain America and getting to know the character, Chris Evans was actually really good as Steve Rogers/Captain America. What was truly special about Evans' role as Captain America in this was that when he was Steve Rogers before the procedure, he looked like this helpless little boy who wanted to fit in with everybody else, but afterwards when he was starting to become Captain America, he felt and looked like a totally different person. The effects on Chris when he was short and slim Rogers were literally jaw-dropping (reminded me a bit of Brad Pitt in The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button). He was great so I can't wait to see him reprise his role as Captain America in The Avengers. In every Marvel film, there is always a beautiful actress who portrays the love interest of the superhero and I'm glad to say that Hayley Atwell was good as Peggy Carter, but she's not one of the best female characters in a Marvel film.


There is quite a wide range of great supporting actors in this film. First, the great Hugo Weaving. Hugo is one of those actors who can easily pull off playing a hero, but at the same time, is really great as a villain! His performance as Johann Schmidt/Red Skull wasn't only badass and just really cool, but it was at times quite terrifying especially when you see his true identity and what he looks like. He is almost like the devil so critical praise goes to Hugo. Tommy Lee Jones as veteran Colonel Chester Phillips. He has portrayed slightly similar characters like this in the past (for example, his Oscar winning performance in The Fugitive and in the Coen brothers film No Country For Old Men), so he looked good in Captain America: The First Avenger and his performance was good. Stanley Tucci is another great actor in the film who, like Hugo Weaving, can portray villains really well but great heroes as well. Despite his role isn't all that long, he was great.


Joe Johnston may have a very short filmography and has received quite a lot of criticism over the years (especially for The Wolfman in 2009 and Jurassic Park III in 2001), but was the director of Jumanji back in 1995. Anyway, Johnston achieves with Captain America: The First Avenger like what Kenneth Branagh did with Thor earlier in the year: a breakthrough for Marvel Pictures and making them one on their own and not your vintage Hollywood film. I would like to see him do another Marvel film in the near future (or even a possible Captain America sequel after The Avengers). So, I think he has finally achieved his career-changing breakthrough.


Overall, Captain America: The First Avenger is another brilliant Marvel film that is rightfully one of the best films they have done. Evans' role as Steve Rogers/Captain America truly does make up for his incredibly poor role in the two Fantastic Four films, and the great supporting cast managed to help him achieve this. The film proves itself worthy as one of the most intense and fun action films that you'll see in 2011. After seeing the film in normal 2D, there is no purpose of it being converted into 3D other than the typical reason: to absorb more money! Anyway, now that all of the films involving the members have been released, the excitement and build-up to The Avengers in summer 2012 has truly kicked-off in style!

Really enjoyed the first act of this, but as soon as Cap stormed the factory I found myself kind of mentally checking out a bit. The first half of the film has got a really strong emotional core to it, whilst the second half feels oddly detached and almost glacial. It sort of loses a lot of it’s sense of fun once it moves into the montage and then never lets up until the finale. It means stuff that should be a ‘big moment’ like Bucky’s death just feel oddly muted.

Whilst I liked Weaving as the Red Skull, and particularly enjoyed his Dastardly and Muttley style relationship with Zoller, I never got a sense of threat from the character. He’s supposed to be an equal to Captain America in terms of strengths, and should probably be handier in a fight due to the fact that he’s actually a soldier, and yet we never get a sense of that. His big moments are moving a coffin lid and punching a shield. I guess it’s the nature of the movie, but everything kind of seemed too easy once Cap made his decision to fight. Ever sequence we see is an overwhelming victory for allied forces with minimal casualties. I’m not wanting an Inglorious Basterds style culling of main characters, but it would have been nice to see the Allied forces vaguely inconvenienced by the Red Skull and his Nazi Super-Science.

Captain America: The First Avenger is a masterpiece. At least, the first half of the movie is. As a fan of the comics, I could not imagine a better depiction of the origins of Steve Rogers. I was at first unsure of Chris Evans being cast as the titular hero, but my doubts were silenced in the greatest way possible. In fact, the entire cast put in great performances. Tommy Lee Jones is perfect in the role of... well, Tommy Lee Jones, and though he may not be a convincing German, Hugo Weaving is certainly a convincing villain. The entire movie gives off a traditional hero vibe, and gives us a hero we care for.

Then, about the halfway mark, the movie goes downhill.

The second half of the movie, while not bad, is nowhere near as engaging as the first. The action is rushed on a level I've never seen in a superhero movie, and many of the supporting characters are lazily glazed over (Bucky Barnes and The Howling Commando's are particularly affected by this.) However, the emotional value the film began with returns at the end, which even though we all knew about it, still managed to make us feel sorry for the good old Captain.

And of course, after the credits, we do have a trailer for the Avengers movie. It does not show much, but nevertheless I am excited.

Overall, Captain America starts out Perfect, but is not able to keep this standard throughout. Regardless, The First Avenger is still well worth a viewing, and stands as one of the top movies of the year so far.

7/10

A great addition to the Marvel line up of superheroes. I will admit, I was very hesitant due to the publicity and hype built up. Chris Evans shrunk down was kind of off, but what else can you do? The voice did not match himself until after he transformed into Captain America. Otherwise, the movie was great. It flowed nicely, and the actors did a great job. Chris Evans was a perfect fit for the role. Maybe too overly nice, but otherwise great, especially for the type of humor needed. Hugo Weaving as Red Skull was definitely a perfect fit and I would not change a thing. Stanley Tucci's role was also very well done and felt good for the part it played. I liked the addition of the Stark family playing in the origins of Captain America, hopefully setting up for the much anticipated Avengers movie. Obviously people are going to pick at it. It is 2011 and the internet spreads word faster than a forest fire in the summer. In my opinion, I really enjoyed it, and will definitely be buying the DVD. Don't forget to stay after the credits, you will not be disappointed.
8/10

There's a part of me that is VERY curious as to what will be said about the year 2011 if, a few years from now, someone makes an analysis of the summer movie seasons of each particular year. It's easy to feel excited about it RIGHT NOW because it's the year that's currently underway, but I wouldn't be surprised if the 2011 summer movie season ended up being referred to as a mere prologue to more important things. The summer of 2012 looks terrifically bloated with potentially incredible blockbusters, while summer 2011 films like Thor and now Captain America: The First Avenger have been more about prefacing, which is an interesting way of building up expectations of a seemingly impossible magnitude. We'll have to wait a year. For now, evaluating it as a stand-alone film, I can report that Captain America: The First Avenger is a reasonably entertaining and involving superhero film, though at times too old-fashioned and generic for its own good.

When comparing the quality of this film to that of the other superhero movies of the summer, it falls squarely between Thor and X-Men: First Class. It has the same sense of fun boasted by Thor, but doesn't quite achieve the perfect blend of action, comedy and human drama attained by that film. At the same time, though, while it deals with the issue of being an underdog, which was also treated in X-Men: First Class, its treatment of that issue is tremendously effective, and certainly not as forced and offensive as it was in X-Men: First Class (which is what ultimately made it impossible for me to recommend that film). Captain America: The First Avenger starts out by introducing us to a character that anyone who has ever felt not wanted or rejected will instantly relate to, and this aspect of the plot never feels simplistic or like it's being jammed down our throats.

World War II is nearing its apogee, and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans, digitally modified in these early scenes to look short, limp and skinny) very badly wants to join the U.S. army in order to go and fight the Nazis. It's too bad that he's in terrible physical shape and keeps getting dismissed by officers who have no interest in exploring the other qualities he has to offer: they just see him as an asthmatic weakling, and nothing more. Steve has been bullied his entire life, but instead of running away from bullies, he's decided to constantly face them head-on. It becomes obvious very quickly that this is one smart and determined firecracker. A group of soldiers is given the task of lowering a flag that no one has ever been able to lower, and they all fail, but Steve comes up with a crafty, alternate way of doing it. And when a grenade is thrown to the group, all the other soldiers flee, while Steve would rather hog the grenade in order to sacrifice himself for his peers. Of course, the grenade is fake, but this event gives people the impression that Steve just might have more brains and guts than what all the other soldiers have in brawn. This leads him to be selected for an experiment in which a serum will be used to create "super soldiers." Steve becomes much taller and stronger as a result of it. Unfortunately, because the serum is stolen immediately after Steve is transformed, it seems like he's the only weapon to be counted on. But now that a good dose of brawn has been added to our protagonist, he becomes virtually unstoppable.

There's something utterly beautiful about the way those first scenes are handled and about the message that is delivered during them. As a character says, "a weak man knows the value of strength and compassion." Steve's experience as someone who has been on the losing side most of his life gives him more fortitude than any of the physical strength he may have received from the serum. But don't be dismayed - the movie isn't as perpetually solemn and serious as I'm making it out to be. There's plenty of humor, not least of which is found in Steve's absolute ineptitude at speaking to women. After the experiment, there are a couple of riotous moments during the first scenes in which Steve dons the Captain America uniform, and there's an uproarious, blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment in which Uncle Sam's face has been replaced with Steve's face in the "I Want You!" recruitment poster. Absolute brilliance.

There are positives and negatives to be said about the action sequences. On the one hand, there's not a single instance in which there's any sense of annoyance or repetitiveness that we get in so many superhero and war/action movies in which shooting goes on for 10 minutes (which is, of course, enjoyable for those who like that sort of thing, but headache-inducing for those who don't). There's a particularly suspenseful sequence on a train in a mountainous area. The sequence has an unexpectedly tragic ending that is handled extremely well, and not as over-the-top and dramatic as many other films would've chosen to handle it. On the other hand, there's nothing particularly original about any of the action sequences. Aside from how cool it is that the shield is used for things other than self-defense, there simply aren't any "Wow!" moments here, and superhero movies (or any action movie, for that matter) need those moments if they wish to be extraordinary.

The more problematic issue with the movie is that, as soon as the experiment is conducted and Steve becomes the full-bodied Captain America, the film concerns itself largely with said ordinary action sequences, thus causing the disappearance of the great emotional core we had gotten during the film's first act, when Steve was struggling with his physical disadvantages. Oh, and there's a romantic subplot, but it's VERY much a subplot, and not something the film seems to be terribly interested in (though that may have something to do with the movie's ending).

Chris Evans may not boast the irreverence of Robert Downey, Jr. or the gruff ruggedness of Chris Hemsworth, but what he does exude is a lot of humanity, which I think is ultimately more important. I seem to recall a comment about how ridiculous it seemed that, in 2012's The Avengers, Chris Evans would actually be giving ORDERS to Robert Downey, Jr. Obviously, it depends on how they decide to go about it, but I see no reason to be dismayed about it, because, if anything, it'll make room for a lot of comedic moments. Tony Stark probably wouldn't mind cheating to get something done, whereas Steve Rogers seems more like the type of guy who'd prefer to do the right thing - you've got the seed for humorous conflict right there, and conflict is, after all, a crucial ingredient in films. Evans combines virility and vulnerability better than I ever expected him to, and I think it'll be awesome to see him lead the pack next year.

The supporting cast is also solid. Stanley Tucci shows up during the first act and displays even further thespian skills than we've seen before - his accent is fantastic. Hayley Atwell makes the right choice not to overplay the stern nature of her character in early scenes, yet during later scenes, she also avoids descending into the "weak girl" cliche that so often plagues superhero films. Not surprisingly, the supporting player who deserves most credit is Tommy Lee Jones, who can play serious moments while delivering deadpan humor better than almost any actor I've seen.

As the movie draws to a close, there's a fade-out moment, and as soon as it's over, a new scene begins and basically sets everything up for next year's The Avengers. I won't spoil anything about it, but I will say that the sequence is intense and ends the film on a very strong note. Now, don't let that make you get up from your seat immediately! Despite the fact that that final scene feels like the only epilogue we need, there is, as usual, another sequence after the credits, so be sure to wait for it. There's little reason not to have high hopes for what'll be accomplished by The Avengers. Part of me fears that character development may suffer because of the large amount of people populating the film. Of course, those of you who could care less about character development won't mind it, but if you're one of those people, you probably haven't read this far into this review anyway. :) Still, I think it's completely possible to make an organic and masterful ensemble piece with all these characters, and if anything, I think all the right people for the job have been cast, so that's good reason to be optimistic.

I do have to admit that I'm a little bit sorry that I have to rate Captain America: The First Avenger a notch lower than I did Thor and the Iron Man films. There's just a certain spice that the other films had to them that I feel is lacking in this one, despite its many virtues. It's still solid summer entertainment. Marvel hasn't produced a masterful film since 2004's Spider-Man 2, which featured a dizzyingly astounding balance between humanity, action, romance, comedy, tragedy, and well, just about everything. While none of the preludes to The Avengers have quite reached that zenith of perfection, there are still plenty of reasons to expect that something terrific may be produced once all of its storylines converge in just under 12 months.