The ultimate patriot “Captain America” rises to the occasion once again, in this fish out of water sequel.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER
Walt Disney Studios / Marvel Studios
Running time: 136 min.
Cast: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Emily VanCamp, Hayley Atwell with Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury
Directors: Anthony and Joe Russo
Studio Synopsis:
After the cataclysmic events in New York with The Avengers, Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” finds Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow, Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off assailants sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon. However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy—the Winter Soldier.
Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1941, Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is produced by Kevin Feige, p.g.a., directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, from a screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, and stars Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Emily VanCamp and Hayley Atwell, with Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.
[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SlILk2WMTI’]
J.P.’s Take:
If you thought “Captain America: The First Avenger,” was a prime example of a silver aged comic book hero brought to life on the big screen, then “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is a fantastic follow up. You won’t find an effects laden exhibition here, but instead a fish out of water account is told and is grounded in realism.
The Captain is now pitted against a seemingly underhanded S.H.E.I.L.D. and becomes entangled in a web of conspiracy theories and trust issues. Freshly thawed from his deep freeze, Captain America a.k.a. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) struggles to cope with the modern world around him. He does manage, however, to befriend a fellow war vet, PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) counselor Sam Wilson a.k.a Falcon (Anthony Mackie), while on a brisk morning jog. Not too long after their introductions, duty harkens for the Captain, where his mission is to protect a S.H.E.I.L.D. ocean rig taken over by Algerian pirates led by Georges Batroc (Georges St Pierre). During his reconnaissance, he witnesses Natasha Romanoff a.k.a Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) downloading data from the ship’s computers. This sets off his patriotic instincts (similar to Peter Parker’s Spidey sense) causing him to question S.H.E.I.L.D.’s motives.
Just as every hero has an Achilles heel, Captain America has to do with trust, as he frantically chase after ghosts to find the truth behind this incident. Delivering on a psychological thriller tone, “The Winter Soldier” provides anxiety paced moments of paranoia. Each of the film’s villains isn’t idly standing by waiting to be taken down by Cap either. They are strategically placed through out the story like chess pieces, as they strike at the most inopportune times. This makes for some kinetically awesome action sequences, which involves the Captain throwing his mighty shield around like a pro yo-yo slinger. “The Winter Soldier” makes excellent use of practical effects and isn’t driven by eye candy. You’ll find standard knives, machine guns, and devices you’d see in today’s world; being deployed in some exciting battles sequences. And except for the helicarriers, which, of course, are not standard issue military vessels, they too prove pretty imposing when operational. You can thank the Russo brothers, Anthony and Joe, for these hair-raising flash points.
We, the viewers, are also tripped up by a friendly exchange between Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and his mentor Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford), which involved restricted access to the data Black Widow had given Fury. The main orchestrator of such psychological as well as physical warfare revolves around Redford’s role as S.H.E.I.L.D. senior operative Pierce, resembling Donald Rumsfeld in spirit. The story in its entirety smack of NSA news headliners, as a trio of highly advanced helicarriers are found hidden beneath Washington. You want your weapons of mass destruction looks like they’ve found them.
Conceptualized by Eisner award winning comic book writer Ed Brubaker (“Uncanny X-Men” comics, “Angel of Death”) along with writers Christopher Markus (“Thor: The Dark World,” “Captain America: The First Avenger”) and Stephen McFeely (“Pain & Gain,” “The Chronicles of Narnia” series), “The Winter Soldier” touches on some sentimental moods as well. Rogers reflects on his long dead past as he strolls through the Smithsonian museum filled with artifacts from his Howling Commandos stint. Rogers shares stories of nostalgia with old friend Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) who’s suffering from a neurological disease at a hospice. He also receives a shocking blast from the past, one not seen coming when he’s greeted by the “Winter Soldier” (Sebastian Stan) himself.
The numerous cast mates all gave energetic performances, which were drawn out a bit more. New face Emily VanCamp makes her presence known as Agent 13, whom seems to slightly overshadow Cobie Smulders’ character agent Maria Hill. I was hoping Smulders would be given a much more prominent role comparable to Johansson’s, instead she’s pushed to the background again. However, Hill is not totally neglected as she does play a small part in the superhero team’s escape efforts.
I’m equally as impressed with this second chapter and enjoyed it thoroughly. Not just because of how it’s constructed, but because of the extra connecting pieces to the next “Avengers” film. With that said, don’t leave your seats until the very last minutes of it. I guarantee you’ll be singing “When Captain America throws his mighty shield,” when it’s all over.