Re: Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier
I've really been thinking a lot about this film, and I must say that it is not only my favorite Marvel film, to date, but also one of my favorite comic book films, and, on an even broader spectrum, one of my favorite films, in general, to date. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is an intelligent, thought provoking, political thriller/satire that is not only socially relevant to our current state of affairs, but, also, an overall commentary on the state of liberty, and what our civic duty to protect it means. At times, it is humorous, earnest, and, even, heartwarming. One of the things I loved about the film was the sense of alienation that Captain America felt; Steve Rogers truly is a man out of time, and that shows in everything from his moral rigidness to his tastes in music, and it was wonderful getting a sense of how he deals with something so life altering on a day to day basis.
The fight scenes were expertly choreographed and surprisingly brutal, and the other aspects of the action were overwhelming and elaborate set pieces that were both loud and exciting, without veering too far towards brashness (*ahem* I'm looking at you, Mr. Bay). All in all, though, I think one of the defining elements of the film, and no small part of why I enjoyed it so much, was the caliber of the performances. It's probably the best acting I've seen in a Marvel movie since Iron Man. Since it'll be everyone's go to, I'll just start out with Robert Redford's Alexander Pierce. He really just steals every scene he's in.
As we all know, Pierce is the ultimate villain of the film, but one of the things I liked was that he was a multi-faceted character, with layers of complexity that kept him from being a pastiche. He may be a member of Hydra, but I really do think that he believed he was doing the right thing for the world, and that misplaced sense of justice made his character ever so fascinating to watch, althewhile keeping him from being utterly despicable.
As for Captain America, himself, I think it's wonderful that we've all been watching Chris Evans over the years because we really have been able to see him grow as an actor. A lot of those qualities I referred to earlier, in regards to the film; its being "heartwarming" and "earnest;" those come from Evans' performance.
The scenes where Steve looks through the Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian, and, subsequently, visits Peggy Carter are perfect instances of what makes Captain America so captivating, and why his story is one of tragedy, ultimately. You see this man who's steadfast in his morality, and he's just a shining example of what it means to be a good person, and you sort of see that regret, and that wishfulness, as he looks at all of these connections to his past that are either lost or fleeting. Chris Evans really makes you feel that, and, seeing Steve visiting the woman he loves, withering away in a hospital bed, while he's still the man he was seventy years ago, fills you with this sense of unfairness, and just how much he didn't deserve this, and, by extension, how much he sacrificed when he took control of that plane.
With that in mind, I also think that bringing an aged Peggy Carter to life was a triumph on the part of all involved. It was such a small moment, but it really impressed me, and was very pivotal. Hayley Atwell played it very well, without being campy or cliché, and the effects team made it real. Generally, when you do something like this, there's a sense of disconnection. If you cast someone else, it never really feels like you're watching the same person, and, when you cast the younger individual, it, typically, turns out fairly off-putting, with the effects not being authentic enough to trick your brain into believing that the person actually exists, but the blend of practical effects and CG, along with Atwell's performance, make this, on a technical level, one of the most impressive things I've seen in the past decade, as far as film and VFX goes.
Scarlett Johansson sizzled as Black Widow, this time around, and I think the Russo brothers have succeeded where Jon Favreau and Joss Whedon had failed, previously, in perfecting her character. Besides looking like she stepped off of the freshly printed pages of a Marvel comic, her character is strong, intelligent, and independent, while also being incredibly seductive, and she has some fantastic chemistry with Chris Evans. She's a female who can kick *** with the best of them, and who helps keep things light, at times, with her wit and wisecracking comedic relief. Though, there's also a lot of heart in her character, as she struggles with overcoming her past, and finding her true identity amidst a troubled life. It's not a large plot element, but it adds another dimension to the character that brings it up a notch.
Anthony Mackie's Falcon/Sam Wilson was really just a fantastic character, and his portrayal sort of took the "super" out of "superhero," and made this guy feel grounded (no pun intended) and real. It's an interesting dynamic, in that they took a character who's generally been known to be a sidekick to Captain America, and made him more of an important support system.
Sam Wilson feels like a real person, and a lot of that comes from Mackie. He gives Cap a shoulder to lean on without putting him on a pedestal like the rest of the public. Working at the V.A., and moderating support groups, you see that Wilson has a sense of familiarity with Steve, and he knows that, just like any soldier, even if he's saved the world from aliens and defrosted after 70 years, he's still gone through things that a soldier goes through, and the other, more outlandish experiences would only make readjustment to the world even more difficult. I really liked that they built up that sense of camaraderie, and it made for a neat parallel to the Cap/Bucky relationship from the first film.
Speaking of whom, I must say that I really loved what Sebastian Stan did with The Winter Soldier/Bucky, and I say that because they really are two different characters, in my mind. The Winter Soldier was a force of nature, and you could see that just by looking in his eyes. If he had a mission, it would be done, and, while some people complained about that being too boring, I thought that level of disconnection was pretty brilliant. Admittedly, I did see The Winter Soldier as part of a double feature, so, if you hadn't seen the first Captain America film in a few years, or at all, for that matter, and you weren't familiar with the comics, I could see how it might be a little uneventful, but, with that added context, I think it was really fantastic to watch that battle between his inner self and what he was programmed to be take place. During that final confrontation, there were moments where I legitimately wondered if his inner self would prevail, and, seeing Captain America shot multiple times, I really did fear for his safety, and that, by film's end, Bucky may very well have not come out of it and killed his best friend.
The Russo brothers did a wonderful job of directing this very ambitious endeavor. It's very well paced, as the film never dragged on, but, also, was very thorough in developing its characters and making sure that the various threads of the plot melded cohesively. The fight scenes were expertly shot, and they never suffered from the "shaky cam" that a lot of modern action films do. You have a very clear idea of what's going on, and it makes all the difference in how you're able to appreciate the amount of work that goes into choreographing that action. All of the actors get a chance to shine, with various scenes to showcase their talents, and the action set pieces are really bold, without straying too far into the fantastical and impossible. All in all, though, this is about as close to perfection as you can get in a comic book movie, and I feel that it's more than earned its place among the "greats" of the genre.
See? That's how much I liked it; I went full on Siskel and Ebert and wrote a review for you guys.
Spoiler: 
