I quite enjoyed Captain America: The First Avenger. I was prepared for the movie to be an absolute cheese fest. Frankly, I was a little hesitant to watch for fear it would be downright dreadful. I must say I was pleasantly surprised.
Captain America was a hit, where many comic book films are misses.
The movie set the right mood. The film felt like a fairly well made period piece. This was accomplished through a series of wise decisions.
The costuming felt authentic. Captain America comes out wearing an outfit more like a rugby sweater than a tumblers outfit. The military personnel wear genuine garb, with the exception of some of the members of Hydra who look like the may hangout with members of Cobra when they are not disintegrating things.
The technology seems period. It has a Mid-Century Modern feel to it. Captain American enters a chamber that has the lines of a classic car. Again, there is an exception with the glowing blue god infused technology which steps a little too close to Iron Man (this of course is intentional given the setup for The Avengers movie).
The film felt like a living Work Projects Administration poster. The colors, lines, and shots all highlight a view of the future from the past. I am particularly enamored with this aesthetic, so it worked for me. The credits really seal the deal with the imaging.
Overall, the movie feels like something imagined by artists in the war period. The attention to these details gives the film an authentic feel.
The movie also succeeds because it focuses on the narrative of why Captain America became who he became, his back story. The story is primarily driven by introspection and the development of the super hero.
We see the wimpy, weak Steve Rogers and the reasons this makes him ideally suited to be Captain America. We explore his willingness to sacrifice himself. The exploration provides valuable insight that makes the character rich and approachable and the story coherent. Chris Evans does a good job of highlighting these aspects of the character. I certainly wish that he was a little more expressive, but I think the story telling carried him.
We also see Captain America as a living breathing Uncle Sam, Rosie the Riveter icon. He is enlisted to sell war bonds. He becomes a comic book and silver screen hero tasked with raising patriotism. He goes on USO tours to rally the troops. The depiction highlights how important marketing a war can often be to a war effort. The storyline also allows the movie to dispense with the cheesiness without wallowing in it.
Of course, Captain America cannot remain a mere idol, used to glamorize the war. In fact, the “real troops” mock him for how silly he looks and for not actually being part of the war effort on the lines. He eventually uses his markedly improved body to go on a rampage. The action scenes are compelling. They are fun, and as believable as comic book physics and combat get. You have to suspend your understanding of science a few times to make it through the film (what was that about cells).
Hugo Weaving is rightfully maniacal as Red Skull, the leader of the Hydra. Toby Jones is equal parts meek and slithering as Dr. Arnim Zola. Special mention must be given to Neal McDonough’s mustache in his role as Timothy “Dum Dum” Dugan. Dominic Cooper is an excellent Howard Hughes-esque Howard Stark.
There are some pitfalls. I am not sure what is going on with the glowing blue cube of the gods, why it makes magic energy, or what the gods were thinking (they must be crazy). As far as I could tell, it was meant only to set up Iron Man and some convergence between science and religion (tying Iron Man and Thor together for The Avengers movie).
In the end, the film is smart and sleek. The feel is right on. Is it perfect, no. But, I think it is a solid film. I really appreciate that it focused on the back story and that the plot was not overly and needlessly complicated.
PARSI VERDICT: A movie that does justice to the period and the character.
See what the other half thinks: Haus’s view.
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