FILM: Captain America

[Delorean90 42]

Captain America

On the whole, I loved this film. Johnston largely succeeding in getting a nice Raiders-like balance of humor and adventure, even if this is not up to that level. All the main actors did well. Chris Evans totally sold me on Steve Rogers, which is especially nice with the kind of departure it is from the roles he typically plays. Hayley Atwell was not only visually wonderful, but also a very appealing leading lady and strong character. The developing relationship between her and Evans plays out in a believable and engaging manner. Tommy Lee Jones is a scene-stealer, and Stanley Tucci really makes Dr. Erskine an incredibly endearing character, with some touching moments in his interaction with Evans. Hugo Weaving and Toby Jones also do fine in their villainous roles.

The cinematography is largely strong, but it seems that there was some footage shot digitally, that made me go "Wha--?" There are times where it looks great, and others where I get the feeling something's not quite right. Not sure what they were doing there, but it happens sparingly and isn't too distracting.

I loved Silvestri's score. The main theme is definitely stuck in my head. It's absurd that "Captain America March" isn't on the CD.

The film just generally flows well, with a lot of memorable scenes and exchanges. The USO sequence is a particular standout in its mixture of montage, character development, and tongue-in-cheek nostalgia.

The problem lies in the film's second role as a setup for The Avengers.

Honestly, if they wanted to use Captain America to lead into The Avengers, they should have had two films. This could have just been a standalone film (as I believe it was originally intended), and either way, it should have been. The film is such excellent period, popcorn adventure, that I really wanted a leave-the-theater-with-a-big-grin ending, but the inevitable cliffhanger not only deprives us of that, but actually makes it something of a downer, ultimately. With two films, not only would the problem of the tonal shift be solved, but we could also get more familiar with the supporting players, particularly the team that Rogers assembles. The first film would be Captain America's origins and his initial WWII exploits (which end up as a montage or two in the middle of the film), and cementing his reputation and positive influence, and the second film would deal with the mission that ends up with him frozen and revived in the 21st century. The separation of Steve and Peggy would still sting even if they did get their first dance at the end of the first film, and the added connection to the team would add a little more to the loss, yet we still get the "Star Wars" to our "Empire Strikes Back," if you will.

Definitely worthwhile overall, though, and we'll see how things turn out in The Avengers.

**** of *****

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Was this film shot in 3D?

[MSM 126]

Music: bit of a bland main theme, don't you think. Another Star Wars rip-off, including bass lines, woodwind counterpoint in the reprise and all, there's even almost the Rebel theme. I preferred Ed Shearmur's rip-off theme for Sky Captain, at least that one was tongue-in-cheek. Good thing: it is a full blown symphonic theme after all, no pretention to be 'modern' or anything.