Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) Movie Review

Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan in Captain America: The Winter Soldier

What happens when you are put into a world that you are still trying to understand, only for everything you believe in to not make sense anymore? This is the central dilemna in Marvel Studios annual movie release Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Cap (Chris Evans) is now a full time SHIELD super soldier after the events of The Avengers, and is also pretty damn good at his job. He stops bad guys, and looks good doing it. But hey, don't push him, he doesn't have time for the ladies. All he has time for is America. Captain America. The Winter Soldier.

I know I seem like I'm probably being sarcastic because I didn't like it, but truth be told, this is easily among the best movies Marvel has put out, it's not quite as good as Iron Man or the Avengers, but it does a fantastic job of making Cap a real character, with genuine problems and heart and makes me think of him as much more than a piece of exposition. Cap really only knows how to be a soldier, but doesn't know if that's what he wants anymore, in a world where being a soldier isn't as cut and dry as it used to be. With secrets held at every corner, whether it's Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) or Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Cap just wants to do good. But doing good comes with a price. Especially when it's from someone you would never expect.

Chris Evans is very good as Captain America, giving easily his best performance as the character. He shows the burden and sacrifice that comes with being a hero, and the deep sense of duty he feels. They also do a great job of finally showing what living in the modern era is like for him. Johansson and Jackson are also both reliably solid in support, as well as Anthony Mackie as Cap's sidekick Sam Wilson aka Falcon, Frank Grillo as Brock Rumlow aka Crossbones and Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce, the head chairman of SHIELD. Redford never looked so damn good chewing scenery. Sebastian Stan is also very solid as the Winter Soldier, as is Cobie Smulders returning as Maria Hill. Former UFC Middleweight Champion George St. Pierre makes a quick cameo as Batroc the Jumper, putting his fighting skills to good use.

Speaking of fighting, the action in this is excellent. I know a lot of people go to these movies for the CGI spectacles that they are, and while the third act is chalked full of it, this movie takes a much more grounded approach to the combat, often with practical effects, gunfights and plenty of hand to hand combat. The hand to hand combat is particularly fantastic, as it shows off the skill of Cap, as opposed to just his super strength. Every fight between him and the Winter Soldier is excellent, as Evans and Stan both clearly are working their asses off. The fight with Batroc at the beginning is also quite well done.

Joe and Anthony Russo put together a wonderful script and direct this film with a unique flair, which makes me excited for the next Cap, and shows they are more than just the guys who direct excellent episodes of Community and the recently cancelled Happy Endings. Also Danny Pudi. Also, out of curiosity, how are people still leaving before both post credit scenes? There have been so many Marvel movies, and this do it every time. There are two scenes, sit in your damn seats till the end.

While the movie may have been a shade too long, and some of the lines were clearly a lot cooler on paper than spoken, as well as Emily Vancamp as Agent 13 seemingly being there to flesh out in the sequel, and not quite doing enough with Mackie and Smulders, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is one of Marvel's best, and is a film I wouldn't mind seeing again. And I'm a DC fanboy.

Grade: B