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Captain America is back and better than ever! We follow the first Avenger into his modern day lifetime, facing an old danger, and fighting for the survival of the spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D.
To be honest, I didn’t really want to see it at first, simply because I didn’t really thought much of the first movie. In my opinion, lacked everything that makes a superhero movie exciting. The first episode led me down, but this sequel put me right back on my feet. So on my feet that I went to see it 5 times. With The Winter Soldier, we are given a sort of retro spy thriller, improved with a modern twist, and filled with some of our beloved characters.
The first scene alone was enough to get me hooked! A new character is introduced, Sam Wilson, portrayed by the hilarious Anthony Mackie (check him out if you haven’t already!). He jogs around the tidal basin in Washington DC, while Cap, running way faster, passes right by him each time saying the line ”On your Left”, starting their friendship. In addition of being one of the revelations of this movie, he is The Falcon and he proves to be an amazing comic relief to the Captain’s more serious storyline. I couldn’t help but wonder what would be the dynamic between him and the rest of the Avengers (Tony & Sam anyone?).
Post-Avengers, Cap had time to discover a little more about what he missed, for example he now keeps a list of what he needs to catch up on. Yet Cap doesn’t quite feel comfortable in these modern times, and he has a hard time adjusting with S.H.I.E.L.D.’s new ideas and hyper-surveillance. Between Detective Fury’s paranoia about conspiracy and Natasha Romanoff’s lies, he feels a little bit off balance and goes on a sort of journey to reconnect with his past and to discover who he is in this future.
Even though I am not a big fan of Chris Evans, I have to admit that he got better and now he truly is the perfect guy for the part. He is supported by an amazing cast. It is great to reunite with Nick Fury and Black Widow, this time in a new light. I am also happy to see that Robert Redford still scares the hell out of me. Of course, it is heartbreaking to see the damage done to Bucky aka the Winter Soldier portrayed superbly by Sebastian Stan.
More than that, underneath all the action, there is a message about our society in our times of over surveillance and need for security. It proves that Marvel is trying to go forward and leave behind the plain old good vs evil plot over-used in other movies of this genre. One thing I liked the most is the use of the old Captain costume as it kind of symbolizes the old-fashioned hope that the world needs nowadays.
As it is a tradition in Marvel movies, the last scene foreshadows movies to come. Here, the scene sets the tone to the next Avengers movie, Age of Ultron, introducing the Maximoff Twins, Pietro and Wanda. I have to admit that I screamed a little bit when I saw them for the first time, what a surprise! I cannot wait to see what Quicksilver and The Scarlet Witch have to offer.
In the end, I was mind-blown by the quality of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, especially after the first one. Marvel Studios are getting better and better in adapting their comics, and I am glad for it.
Rating: 4/5
Don’t forget to listen to the Captain American 2: The Winter Soldier episode of the podcast!
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