Good day all,
This will be my first review, since viewing this site since 2007. I've been a long time lurker and have had very few comments through out the years. I started as repairman13 and forgot my account info so I joined in as sith13 sometime later, but like i've mentioned rarely do I put up in my 2cents, but after The WInter soldier I've decided to drop my first reveiw. I'm not the most computer savy so do not expect beautiful pictures to catch your eye, just poor grammer and my humble view on The Winter Soldier.
I'll start by saying I am a fan of comic book movies in general, I may lean more towards Marvel as a whole, but I love all super hero flicks and in general a lover of all movies. My favorite pass time is sitting in a dark theater with a Mr Pib and twizzlers and sometime a nacho to start. Since having my daughter a few years back the time in the movies has dropped off signifcantly so I make the most of my time there by mostly viewing our favorite heros moving to the big screen. I was a comicbook nerd of the late 80's early 90's, but becoming a younger male other activities perked my interest so I haven't really picked up a book in quite some time. X-Men was my cup of tea those days, with Batman right on their tail as next in line. Now that Superhero movies are in full swing lets just say, I am that young boy waiting to go into the city to look at his pull list to get home and read my favorite heros do their thing all over again. Enough about me.
TWS has easliy been the most satisfying superhero to date in my mind. For all accounts: story, action, acting, score and the visuals. This isn't saying there were not issues, but in my 30+ years and 100's of movies no movie is without them.
I will try to break down each in as short a manner as possible, since I'm sure I've already recived the eye rolls from my short life story and and that first sentence. ;)
Story:
Out of all the Marvel movies, this one seemed to be the most natural, nothing forced, it all worked into it's self and fit togehter with the type of hero we were dealing with. Captain America is the military, it's his life the military defines him as a character, it is what he thrived to be a part of and once he made it, he pushed to make it the best experince in his life and make the military better because of it. So when politics get involved with this soldier things get murky to him. It makes him question his orders to do what Steve only knows how to do, do what is right. So the political thriller puts a man that strives for justice in tough spots to do what is right all the while being a good soldier. So this story works perfectly for the characters in it, while not forcing the extra ordinary on us. You know the story so I won't rehash it, I just feel it fit well for Capt Rogers in the next chapter of the MCU.
Action/Visuals:
We finally saw what we all wanted to see out of our one and only Captain America. Pure and simple Bada$$. He made simple henchmen be simple henchmen. Even Batroc wasnt much of a match for him, he gave him a few blows, but the fight was always in Capts hands. Even the best of the best in the elevator with everything they had were no match, and that's the way it should be. They can give him a fight, but in the end, it's his for the Win. After The First Avenger we all were left dissapointed to not see Cap not give us the trademark moves, bouncing along flipping jumping rolling. We just got punching and a few sheild throws in the first movie, the same as avengers. He got a tad bit more BA in Avengers, but nothing on the level the Russo brothers brought and I applaud them. Shield throwing, jumping,flippin,g running all what we deserve as fans and they delivered. Visually the CG was pretty on point, The Falcon had a few scenes that looked a bit wonky, but nothing to take me out fo the movie. Fight scenes with Winter Soldier... damn is all i will say.
Acting:
I was one of the first people to say Chris Evans as Captain America WTF?? He just never fit the bill, I was excited for Legers Joker, RDJ's Iron Man,and so forth and so on, but Chris really had me at a loss when he was cast. I thougt he had the look in a sense if he was a bit older, but never had a glimpse that he could pull of Steve Rogers. Well I was wrong of course another great casting choice. Chris manages to pull offa wisdom and confidents that you would expect of Rogers. Little Steve in First Avengers sold me, but Cap in this one really put him on up there that now I know in Avengers 2, he will lead the Avengers and will hear "Avengers Assemble".
Fury was brought to life as well by Jackson finally. It was nice to get a glimpse of Fury as a man. Is his days of secrets and backstabing and manipulating over? Heck no, we all know he still has tricks up his sleeve.
Widow did her part, as Caps Yang to his Ying. Only thing I did not like, is that her past has been revealed to everyone in the world, not to us yet.. but I thought it would have played out better if her past was still a mystery to everyone around. Interested to see how that plays out.
Falcon really came to life and I've read others say he was just a plot device to move the story along, and I don't think that's so. He met Steve and had a few quick lines, but was shown from that very first scene there was a connection between the two. Soldier to Soldier they had an understanding of each other. When Cap goes to the VA to meet him, proves that... When Cap questioned his duties in the world, he went to another soldier that is done with fighting to see how he lives and breathes as a civilian. Once he goes back again on the run, he knows he can turn to Sam, for a place to lay low, and Sam just shows his loyatlty back, by joining his cause. Wish we could have saw the Fight between him and Crossbones go down though!
Crossbones I thought was a well developed muslce man which we rarely see. A few times, you could see the struggle in his eyes when he is having to deal with Steve. Was he going to kill him without a thought you bet your ass, but that does not mean he didn't have a inkling of regret. Maybe I was seeing something that wasn't there, but that's my take.
Robert Redford did his thing like he only knows how to do, and how could you not love Hail Hydra coming from his mouth.
The Winter Solider... Scary, intimidating, strong. A physical specimen to take on Cap. I am on the side of the fense that belives he was used just right. An assasain, a ghost didn't need 60 minutes of screen time to get your attention. His weight was in his actions and his eyes when shown. Can not wait to see more of this guy on the screen.
The score
Intense, freighting all around solid.
So that's it CBMers, I loved the movie, it was the first CBM that left me fullfilled completely. I did not leave thinking man I wish they would have added this or that, or I needed to see more of that. So readers I apologize for the winded review, guess I had to let out my babbling for years of being a recluse on the sight. For those who didn't enjoy the movie, go easy on me, it's just my opinion I'm not your parents telling you to eat your greens and like it, I'm just stating my love for a film. Everyone have a good day!