Captain America: The Winter Soldier 9.5/10
My MCU favourite list now goes from
The Avengers
CA: TWS
IM
Yes this jumped straight to number 2 on my list. The movie was a two hour fun fest of action, intrigue and straight up 'holy bejebus! Did that just happen?'. I feel this is what Iron Man 2 wanted to be, as in building and expanding the universe, SHIELD and the characters as well as having focus on the titular hero and being very much his movie.
I hear several people complaining about TASM2 being overcrowded and I understand it's different people altogether but honestly TWS is much more crammed in with characters and cameos and references to the future than what we know about the upcoming spider-man movie. BTW TWS has much more villains and bad guys than any previous MCU movie has to date and juggles them all very well, more on that in spoiler section. And a mention of someone who is DEFINITELY on his way.
Now acting. There wasn't honestly a bad act among them in a cast of awesome actors and all were believable (as some could be in their situation). The stand outs are obviously Chris Evans as Cap who adds much more depth and anger to the star spangled man that just the 'goodie two shoes'. Anthony Mackie is a GREAT addition to the MCU and possible future Avengers roster as a character and skilled combatant and it's clear he'll be back, even if not in AoU. Scarlett Johansson does a fine job as BW and brings a much more cheesier and funner side to her than we've seen previously, but doesn't deviate from her bad ass secret spy. Finally Samuel L Jackson is as cool as ever as Fury and has many fairly amazing moments one of which is a great car chase near the beginning of the movie with one hilarious one liner. Oh and also a friggin AWESOME Pulp Fiction reference Winter Soldier himself you ask? More on him later.
The action scenes were very well choreographed and even quiet dizzying and lightening fast you could barely keep up with the punches. Cap has freakin stepped it up 5 notches with using his shield in fighting and as well a shield and he even has his own 'Legolas and the Oliphant' moment. Not to detract from the actual physical fighting was brutal looking between certain characters and makes Batman and Bane in TDKR look like children pushing each other in the playground.
Villains. As I mentioned there are more in this movie than the sub-titular character and Alexander Pierce. Some unexpected and others I knew about but with a larger role than expected. Sebastian Stan was awesome as TWS although wasn't as in it as I expected but when he appeared he took centre stage with all sorts of weapons and moves and dat arm....it almost looks like it's from the Destroyer from Thor (not a hint just something I noticed myself). And obviously we'll be seeing more of him in the future too.
Ramifications? Well **** me, I dunno how Agents of SHIELD is going to be affected by these events or how everything ties into....well it's hard to say without spoiling so go down for more. And come to think of it you seriously aren't going to watch PREVIOUS movies without seeing certain things in a different light. But honestly BIG changes to the MCU and SHIELD as a whole. Also......wait did I just.....did I hear a subtle reference (or reveal) about the Clairvoyant?
So now that's that out of the way SPOILER time....but doubt anybody will read this..l....I'll separate them into EASTER EGGS and MASSIVE PLOT SPOILERS....that way you can spoil yourself with a tiny something to tide you over.
MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD!
1) Nick Fury death fake out was handled well, I didn't expect him to die but I did doubt it at several points in the movie, then I wondered if it was going to be the same thing that brought back Coulson. His badass moment when revealing his damaged eye to Pierce was actually quite unsettling.
2) List of Villians? Sure
Batroc the Leaper*
The Winter Soldier
Alexander Pierce
Arnim Zola/ MODOK
Crossbones
Jasper Sitwell (this one hurt)
Hydra
Baron Von Strucker (mid credits scene)
III) Hydra has infected SHIELD basically since it was formed and been growing gradually the past 70 years. Arnim Zolas conscious has been preserved in a supercomputer which has been filled in on the secrets of SHIELD and Hydra and pretty much everyone both organisations have come into contact with. Sometimes people learn this and 'accidents' happen......Tonys parents.....yea...
IV) Hydra, using SHIELD have been creating 3 new helicarriers that are secretly to be used to wipe out millions of people on the east coast and establish their new world order. After NYC, the world security council have decided this is their best option (they don't know it's hydra though or the killing they just commissioned the carriers.)
E) The film ends with Bucky saving Cap from the crashing helicarriers as he realises he does know him (he is brainwashed) he drags him from the lake beside the Triskellion and leaves him there. We later see after the credits that Bucky is familiarising with himself at the Captain America exhibition at the Smithsonian. His origins are pretty much what everyone guessed and faithful to the comics.
F) The mid credits scene? Baron Von Strucker with his sub ordinates talk about the fall of SHIELD and watch over 2 things. The first, Lokis sceptre. And the second is....yep, the twins. Scarlett Witch and her magic looks great and Quicksilver looks like he's gone through some stuff as he's in a straitjacket speeding from corner to corner. Strucker talks about 'miricles' but from what I gathered it isn't the case they just have powers they had something in them that allowed them to survive several experiments unlike many other volunteers who died. It's also suggested that the twins are initially 'distractions' for the Avengers.
7) SHIELD and HYDRAS secrets are spread across the Internet for everyone to see as Hydra is exposed and SHIELD disintegrates from the inside and seems to be all but done.
EASTER EGGS, CAMEOS AND REFERENCES
* Tony Stark is mentioned several times. First of all Fury mentions the flight turbines and stabilisers were suggested, fitted and improved by Stark himself. The second when Fury asks Pierce for a favor and tells him only if 'Iron Man can stop at his granddaughters birthday party (he has to mingle!)
* We see the Triskellion as mentioned to exist in AoS
* Nick Furys car has flight stabilisers just like we see in TFA and obviously AoS (his are a bit more unsuccessful than Lola though)
* During the interrogation of a certain character, he name drops a list of people on SHIELDs potential threat list including Barton, Bruce Banner and STEPHEN STRANGE!
* *Peggy Carter makes an appearance, once during an interview recorded in the 50's and secondly during a peaceful moment when Steve visits the elderly Peggy. Several pictures of her also appear in certain locations along with Howard Stark and Tommy Lee Jones ( his character).
* Abed from Community randomly appearing was a great shock
* Pulp fiction ref kinda spoils but relates to an obvious actor and a 'famous verse'
* *There's a sequence we see that shows potential threats of SHIELD around America.....I didn't see many of them although I did see Tony Starks picture beside NYC and I'm pretty sure a flash of Coulsons team although I cannot say that for definite*
* Senator Stern reappears, geez I always knew he was a dick but god damn
* Stark tower looked improved from the brief glimpse
Those are the ones I remember....
Anyways hope you've enjoyed my review and any feedback and critisim is welcome! Be gentle, it's my first time!