This was my first period superhero film, and I remember immediately loving that aspect of it. I really enjoyed Iron Man when I initially saw it, and it remains a great film, but after I finally started digging into these movies after seeing The Avengers, I was drawn to the different feels of Thor and this film.
Captain America, as a superhero film, is less unconventional than Thorin that it offers up a fairly traditional origin story, but it’s told very well and makes excellent use of its 1940s setting. Steve Rogers’s transformation from a scrappy weakling to a scientifically-modified super soldier provides engaging drama, and it’s great to see him find his place in the fight against fascism. And even though it takes place so many years before Marvel’s other Phase 1 films, I like that plot elements from it have important bearing on The Avengers.
Any discussion of the movie’s good points has to start with Steve himself. Cap is just so fantastic. Before seeing The Avengers, I knew that Captain America had a reputation for being something of a boy scout, and I was expecting him to be squeaky-clean and dull (like the titular son of Krypton in Superman Returns, yeesh.) Quite the contrary – this series understands how goodness can be compelling, and this film introduces us to a good man trying to do his best. He doesn’t always succeed, and it takes him some time to find his way, but he’s a hero who stands up for the little guy because he knows what it’s like to be one. Chris Evans really taps into this with his performance – it’s so earnest and rootable, not the least bit Pollyannaish. So much love for the captain.
Even better, he’s not alone. Peggy Carter is my favorite superhero love interest ever, and it’s only because Black Widow is so awesome that she’s not my favorite Marvel woman in general. This gutsy, competent agent, played superbly by Hayley Atwell, has claimed a seat at a very male-dominated table, and she doesn’t take crap from anyone. She’s both badass and feminine, and she’s directly involved in the action rather than being stuck solely in romantic and/or distressed damsel plots. I was predisposed to like Steve’s friend Bucky, since he’s played by Kings’s Sebastian Stan, but I really enjoy the relationship between those two. In the beginning, I like that Bucky looks out for Steve without being patronizing about it and that Steve doesn’t seem to resent or covet Bucky’s size, strength, or joie de vivre; he wants to enlist like Bucky, certainly, but Bucky’s success doesn’t come between them. And later, when Steve has superhuman abilities and nationwide fame, Bucky doesn’t feel threatened by this change. And of course, we can’t forget Stanley Tucci and Toby Jones (the Dream Lord!) as good and evil scientists, respectively.
I just love the film’s WWII backdrop. I like the sepia tones of New York City, like an old newsreel come to life, and I always love old-timey high-tech gadgets. The V-for-Victory spirit is captured well, especially in the bond drive scenes. It’s a shame that we got one Captain America movie in this setting, but I have high hopes for Agent Carter. Is it January yet?
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