SPOILERS THROUGHOUT
Up until seeing Captain America: The Winter Soldier, I think my favorite entry in the Marvel Avengers series probably was the previous Captain America movie, titled The First Avenger. There was something kind of poignant about seeing the hero lose his innocence in service of his country, since all he ever wanted was to be a soldier. The fact he was scientifically turned into the perfect soldier, modified to keep his country safe and inspire hope, made it all the more effective. It didn't hurt that it was exciting too.
What fascinates most about The Winter Soldier is how our hero, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), loses his innocence again, this time because he has awakened in a time unfamiliar, where keeping the country safe is achieved through means foreign to him. Trust is created through fear and conspiracies cooked up by the very people we elect to protect us, making The Winter Soldier a throwback to the paranoia thrillers of the '70s (complete with the deliciously savvy stunt casting of Robert Redford as a key player).
I was rather taken aback by how seriously the movie treats this material, given this is about a Marvel superhero. And I was also surprised how deeply it explores Rogers' struggle to adapt to this new era and quietly mourn the one he left behind. One of the movie's best scenes involves his visit to a Smithsonian exhibit about him. There's subtle sadness in his face as he looks at the uniforms on display and then watches old news reel footage of he and his fellow soldiers going off to battle. Even greater is a visit to his former sweetheart (Hayley Atwell), now on her death bed, regretting the life she and Rogers never got to share.
Rogers' biggest conflict this time out is with another soldier (called The Winter Soldier), this one enhanced with modern technology, so he's virtually unstoppable. This new soldier also happens to be from the past, and was Rogers' best friend, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). He's responsible for making sure Rogers doesn't foil a master plan to kill millions of Americans, which becomes complicated of course once our hero discovers who this mysterious soldier is standing in his way. There's real weight to their scenes together, particularly during the movie's climax.
The action scenes were fun in The First Avenger, but some of the ones here are a vast improvement. An ambush/car chase involving Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is well staged, and a highway attack by the Winter Soldier proves to be riveting and tense. Others, however, are too cartoonish and distract, such as when Rogers takes down an aircraft with his shield. And therein lies one of the reasons why The Winter Soldier, and probably any Marvel movie for that matter, will always be held back from being a truly great movie. Rogers is presented as a flesh and blood character here, with real struggles and emotions, so why cheapen that by trying too hard to make him into a superhero? It's as if the producers feel they have an obligation to please their fan base by having Captain America leap through the air and perform dynamic tricks. That is the point where we stop being able to identify with him and he becomes nothing more than an action figure.
Since this is a Marvel movie, the screenplay is also required to fill its quota of having at least one scene that ties it in with the rest of the Marvel universe. So, every once in a while, The Winter Soldier comes to a screeching halt to give the audience a lot of mind numbing exposition that only a certain fan base will care anything about. They're trying to have their cake and eat it too, but isn't that what the post credits teasers are for? After the second or third big speech, the movie risks shutting us out.
Thankfully, there's enough to chew on in The Winter Soldier to keep these detours from doing too much damage (and thanks to home viewing, I can fast forward through the filler). Evans is in good form once again, likable and confident in the lead role. Scarlett Johansson, probably the finest young actress working right now, gives her character, Natasha Romanoff, purpose and conviction. And Anthony Mackie proves to be a nice addition as a war veteran who comes to Rogers' aid when the shit hits the fan.
The truly great movie in this Avengers universe has yet to be made, one that will please both the average viewer and the Marvel fan without alienating one side. The Winter Soldier is the biggest step in the right direction so far, a thrilling and occasionally challenging action spectacular that dares to go places not often seen in this genre. This is my favorite character series, and if the post credits cliffhanger is any indication, the future entries have nowhere to go but up.
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(c)Hell and Beyond, 2014
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