Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

DIRECTED BY
Anthony Russo
Joe Russo

STARRING
Chris Evans - Steve Rogers/ Captain America
Scarlett Johansson - Natasha Romanoff/ Black Widow
Sebastian Stan - Bucky Barnes/ Winter Soldier
Samuel L. Jackson - Nick Fury
Anthony Mackie - Sam Wilson/ Falcon
Cobie Smulders - Maria Hill
Frank Grillo - Brock Rumlow
Emily VanCamp - Agent 13
Robert Redford - Alexander Pierce

Genre - Action/Adventure/Thriller/Comic Books

Running Time - 136 Minutes


PLOT
After the events of THE AVENGERS, Captain America (Chris Evans) - now a member of SHIELD - struggles with adjusting to his life in a very modern world. As Cap becomes somewhat disillusioned by the current world, SHIELD begins to crumble when Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is almost killed by a mysterious assassin named The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). With the help of Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and a soldier named Sam Wilson [codenamed Falcon] (Anthony Mackie), Captain America plans to save the world from the Winter Soldier and those possibly closest to him.

REVIEW

Due to a pretty hectic weekend, I was unable to share my thoughts on what was my most anticipated film of 2014 - CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER. I've made it no secret how much I enjoyed 2011's CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER and 2012's THE AVENGERS, so I was definitely excited about the sequel. Plus, it is based on one of the best Captain America stories surrounding The Winter Soldier, an arc that changed Captain America's world forever. And just like that comic arc, the film adaptation changes Cap's world as well - in one of the best ways possible. Yes, it's nice to see a comic book sequel again that's better than the film that preceded it.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER is a comic book film that's actually smart and serious, despite the colorful characters and the special effects. Joe and Anthony Russo's direction is top notch. Who knew the two men behind YOU, ME, AND DUPREE would direct one of the best comic book films ever? The action is fantastic, with epic car chases, huge explosions, a really cool air battle, and fight choreography that looked and felt brutal. Honestly, this felt less like a superhero movie and more like your standard action flick, which I didn't mind at all. There was a gravitas when it came to the fights and action, which was a great move to set Captain America apart from the other solo Avengers films.

I think the best part about CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER has to be the screenplay. While there are some lighthearted moments, the sequel really takes itself seriously when it comes to its narrative. In a lot of ways, the film felt like a commentary on our current political landscape, making us question how much freedom really costs for all of us. Captain America is seen as a boring character because he doesn't have cool superpowers and is

presented as a boy scout. But I've always been a fan of Steve Rogers because he's a character raised by old school methods, unwillingly stuck in a modern world where these methods don't have a place anymore. He questions this new society, upset when his fellow SHIELD members use methods that he feels are negative. It's also quite sad when he feels alone when he's walking through the Smithsonian, where an exhibit for him is placed; or when he visits a much older Peggy Carter at a hospital. Cap also teams with people who are morally suspect, like Black Widow and Nick Fury, never sure if they're giving him the truth or not. He doesn't know how and who to trust in this new world, which makes Captain America an interesting character who gives opinions that are presented as unique.

It's also great that Captain America has a great villain [not named Red Skull] in The Winter Soldier. He's like the Terminator, just causing chaos in Captain America's world. He has a great look, doesn't talk all that much, and has a personal connection to Captain America. It's hard not to spoil much about the character for those who have never read the comics, but I enjoyed how he was presented in the film. We learn enough about him and his struggle, while keeping enough stuff hidden for a later movie. I wish there was a bit more of him honestly, but I loved the live-action depiction of the character and how it'll effect Cap's world for films to come.

The acting was also solid. Chris Evans really proves he was the right choice to play Captain America, anchoring the film with his sincerity and charisma. Scarlett Johansson has never been better as the Black Widow, sharing great screen chemistry with Evans, as well as kicking ass and looking good in her black suit. I'd really love to see her in a spinoff film. Sebastian Stan was cool as The Winter Soldier. Samuel L. Jackson is Nick Fury. Robert Redford was a fantastic choice as Alexander Pierce, especially since the film was obviously inspired by political thrillers from the 1970s [which Redford acted in a few at the time]. Anthony Mackie was great as the Falcon, who I hope to see in a bigger role in a later sequel. I thought everyone was super and couldn't ask for a better cast.

THE FINAL HOWL

I think I have to say that CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER may be my favorite Marvel Studios film to date, maybe tied up there with THE AVENGERS. It had everything I wanted from it, and then some. The story was interesting and well written. The action and direction was fantastic. The characters finally felt true to their comic book counterparts. And the acting was great as well. I honestly want to see this again.

SCORE

4 Howls Outta 4

The Watchtower of Justice - Thor: The Dark World (2013)

DIRECTED BY
Alan Taylor

STARRING
Chris Hemsworth - Thor
Natalie Portman - Jane Foster
Tom Hiddleston - Loki
Anthony Hopkins - Odin
Stellan Skarsgard - Dr. Erik Selvig
Idris Elba - Heimdall
Christopher Eccleston - Malekith
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje - Algrim/Kurse
Kat Dennings - Darcy Lewis
Ray Stevenson - Volstagg
Zachary Levi - Fandral
Jaimie Alexander - Sif
Rene Russo - Frigga

Genre - Action/Adventure/Fantasy/Science Fiction/Comic Books

Running Time - 112 Minutes

By Mike Huntley

After his fight with The Avengers to stop Loki from destroying New York City and all of Earth, Thor has now returned to Asgard where he has been fighting to keep the nine realms of the universe as safe as possible. But, an ancient evil elf known as Malekith has began his mission to bring the entire universe into an eternal darkness. Meanwhile, Jane Foster and Darcy discover a portal between Earth and another dimension, which causes Jane to get infected with an ancient power in which Malekith wants back in order to complete his mission to bring the worlds back to the darkness that they used to be all those centuries ago. This prompts Thor to return to Earth and bring Jane to Asgard to find a way to get the powers out of her. Since his father Odin won't help him, Thor turns to the man who betrayed him and his family, his brother Loki. On their quest, Thor, Jane, Loki, and Thor's friends must find a way to stop Malekith from destroying this universe for good. 

Thor: The Dark World is a straight up science fiction/fantasy epic that is a total blast. While I loved the first film, my one complaint was not getting enough Asgard and exploring what's out there. This sequel gave me that. Sure, The Avengers is still my favorite Marvel Studios film, but Thor: The Dark World has probably become my 2nd favorite with the original Thor flying thunderously right behind it. While the film does have its dark and more serious moments for sure, it is downright hilarious. Most of the humor came from Loki, who I just adored here. But, also the direction they took Dr. Erik Selvig after the events of The Avengers had be rolling. That's another thing I love about Phase Two is the aftermath of what happened in New York. Everybody has been dealing with it in a different way. Tony Stark has anxiety attacks. Thor, Odin, Sif, and basically everybody has severe anger towards Loki and rightfully so, but it is done mostly in a humorous way. And the way Dr. Selvig deals with what happened in Avengers is probably the most hilarious thing I've seen in a Marvel movie. I was just laughing it up with this guy and so was the rest of the audience. We also get to see Loki really embrace his mischief side with his powers to distort visuals and the guy is just having fun with it especially when he makes himself look like an iconic character from the Marvel world. I just love this character and was happy to see him back, even though he wasn't played as the villain of the film. 

While Jane Foster is not the best "love interest" in the MCU (that one goes to Pepper Potts in the Iron Man films!), I do like the character. Darcy actually had me laughing this time around, and didn't kinda annoy me like she sorta did in the first film. I also liked her boyfriend who's an intern. I loved seeing Sif back and kicking ass. It's obvious that she has the hots for Thor, even though his eyes are on Jane. Seeing this babe sword fight and just kick a lot of ass was very nice. I do feel that Loki was the better villain than Malekith, but he did okay for the most part. And of course the two end credits scenes were good especially the mid credits sequence, which will tie into a future Marvel Studios film. 

 The direction by Alan Taylor was breathtaking. I love the look of this film just as much as the first. But, where the first film took place more on Earth, Thor: The Dark World really went beyond Earth and Asgard. Just great orgasms for the retinas. 

The cast was really solid. Chris Hemsworth is the superheroic God of Thunder as Thor. This dude just has tons of charisma and is just a cool dude. Tom Hiddleston, my favorite Marvel Studios villain as Loki but here we got to see other sides to the character other than hate and jealousy. Anthony Hopkins still rocks as Odin, King of Asgard. Jaimie Alexander is that strong warrior princess of Themys um Asgard as Sif. Stellan Skarsgard was delightfully hilarious as Dr. Selvig. Oh and look for Stan Lee's cameo, it's his 2nd best behind The Amazing Spider-Man. Kat Dennings was okay as Darcy, much more fun than she was for me in the first movie. And Christopher Eccleston was decent as Malekith, even though he didn't get a whole lot to do. 

Overall, Thor: The Dark World is a great time in the superhero/comic book brethren of movies. It's a smidge better than Thor, and flies directly behind The Avengers with Thor right behind it. It's hilarious, fun, action packed, sad/tragic, and is a booming rollercoaster ride of funsauce so go see it or Loki will sneak into your house and turn you into his ultimate flying monkey! 

GRADE

A

The Watchtower of Justice: The Avengers (2012)

By Mike Huntley

When Marvel decided to form their own studio and started building solo superhero movies that existed in the same universe, fans were pumped for the inevitable Avengers team up movie that would be the icing and cherry atop an already delicious cake. Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk in summer 2008. Iron Man 2 in summer 2010, which was basically a prelude to The Avengers. Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger in Summer 2011. And now the moment fans old and new had been waiting for: The Avengers in an already packed superhero movie summer in 2012. Going up against both Batman (The Dark Knight Rises) and Spider-Man (The Amazing Spider-Man) is never an easy task to pull off. But The Avengers was the highest grossing film that summer and beat out The Dark Knight, which before Avengers was considered the best superhero movie of all time. Now, fans are kinda divided on which one deserves that mantle. While I do love The Avengers and it is the best Marvel Studios movie aside from Thor and Iron Man 3, I still prefer The Dark Knight Trilogy, Man of Steel, and The Amazing Spider-Man for personal reasons. I didn't grow up with The Avengers the way I'm sure many kids who loved superheroes did. Yes, I had heard of Iron Man and Captain America, but aside from the outfits and names, I didn't know shit about them. Yes, I knew who The Incredible Hulk was, mainly due to the short animated series. But all the others? Nope. Growing up, Batman and Spider-Man were and still are my top two favorites in the costumed hero department. Superman was popular on TV. The X-Men were a hit in animation. So, while I still love The Avengers and am a new fan, I will always have Batman, Spider-Man, and Superman closer to my heart. But that's not to say that I wasn't super excited to see Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye take on aliens and the God of Mischief! 

 Loki survived his fall into a black hole and has come to Earth to steal the source of power that S.H.I.E.L.D has in their possession. First, Loki puts a spell on Dr. Selvig and Hawkeye to help him open a portal that could damn our world. This causes S.H.I.L.D's director Nick Fury to take action by assembling a team of the most powerful people on this planet. Those powerful people are Tony Stark/Iron Man, Steve Rogers/Captain America, Thor, and Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk. Together they form a super fighting force to stop Loki from letting aliens destroy New York City.

 

 I will never forget my theatrical experience with The Avengers. I went with my Dad opening night and the showing we were going to see was already sold out, so we went ahead and bought tickets for the next show. We sat around in the van for a little bit till it was close to time for the movie to start. Just about every damn row from the very front to the very back was jam packed full of everybody from the elderly to parents taking their children.  I remember getting the distinct pleasure of sitting next to some big guy who had serious B.O. and having some boys sitting in front of me giggling and texting during the show. But, once the lights dimmed and the movie began, I forgot all about those annoying little boys, or my nose begging me for Oxygen. You know why? Because I was having a total blast watching Iron Man and Captain America stand side by side, Thor knocking Iron Man across a forest, and who can forget Hulk giving Loki a professional ass whoopin'? Yep, that was The Avengers. A total blast of fun, excitement, amazing visual and special FX, Hulk/Bruce Banner finally done to perfection, aliens crashing through a city, explosions, Scarlett Johansson giving me a nice boner, Tony Stark making me laugh my ass off, and just being the definition of a summer blockbuster. It's that roller coaster that you want to catch the thrill again and again. Yes, I am not as attached as I am a Batman, Superman, or Spider-Man, but it doesn't matter. I had a great time at the movies despite the unpleasant theater conditions. 

When I first heard that Joss Whedon was set to write and direct The Avengers, I was more than happy. This is the same man who gave me two kickass TV shows during my childhood with Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel. Sure, he had not had much movie making experience outside Serenity, which was the movie version of his short lived TV series Firefly. But, I always knew that Whedon had the potential to make it huge beyond the small screen and 2012 was the year of Joss Whedon with The Avengers and the horror film that he co-wrote and produced, The Cabin In The Woods. Whedon directs The Avengers with honor, respect, and love for these characters. The film never misses a beat, and Whedon's outerspace stuff looks frickin' phenomenal. If he hadn't already played in Marvel's toychest, I would have said that he would have been the perfect filmmaker to bring that Justice League film to life. Still curious who gets that gig unless Zack Snyder jumps up and decides to, or maybe Ben Affleck, although I have a feeling he will get to direct the solo Batman films.  Whedon also handles the screenplay well. We get that classic Whedon humor like when Stark tells Banner that he loves it when he turns into a giant green rage monster. And Hulk kicking Loki's ass certainly made me cheer and giggle in my seat, even though I had to hold the breathing part thanks to B.O. guy.  Nick Fury making a flying monkeys reference, and Captain America picking up on it made me chuckle. Speaking of Captain America, I LOVE his new suit. It's very classic Captain America whereas the suit in his solo film was more a military war suit. And that finale in New York City has gotta be one of the single greatest scenes in superhero cinema history. Words can't describe how awesome it was seeing all these characters come together as a team. 

The cast was spot on in their respective roles. Robert Downey Jr. is Tony Stark/Iron Man. The dude has enormous humor and tons of charisma that you just love. He's the kinda dude you just want to chill with. Chris Evans was a great pick for Steve Rogers/Captain America. Finally, that 1990 movie is wiped away from the character's identity. Chris Hemsworth is still thunderously awesome as Thor. The man is the definition of a superhero.  Mark Ruffalo replaced Edward Norton, but ended up giving us the best portrayal of Dr. Bruce Banner/The Hulk applied to film. Ruffalo was a nice surprise. I hope he eventually gets that Hulk movie that he deserves. Scarlett Johansson is smokin' fuckin' hot as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow. Plus, she can kick a lot of ass. My kinda woman! Samuel L. Jackson is great as the slick and cool eye patched Nick Fury. Clark Gregg is great as always as Agent Phil Coulson, who is most likely not dead and is sadly on that God awful Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D television series that failed to capture the awesomeness of these movies in every way. Jeremy Renner is really good as Agent Barton/Hawkeye. But, Tom Hiddleston just about steals the show in his reprisal role as Loki. I love Hiddleston's menace as a villain. You can tell that the guy is having a major blast playing this character and us audiences are therefore having a blast watching him having fun. Hell, the man even came to Comic Con in character and talked to the fans as Loki. So awesome, this guy. 

Overall, The Avengers is the best Marvel Studios movie to date. Love it and look forward to Phase Two going forward and leading up to summer 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron. The team will be expanding and the universe getting even more fascinating than it already is!

GRADE

 A+

The Watchtower of Justice: Thor (2011)

By Mike Huntley

  Even though superhero movies or films based on comic book characters have been very popular ever since Batman's smashing success in summer 1989, it seemed that the genre didn't really get the kick off as a Hollywood trend until 2000 when Fox released X-Men, and in 2002 with the massive success of Spider-Man as big motion pictures. Marvel started becoming a household name and was pouring out a new film just about every year or every other year. We got The Punisher, Hulk, Fantastic Four, Daredevil, Elektra, Ghost Rider, and sequels to both X-Men and Spider-Man. And while most, except for those Bryan Singer X-Men movies and the first two Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies, are hated or have audiences torn, Marvel decided to form its own studio to distribute the rest of its superhero properties. Producer Kevin Feige formed Marvel Studios and came up with the master plan to give longtime fans the biggest wet dream of their fandom lives by forming a cinematic universe just like in the Marvel comic books. In 2008, Marvel Studios released their first attempts at this shared universe with Iron Man and a reboot of The Incredible Hulk. Iron Man was a pretty decent success at the box office with audiences, with long time fans falling in love with Robert Downey Jr.'s now iconic portrayal of Tony Stark/Iron Man, who became one of the best characters in the MCU. While definitely light years better than the very disappointing Hulk movie in 2003, The Incredible Hulk starring Edward Norton did okay but much smaller amounts of cash at the box office. In 2010, Marvel released Iron Man 2 which did decent business, even though it wasn't on par with the first film. Which brings us to 2011, when Marvel gave the Asgardian God of Thunder his own movie with Thor, as well as creating the best and most iconic villain in the MCU to grace the big screen. 

In a world light years away from our own, Asgard sits high above the universe, looking down on the nine realms. Odin, king of Asgard has two sons (Thor and Loki) and wishes that one of them will take up the throne from him. The Frost Giants invade Asgard, leading Thor to take his friends and brother into the Frost Giants' dark icy kingdom to strike back. Thor's disobedience to his father causes Odin to cast his son out of Asgard and send him to Earth after taking his powers and hammer away. Odin places a spell on the hammer to only be lifted by one who is worthy. Thor lands in the New Mexico desert where he is discovered by research scientist Jane Foster, Dr. Selvig, and Darcy. Meanwhile, Loki finds that he is not Odin's biological son and lets his jealousy of Thor twist him into selfishness and he aims to take the throne for himself and kill anyone who gets in his way, even his own brother and father. Thor must find a way to stop Loki's reign of dictatorship and attack on Earth, powers or not.

While I loved Iron Man, and enjoyed The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 2, Thor is probably my favorite film in Phase One, aside from obviously The Avengers. For starters, Asgard and all of the special FX are gorgeous to look at. This is how a sci-fi/fantasy movie should look and feel. It's simply breathtaking! I just get so bewitched by the visuals in this film, it's just incredible.  I think another thing that makes Thor stand out is how simple its narrative is. Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, and Captain America have very heavy narratives. Thor is simple and feels like it is on a much bigger scale. Probably because Thor is from a much more fantasy world, whereas Tony Stark lives in our world,  and so does Captain America except he's from a completely different timeline. But, Thor and Loki are Gods and live high above us in their land of beauty and wonder. My favorite scene from this movie hands down is Thor and his army fighting the Frost Giants on Odenheim. I want to see more epic fantasy battles with our God of Thunder and it looks like Thor: The Dark World will explore the other realms of this galaxy. More Asgard please! 

Another thing that sticks out with many fans is that villain you just love, which in this case is Thor's very jealous brother Loki, who is known in mythology as the Night God of Mischief. Loki is a ruler. He is like any great villain, his thirst for power consumes him. But, what I love about Loki is how his voice sorta changes when he turns from good brother to cold hearted and ruthless antagonist. He starts out kinda quiet and has a soft spoken voice, but then it turns into this cold accent where it sounds like he is talking down to you from a very high throne and is about to sentence you to a dark dungeon for all eternity. He almost feels more like an Aries God of War type, but he likes to play on his brother's goodness and that's what makes him one of the best villains in a comic book movie.  

Lady Sif is another character that I have grown completely fond of. She is a sexy warrior who may be easy on the eyes, but she can just as easily cut those eyes off with a sword. I am a huge fan of females who can be just as badass as the guys. While Marvel does have some great strong and powerful women in their midst, I do feel that DC Comics has the upper hand in this arena (Wonder Woman, Black Canary, Huntress, Catwoman, Batgirl/Oracle, Supergirl, Hawkgirl, Lois Lane, Lady Shiva, Poison Ivy, Zatanna, Katana). Sif is basically Marvel's version of Wonder Woman, who in my opinion deserves a movie. But, Sif is a great character who I am very much looking forward to learning more about. 

If I had any complaints about the film, it would be that Thor and Jane's relationship happened rather quickly. I do feel that Jane's characterization could have been stronger. But, this is just a small nitpick. Hoping it is further developed in The Dark World. 

The direction by Kenneth Branagh was incredible. Visuals were out of this world. 

The cast was also great. Chris Hemsworth is fantastic as Thor, giving us a superhero that is fun and charismatic. Anthony Hopkins played Odin, king of Asgard, with class and heart. Natalie Portman was okay as Jane Foster. Stellan Skarsgard was good as Dr. Selvig. Kat Dennings was a bit annoying here and there as Darcy, but she is one sexy gal. Idris Elba was great as the gatekeeper. Clark Gregg was great as always as Agent Coulson. Jaimie Alexander makes for a great strong female super heroine as Sif. I really hope she gets cast as Wonder Woman. I know the characters are similar and that DC/WB and Marvel are rivals but just let a God make it a reality. And how could I end this without mentioning Tom Hiddleston as Loki? Hiddleston owns this role. He is extremely charismatic and outshined almost everyone with his devilish grin and dictator voice. He can talk down to anyone it seems, well, except The Hulk but that's saved for a different review. 

Overall, Thor is a great superhero movie. Definitely one of Marvel's most fun and enjoyable films out there. Can't wait to check out the sequel! 

GRADE

 A-

Iron Man 3 (2013)

DIRECTED BY
Shane Black

STARRING
Robert Downey Jr. – Tony Stark/Iron Man
Gwyneth Paltrow – Virginia “Pepper” Potts
Don Cheadle – Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes/Iron Patriot
Guy Pearce – Aldrich Killian
Rebecca Hall – Dr. Maya Hansen
Ben Kingsley – The Mandarin
James Badge Dale – Eric Savin
Jon Favreau – Happy Hogan
Ty Simpkins – Harley

Genre – Action/Adventure/Fantasy/Comic Books/Superheroes

Running Time – 130 Minutes


PLOT
Since the events of THE AVENGERS [dealing with aliens and traveling through a wormhole], Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) hasn’t really been himself. Stressed out and having anxiety attacks anytime “New York” is mentioned, Stark has trouble sleeping and has been building a multitude of armored suits to pass the time. This has even caused issues with his newly live-in-girlfriend, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), especially when the armor suits suddenly become violent due to Stark’s mental connection to them. While Pepper wishes Stark would stop making these suits, Stark feels that there’s a threat coming and must be prepared for it.

The possible threat may be from a man known as The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) – who creates Al-Queda like terror videos in which he takes credit for certain bombings in the United States. While James Rhodes (Don Cheadle), now rebranded from War Machine to Iron Patriot, is in charge of finding the Mandarin for the United States Government, the issue becomes personal for Stark when bodyguard Happy Hogan (Jon Farveau) is attacked during one of these bombings. When Stark threatens the Mandarin, Stark Tower is attacked and destroyed, leaving many to believe that Stark was killed in the attack.

Stark, however, wakes up in Tennessee. Here, he gets a young sidekick named Harley (Ty Simpkins), who helps Stark in finding out how The Mandarin has been performing his terrorist attacks under the radar. Apparently, the bombs happen to be humans themselves through some substance called Extremis – which has been created by Advanced Idea Mechanics (AIM), run by Pepper’s former colleague and Mandarin’s associate Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce). Apparently, Extremis [which injected] grants humans super strength, the ability to regenerate wounds and limbs, and the power to control fire. However, the substance is very unstable and could create human bombs if it fails. When Stark learns that Killian plans on giving the Extremis “virus” to Pepper, Stark tries to overcome his post-traumatic stress and save the woman he loves.


REVIEW

HITS
- The screenplay. While not perfect, Shane Black and co-writer Drew Pearce manage to give Tony Stark a more focused story than what we saw in IRON MAN 2, which was all over the place. While there is a lot going on here with multiple sub-plots – Tony’s PTSD, the Extremis virus, The Mandarin – it all connects with each other, grounding the story in a way that’s easy to understand. IRON MAN 2 suffered from too much story, which didn’t allow the important plot points to truly develop to mean anything at the end. IRON MAN 3, while flawed, manages to develop things better than its predecessor.

The “nerd who wants revenge on the idol who snubbed him by being better than him” plot point is as cliché as they come in the superhero genre. But it still works because it’s one that’s easy to comprehend and feel some level of empathy towards. Tony Stark vs. Aldrich Killian is an easy story to write for, because we see both sides’ points of views. Killian, in particular, becomes a pretty human character while doing monstrous things to himself and to others he believes he’s helping. The man wants the success, the fame, and the respect Tony Stark has received. He just does it in a way that’s against society’s laws and rules. This type of story breeds believable villains since most of us have been there at some point in our lives.

I also thought how it tied in to THE AVENGERS was very good as well. IRON MAN 3 doesn’t try to coast on the success of that film. Yes, Tony has flashbacks of the final act of that film, which have been causing his stress. Yes, Tony gets anxiety attacks whenever “New York” is mentioned. Yes, Tony avoids the subject anytime The Avengers and its members are asked about. But the film never feels like an unnecessary epilogue to the most successful comic book film of all time. IRON MAN 3 is its own film, just taking the events of THE AVENGERS to naturally progress Tony Stark’s journey into a more humble and heroic man. In fact, IRON MAN 3 is mainly Tony Stark’s human adventure rather than about Iron Man kicking some supervillain’s ass. And while I’m sure most people would rather see an armored hero beat down The Mandarin and people taken over by the Extremis virus, the most interesting parts of these IRON MAN films was Tony Stark the flawed human being rather than his costumed alter-ego, Iron Man. So I have no issues with the lack of Iron Man stuff in this installment. Do I wish the “Extremis” storyline were more faithful to the comic version? Sure. But with how this film ends, it wouldn’t make sense to go that route. So I’m okay with that after the fact.

And I thought the screenplay was pretty hilarious for the most part. Even during the most serious moments, there was always some sense of humor underneath. There was some excellent banter between the characters. The witty dialogue gave IRON MAN 3 a ton of personality. I found myself laughing multiple times, just enjoying the story. Even when things upset me or didn’t work as much as I had wished they would, at least I was entertained by the film’s mostly successful comedy. A much improved script over IRON MAN 2.

- Shane Black’s direction. When I heard Shane Black was directing a superhero film of epic proportions like an IRON MAN sequel, I was slightly worried as to how he would handle the job. After all, this film is the beginning of Marvel Universe’s “Phase 2”. And Black, while a successful screenwriter for many action-comedies in the 1980s and the 1990s, only directed one film prior to this – 1997’s KISS KISS BANG BANG. To my surprise, Black really handled the sequel really well.

While the middle portion dragged somewhat, the pacing was very good. In fact, the 130 minutes went by pretty quickly. I liked the look of the film, which resembled something that would be released during the 1990s. There was a certain grain and tone to the film that reminded me of an action film from that era. Maybe it’s the fact that IRON MAN 3 has a darker mood and atmosphere than the previous films.

I also loved the action sequences and how they were presented. The attack on Stark Tower is an amazing visual and a vastly memorable sequence. I also loved the final act as well, with all the Iron Man armors attacking those affected by the Extremis virus. These sequences were very energetic, entertaining, and pure eye candy. The digital effects and visual effects teams did a fantastic job during the action scenes. IRON MAN 3 is the most epic in terms of presenting action and I thought Black handled it better than I thought he would have. I wish the middle portion of the film had a memorable action moment like the two I mentioned. But for the most part, Black freshens up the franchise with his visuals and his screenwriting.

- The acting. Every IRON MAN film has great acting and this installment is no exception. Robert Downey Jr. can play Tony Stark in his sleep at this point. In fact, he is Tony Stark, so it isn’t much of a stretch. He handles both the action and comedic stuff well, as he’s very familiar and comfortable with Shane Black’s work. RDJ is excellent as usual and I hope he resigns another contract to continue playing this character. I can’t see anyone else in the role.

Gwyneth Paltrow is still great as Pepper Potts, continuing her great chemistry with RDJ. I wish there was more of her in the film. Don Cheadle is good as James Rhodes. Again, he’s not in the film a lot either but had good chemistry with RDJ as well. Guy Pearce is excellent as villain Aldrich Killian. It’s fun to watch him play a crippled nerd at the beginning, and then a smooth businessman later on. He also gets to have some cool fight scenes and Pearce handles it well. I liked him a lot here. Ben Kingsley is great as The Mandarin. He seemed to have had a lot of fun in the role and it shows. I won’t say anymore than that. Rebecca Hall doesn’t do much as Maya Hansen, but she’s not terrible. Jon Farveau brings some humor as Happy Hogan. And Ty Simpkins didn’t annoy me as Harley. In fact, he had great exchanges with RDJ that I immensely enjoyed. A great cast, although I wish most of them had more to do with the material than they were allowed to.

MISSES
- Underdeveloped characters and sub-plots. While the story is more focused than it was in IRON MAN 2, I wish there was less stuff going on to allow certain characters and plot points to develop fully. Pepper Potts doesn’t get all that much to do here until the end of the film. In fact, she’s pretty much a non-presence for much of the middle act. Rhodey feels a bit out of place in this film, again not doing much until the end. Aldrich Killian is given more to do, but I would have loved more scenes with him to really flesh him out. Maya Hansen is very underutilized, as she’s a more interesting character in the comics. And while The Mandarin is developed, it’s not really the development I was hoping for. But at least it worked for some people. I get that IRON MAN is the Tony Stark Show, but it helps when the supporting characters get some depth as well to build up the main character some more.

As for plot points, I thought the PTSD angle could have been stronger. It doesn’t really play into the story as much as one would hope. I think fleshing out that angle could have made Tony’s struggle and later decision much more effective. It would have been great if Tony’s stress had affected him during battle, or cost him something personal within the story. Having anxiety attacks and making Tony doubt himself is fine and all, but it just felt like this particular plot point was the studio’s way of reminding us of THE AVENGERS rather than a natural character trait. I’m glad the effects on Tony were presented. I just wish it was pushed further than it was.

- The film’s version of a certain Iron Man character. I won’t spoil who I’m talking about, although with $700 million made worldwide, I’m sure you already know. Ever since the first film, I’ve wanted this character to be in an IRON MAN film so badly. And when I heard this character was going to be a big part of this film, I was very excited. Sure, I understood they would have to change the character’s look and origin to make it contemporary and more politically correct. I had no issue with that. And I had no real issue in how the character was used within the context of the story.

That is, until the twist reveal. And while I did think how it was revealed was funny and silly, a part of me feels like it was a slap in the face. It wasn’t as bad as how Fox treated Dark Phoenix or how Sony treated Venom. But this character was promoted heavily and many were excited to finally see this important Iron Man character in a film. But the story took it somewhere else, which disappointed me greatly. I loved the performance of the character. But a part of me wishes that if Shane Black and Marvel were really going to do what they did, they should have just created a new character rather than take an established character and turn him into a joke. I know I sound like a total fanboy, but I can’t help how I feel. I wasn’t a fan of the twist because I don’t think it was really needed other than for comedic purposes. Still, what’s done is done. I guess it worked within the story, but I wish this character wasn’t sacrificed for a few laughs. That’s just my opinion.

THE FINAL HOWL
IRON MAN 3 is a fun summer blockbuster that improves on the first sequel in some aspects. The story is stronger and more focused, Shane Black’s direction gives the franchise a new feel that was needed, and the acting is stellar as always. But there was still a lot of story to follow, which sacrificed some story development. And the treatment of a certain character still irks me. I still prefer the first IRON MAN film, but IRON MAN 3 is slightly better than IRON MAN 2. And I’m glad IRON MAN 3 is doing extremely well, hoping that RDJ extends his contract with Marvel to continue playing the character. Not the greatest way to start the summer season, but I had fun with the film. Definitely worth a watch if you’re a fan. However, if you take the comic books seriously, don’t be surprised to be disappointed with certain things.



SCORE
3 Howls Outta 4

The Avengers (2012)

DIRECTED BY
Joss Whedon

STARRING
Robert Downey, Jr. - Tony Stark/Iron Man
Chris Evans - Steve Rogers/Captain America
Chris Hemsworth - Thor
Scarlett Johansson - Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow
Mark Ruffalo - Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk
Jeremy Renner - Clint Barton/Hawkeye
Samuel L. Jackson - Nick Fury
Tom Hiddleston - Loki
Cobie Smulders - Agent Maria Hill
Clark Gregg - Agent Phil Coulson
Gwyneth Paltrow - Pepper Potts
Stellan Skarsgard - Dr. Erik Selvig

Genre - Action/Adventure/Science Fiction/Fantasy/Comic Books

Running Time - 143 Minutes


PLOT
In the secret laboratories of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Cosmic Cube known as the Tesseract is being studied to understand its amount of power. However, the experiments are cut short when Thor's (Chris Hemsworth) adopted brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), emerges from the Tesseract. Now equipped with a special scepter that allows him to control others, especially archery expert Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Thor's friend and scientist Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard), Loki steals the Tesseract and escapes - wanting to use its power to rule Earth.

Feeling the threat of the world is at its highest, director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) decides its time to make that "Avengers Initiative" happen sooner than later to defeat Loki. He brings in the arrogant genius Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), former World War II hero Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), the finally located Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Russian spy Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and eventually Thor himself - who wants to bring both The Tesseract and Loki back to Asgard. While these superheroes have the power to defeat Loki and his army as a unit, they must first get over their own insecurities and egos before they assemble as The Avengers.




REVIEW


HITS

- The story. I first read an Avengers comic book 22 years ago at the age of 9, loving the characters and starting my fan-boy ways with Marvel Comics. As I grew older, I always wondered how a live-action version of the comic books could be possible. It became harder to fathom after watching the X-MEN franchise - a team movie where the characters didn't get equal screen time or even character development, as they focused mainly on one character [that character being Wolverine]. Even the FANTASTIC FOUR films had issues, as Doctor Doom wasn't given enough time to really develop his character, becoming a cliche villain that would make the real Doctor Doom face palm himself. So while I was eagerly awaiting THE AVENGERS, especially after five films that set it up in the course of four years, I was wondering how director/writer Joss Whedon would handle a bunch of superheroes [who are so interesting individually] with equal screen time while focusing on a great villain like Loki.

Being a Whedon fan for so long now, I should have never doubted the man. He handles THE AVENGERS exactly the way it should be handled, and beyond. The main characters all get enough screen time to matter in the plot, while Loki gets enough screen time to become a captivating villain a film of this stature needs.

The reason why the team aspect works here is because most of the characters in the film already had their own individual films, so there's no origin story necessary to set things up. Characters that do need more development [Black Widow and Hawkeye] get their own moments to shine, which helps us understand their place in the group. And those who already have films [Iron Man, Captain America, The Hulk, and Thor] are even developed further due to the freshness of the team aspect. We see the different philosophies that put Captain America and Iron Man on opposite sides. We see Bruce Banner tired of struggling with keeping The Hulk in check, feeling that everything else that happens around him is nothing compared to what he's capable of as the Green Goliath. It's when Iron Man tells Bruce that The Hulk saved his life from gamma ray radiation that we see Bruce look at his alter-ego in a different light. We see the closeness between Black Widow and Hawkeye, especially after Hawkeye is a slave to Loki's manipulations, feeling lost without the man who changed her life for the better. We watch the other heroes look at Thor with distrust due to him being Loki's "brother". And Nick Fury's true motives in seeking the Tesseract adds conflict between everyone. And then there's Loki, who is used much better than he was in THOR, finally becoming the angry villain who wants to rule a "lesser" world to prove to Odin and Thor that he ought to be King of Asgard and prove that he's more worthy than Thor. Everything clicks. Every subplot leads to something important. Each character gets their time to shine and get better developed than they did in some of their respective solo films. It's amazing how Whedon managed to make that happen, but no character feels like they got the shaft. Even Hawkeye, who gets the least time to develop, still has memorable moments that will help secure him [and Black Widow] a solo film after this. And it's great to see supporting characters, like Pepper Potts and Dr. Erik Selvig appear as well. It really makes the five films before this feel like it's contained within one universe, which is awesome.

I read a lot of people complain about the main plot line - that's it's cliche and generic:

"An evil villain tries to destroy the world with an ancient and powerful artifact, leading to a group of superheroes coming together to stop him."

Supposedly that doesn't make much of a movie. That there isn't much depth to that plot other than what's on the surface. There doesn't need to be more depth than that. The Avengers has always been, first and foremost, about the characters. The fact that we get as much character development for each character in a team film is impressive and really elevates the main plot. These characters have egos and their own agendas, causing conflict amongst themselves rather than on Loki - which is exactly what Loki wants.

Plus, there doesn't need to be a lot of depth to the main plot because we already know what the plan was for these characters since 2008's IRON MAN. The Avengers Initiative was set up and we knew what it was going to lead to. What more do people want? The main plot has been set up within five films prior to THE AVENGERS. Because of this, the story can get right into the action and focus on the struggle in making this team happen as they all meet each other for the first time. And Whedon does that flawlessly because during the course of the film, we understand why they decide to put away their differences and become Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

As for the dialogue - simply amazing. Each character sounds perfect and distinct. The exposition used for some of the characters is subtle and leads to something interesting or important later on. And the humor is fantastic, making a serious plot feel more lighthearted and fun, while still being mature about its subject matter. Whedon just created a perfect balance in terms of the film's narrative. He's always been a great writer, but he worked miracles here. I thought everything worked here better than I had expected it to. I dug the screenplay a lot.

- The direction. Joss Whedon has always been a very good director on previous projects, especially on 2005's SERENITY - one of my favorite modern sci-fi films. On THE AVENGERS, Whedon's vision is just stunning and impressive. The editing is fantastic. The pacing is super quick, as this 143 minute film felt like 90 minutes. The handling of the action left me in awe. The action was shot better than I thought it would be, always building to something later on, rather than being there for the sake of being there. The final act alone was spectacular in every way.

Each character has their own moments and it looks like they popped straight out of the comic book and into reality. The Hulk, especially, is finally used the right away after all these years, smashing the crap out of anything and anyone. Thor finally feels like Thor, with his hammer and creating thunder out of the sky. Hawkeye and his special arrows had some nice surprises. Each character felt authentic and that's a testament to Joss Whedon's vision. The film is extremely stylish as well, with a lot of great use of angles and shadows and such. Just an amazing job, as I felt like a kid again. Instead of reading a comic book though, I was watching it happen before my very eyes in live-action form. Whedon brings the fun and entertainment through his visuals, making him the perfect director to handle such a huge project like this. He has an option for THE AVENGERS 2, which he's very interested in doing. I hope he comes back because I can't see anyone else handling this franchise as well as he did. Just amazing.

- The cast. THE AVENGERS wouldn't work if the actors weren't great. Robert Downey, Jr. is the perfect Tony Stark/Iron Man, finally feeling like the Stark from the first IRON MAN rather than the second one. He had great one liners and sarcastic quips, using his great comic timing for the benefit of the film. Chris Evans is still great as Steve Rogers/Captain America, showing us the confusion he's struggling with after waking up 70 years since his last battle. He handles not understand modern pop culture well, and has a great moment when he finally gets a reference for THE WIZARD OF OZ that makes his teammates look at him oddly. Evans seemed more confident in the role and I can see it getting better in the CAPTAIN AMERICA sequel. Chris Hemsworth is better here than he was in last year's THOR. Again, he's more confident in the role and gets to portray Thor more like the Thor from the comics. He has great chemistry with Tom Hiddleston, Chris Evans, and Mark Ruffalo in many memorable scenes.

Scarlett Johansson got a lot of flack for her Black Widow role in IRON MAN 2, which wasn't her fault really since the script didn't do much for her character until the final act. But in THE AVENGERS, she's a highlight and definitely gives Black Widow more of her fire, spunk, and intelligence. I thought she was great. Mark Ruffalo had a lot of criticism due to the fact that people wanted Edward Norton to continue as Bruce Banner/The Hulk. But Ruffalo proves that he's the best actor to perform the role in a live-action film, as he gives Banner a quiet, funny, and emotional portrayal of a man still struggling with the beast within. Ruffalo is also the first actor to also portray The Hulk as well as Banner, doing mo-cap for all the stuff CGI Hulk does in the film. I thought those scenes were massive highlights and Ruffalo did an amazing job being the best Hulk ever. I hope he gets his own solo film because I would love to see it. If any actor and character were the main highlight of THE AVENGERS, Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk was definitely it. I loved his scenes with Thor and Loki - just funny and awesome.

Jeremy Renner doesn't really get much to do really as Hawkeye but shoot arrows and get close to Black Widow. But this is really his first major appearance and I'm sure he'll get his own film with Black Widow soon. What he does do is great and handles all the action stuff well. Plus I saw a bit of Clint Barton's stubbornness in him, which was great to see. Samuel L. Jackson was born to play Nick Fury and does it well. Tom Hiddleston is a lot better than he was in THOR, finally allowed to have fun with Loki's villianous ways while still wanting that acceptance from Odin and Thor. I couldn't think of a more perfect first villain than Loki, and Hiddleston has a blast playing him.

The other actors, like Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Stellan Skarsgard, are all very good in their shorter roles. And Buffy's and Angel's Alexis Denisof voicing The Other was great too. I think this was a fantastic cast in general.

- The special effects. Just amazing. The Hulk has never looked better on screen. Seeing Thor use his powers was a geek moment for me, since he barely did it in THOR. The Chitauri looked great. Iron Man changing in and out of the suit still gets a lot of love from me. And Loki's holograms and changing of outfits was subtle and cool. The special effects team did a fantastic job with this film. The destruction of Manhattan and the S.H.I.E.L.D. hovercraft were stunning and everything felt so epic. The CGI here was used in the right way and only enhanced the story rather than distract from it. This is a comic book blockbuster of a film and the visuals supported that in every way possible.

- The scenes during and after the end credits. I won't spoil the two extra scenes within and after the end credits. But both were great. The after credits scene was the punchline to a joke earlier in the film and I thought it was funny. I was also impressed that this scene was shot just two weeks ago, especially when some of the actors don't even look like their characters anymore [especially Chris Evans, who now has a buzz cut and a beard - he had to wear a fake wig and cover his face to hide the beard]. Just a cool scene.

But the mid-credits scene - WOW. If that's the sequel, I'm so there. I've been waiting for this comic book villain to show up for years. I can't wait for Phase Two of the Marvel Universe if that's where it's leading to. This is getting really good now.


THE FINAL HOWL

I don't think I could recommend a superhero adaptation more than I can THE AVENGERS. It's everything I wanted in an Avengers movie, and beyond. Joss Whedon has done the unthinkable and actually brought us a team film where no one character feels more important than the other, letting the team aspect shine through in a believable and exciting way. Also watching The Hulk finally BE The Hulk left me giddy in anticipation in what's next for the character. Is the film perfect? I do think Hawkeye could have used more screen time, and maybe more Thor as well. But it's entertainment and geek factor can't be matched at the moment. And that's what THE AVENGERS is all about - entertainment and fun.

This is the way you start off the Summer Movies season. I'm still in awe and geeking out over this one. I really want to see this again and that's rare for me. THE AVENGERS assembled and I loved every second of it. Thank you Marvel and everyone involved for making it happen. Can't wait for Phase Two. I have a feeling it's going to get more interesting from this point on - and that's a good thing. Make Mine Marvel!




SCORE

4 Howls Outta 4

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

DIRECTED BY
Joe Johnston

STARRING
Chris Evans - Steve Rogers/Captain America
Hayley Atwell - Peggy Carter
Hugo Weaving - Johann Schmidt/The Red Skull
Tommy Lee Jones - Col. Chester Phillips
Dominic Cooper - Howard Stark
Toby Jones - Dr. Armin Zola
Sebastian Stan - James 'Bucky' Barnes
Stanley Tucci - Dr. Abraham Erskine
Neal McDonough - Timothy 'Dum Dum' Dugan

Genre - Action/Adventure/Fantasy/Science Fiction/Comic Book

Running Time - 124 Minutes


PLOT
Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is a good-hearted young man who wants serve in World War II to follow his father's footsteps. The problem is that Rogers is small, frail, and has medical issues that prohibit him from enlisting. After all his attempts to fake his way into the military has failed, Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) overhears and sees his wanting to help out his country. Seeing Rogers' big drive despite his small frame, Erskine offers Rogers a chance to be part of a secret science experiment that would allow him to help with the war. Seeing no other options, Rogers agrees to it, not even knowing what he signed up for.

After several tests, Erskine sees Rogers as the perfect candidate to become a super-soldier for the United States military - the first in what the government hopes to be many more. Rogers is given a serum that changes his entire molecular structure. Once a tiny, scrawny weakling, Rogers is now tall, buff, and has acquired superhuman strength, super speed, and a healing factor. Unfortunately, many sees Rogers less of a soldier and more of a hero of propaganda, using him in shows to promote patriotism and sell war bonds to boost the country's economy. Dubbed 'Captain America', Rogers must prove to everyone who doubts him that he was born to fight for his country and stop anyone who threatens it and what it represents to the American people.

Meanwhile, HYDRA [a Nazi unit] have their own plans to win the war. Leader Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving), a follower of Hitler and the first person to undergo the super-soldier experiment, finds a mysterious artifact known as the Tesseract - better known as the Cosmic Cube, "the jewel of Odin's treasure room". Schmidt and scientist Arnim Zola (Toby Jones) harness the power of the Cube to power weapons that will disintegrate Allies soldiers. However seeing that the Cosmic Cube would make him a god, he gets rid of his human features and appears as The Red Skull, ready to take over the world after winning World War II. Too bad there's a guy who wears red, white, and blue ready to stop him with his formidable skills and impressive shield.






REVIEW


HITS
- The strong cast. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER has a lot going for it. The actors and their work on this film is nothing short but spectacular. Chris Evans had a lot against him when it was announced he would be portraying Steve Rogers/Captain America. Evans, while a good actor, hadn't had a great track record in terms of box office receipts. Also, he's usually typecast in roles that require cockiness, arrogance, and pretty boy looks. The big issue was the fact that Evans had already portrayed a Marvel super hero in a previous franchise as Johnny "Human Torch" Storm in FANTASTIC FOUR and its sequel, RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER. However whether you loved or hated these films, both sides could agree that Evans was the highlight of each film. The question was could Evans portray a subtle, heroic, and well-mannered character that has been loved by comic book fans for over 70 years?

Thankfully, all the worry was for naught as Chris Evans impresses as Captain America. He gives the character a ton of heart and charm that makes Captain America instantly likeable. Evans captures the moral aesthetic of the character very well, and as the film runs, we become quickly accustomed to Evans as this do-right soldier who not only wants to protect his country and win the war, but do what's right and not expecting anything for his good deeds. This is probably one of Evans' best roles and a really different and mature one for him - and he pulls it off flawlessly. I've always been a fan of his and I'm glad he's finally getting that A-list status that eluded him for so long.

The supporting actors are just as good. Hayley Atwell plays Agent Peggy Carter, Cap's love interest. Instead of being the typical damsel-in-distress or girlfriend role, Atwell is tough as nails and matches up equally to the male dominated cast. Plus, she has an easy chemistry with Evans, which helps make their love story quite believable and enjoyable. Hugo Weaving always plays classic bad guys, and portraying The Red Skull is no different. I loved the German accent and the menace he gave the character. I do wish Red Skull was in the film more, but I'll get to that shortly.

Tommy Lee Jones is perfect as Col. Chester Phillips, playing the hard-nosed cynic who doesn't believe in Rogers. He brings subtle humor to the role and I really enjoyed him here. Sebastian Stan is good as Bucky Barnes, Cap's best friend and sidekick. Again, Stan doesn't get a lot to do in the film. But since he's signed a multi-film deal with Marvel Studios, I expect Stan to return in a sequel - probably in flashback form or in current day as Cap's arch-nemesis, The Winter Soldier. Would make for a cool sequel for sure. I also enjoyed Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark, Tony Stark's father. Toby Jones and Stanley Tucci are great as Dr. Armin Zola and Dr. Abraham Erskine respectively. Just a solid cast all around.

- Character development. The acting wouldn't be so good if the actors didn't have great characters to portray. Steve Rogers is picture perfect American patriotism, doing whatever it takes to support and protect his country, while never compromising his morals to make that happen. Even though the dark times, like getting bullied pre-Super-Soldier serum, getting rejected by the military and later his colleagues, and especially during his time as a pawn for the Government to sell War Bonds, he always gives it his all because he loves his country unconditionally. He never stops wanting to prove that he's worthy of being a hero and a leader, which makes us like the character a whole lot. I also like how unaware of his attractiveness he is once he becomes a Super-Soldier, still acting like the inexperienced and shy kid he was before the experiment. This humility makes him sympathetic and likeable. He's complex without it being in your face about it. There are a lot of layers to Steve Rogers, and I think the script does a great job handling each one.

The Red Skull is your typical power-hungry villain, but he's written with enough depth to understand his evil motives. He was the first Super-Soldier, yet feels slighted by his "creator" when he abandons Germany and decides to make Steve Rogers a much improved soldier. Knowing that his super abilities have made him the leader of HYDRA, he wants more power to dominate the world and not be a victim again. It would have been nice to see and know more about his origins, but what we do get is enough.

Peggy Carter, like I mentioned earlier, isn't your standard damsel-in-distress girlfriend character. She has a lot of spunk, can protect herself in combat, and has great banter with Steve Rogers that strengths their bond. She's edgy, but in a odd wholesome way - making her compatible with our hero. Col. Chester Phillips is the stern cynic that tries to get in the way of our hero, but does it because he doesn't want his country in believing in someone who doesn't have much experience in combat and could fail when he's needed the most. His evolution in putting down Rogers into supporting him with open arms when he proves himself is believable and realistic.

The other characters, such as Howard Stark [who shows us why Tony Stark is an arrogant playboy since he's the same way], Bucky Barnes [the best friend and protector who becomes the protected when Rogers go through his change], and The Howlin' Commandos [we needed to see more of them] are good in their own right. In fact, every character has a place in the narrative and never wear out their welcome. I thought they were very faithful to the comic book versions, never insulting my intelligence by changing their backstories all that much.

- The direction. Joe Johnston does a great job adapting the comic book into a live-action blockbuster. Johnston, Steven Spielberg's protege [in fact, he worked as a visual-effects artist on 1981's RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK], has had an interesting career as a director. For every financial high [HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS and JUMANJI], he had a financial [even if popular with critics] low [THE ROCKETEER and OCTOBER SKY]. Like THE ROCKETEER and even RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER has that 1940s serial feel to it, making it stand out amongst the rest of THE AVENGERS related movies. Johnston gives the film a sense of authenticity while catering to modern motifs, pleasing both old school and modern audiences. In fact, while the film has that 40s/Indiana Jones vibe, it's also mixed with stuff from B-movies of the 1950s and 1960s. The visuals are interesting and quite entertaining to look at because of the mish-mash.

Johnston also brings style to the film. Slo-mo, montages, and exciting action pieces are all here, helped by great editing and beautiful cinematography by Shelly Johnson. I really dug Johnston's work on this, as I feel he was a great choice to direct Captain America's origin story due to his past work and style. Even though the idea of World War II is pretty heavy, he presents the subject matter in a fun, lighthearted sort of way. It's a great visual presentation by a man who's done some cool stuff in the past, but never really got his due until much leader. I really liked the tone, pacing, and atmosphere he injected into CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER.

- The special effects and make-up. Just brilliant stuff by the SFX and make-up teams on this film. The skinny, short version of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers is amazing. Did they put Evans' head on another body? Did they shrink Evans' actual body on a computer to create this effect? Whatever the case, it's just impressive as hell because it doesn't look fake at all. Just stunning stuff. Loved the Cosmic Cube and its power to turn people into dust. Simple, but cool effect. And the look of The Red Skull - just absolutely perfect. I really was expecting it to be sort of cheesy, like the Green Goblin in SPIDER-MAN. But I was definitely wrong. It's exactly how I would picture the villain appearing in a real world setting. Just great technical work on this film by the effects team. Stunning job.

- The origin story. Captain America, out of all the superheroes out there, probably has one of the easiest and more easy to identify with origins out there. Steve Rogers wants to help defend his country from Nazis, so he decides to take part in an experiment that will help him do that. And when he becomes Captain America, he never lets this power corrupt him. Instead, he uses it for good and for the love of his country. That isn't a hard thing to screw up and thankfully, writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely write a screenplay worthy of the character. The right characters are used and portrayed in the right way. The Red Skull is obviously the perfect first villain for Captain America, and he's used right. The characters are strong, their motivations have depth so they resonate until the final moments, and the events that needed to be taken from the comics are used to set up possible future events in later sequels [Bucky's death in particular]. The film does feel like multiple Captain America stories in one film [each act does feel like different films], but I feel Markus and McFeely tie them all in a cohesive package that flows well and builds to something important. I honestly don't think the origin could have been done better. I really dug the script, the action, and the dialogue in CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER.


MISSES
- Bucky/The ending/THE AVENGERS set up. While I understand why all three of these subplots are in the film [because they have to be], I kind of felt they could have been given more depth to matter more. Bucky, in particular, is an important character in the Captain America stories because he is Cap's right hand man who dies in battle - something Captain America has to deal with for the rest of his life [even when Bucky does eventually return in the comics]. Captain America feels responsible for not being able to save his best friend, which motivates him greatly in battle as he wants to protect innocents and his teammates from suffering the same fate. While the elements are in place, there aren't enough scenes between Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes in the film that really deepen their relationship. We know they're friends. We know that their roles switch in terms of their friendship as the film runs. We understand their camaraderie and know that it couldn't be an origin story without dealing with this aspect. All I wanted was more scenes between them, especially after Rogers officially becomes a Super-Soldier. There seemed to be a moment where Bucky is sort of envious and jealous of his best friend for becoming this larger-than-life hero, even though he's still as personable as ever. But it's never really explored. Maybe this is being saved for a sequel [I hope the Winter Soldier storyline is adapted for this reason alone], but it leaves a lot to be desired here. It's sad when Bucky dies and how it motivates Captain America, but it would have been stronger if their friendship was given more time to develop on screen.

As for the final act, it's a bit rushed. It should have been a great climatic battle between Captain America vs. The Red Skull - good vs. the ultimate evil. But the battle between the two characters doesn't really last long, making it not as satisfying as it ought to be. It doesn't help that The Red Skull, while in many scene stealing moments, isn't in the film more than he should be. And while there is a battle and it's shot well and paced well, it should have been so much more than it was.

I think the ending was cut short due to the whole THE AVENGERS set up in the film's final moments. Obviously this film exists for mainly that purpose alone and I'm not complaining about this "prologue" doing what it's functioned to do. But adding 10 extra minutes to let the flashback play out to a more fitting end, then doing the whole Steve Rogers waking up 70 years later to modern world he has trouble understanding, wouldn't have hurt the film much. I do like that the film ends on a bittersweet note, where you feel bad for Rogers for not getting the happy ending he was expecting. But I felt the final act begins to stumble because it's more focused on finishing the story to set up the next film. These three things aren't terrible and don't ruin the movie much, but they are flaws that I can't fail to address.


THE FINAL HOWL

After two failed attempts to give the character a live-action adaptation he deserved, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER gets it right and sets up two franchises that will be entertaining audiences for years to come. While it's not perfect, the movie is the second best prequel to THE AVENGERS after 2008's IRON MAN. Chris Evans and the rest of the cast are fantastic, the direction by Joe Johnston is great, the effects are incredible, and the story is strong for the most part. Captain America may have been frozen in a block of ice for 70 years, but he shouldn't be scared of the new world he's woken up to - especially when a film of this caliber is around. Can't wait for THE AVENGERS this weekend.


SCORE

3.5 Howls Outta 4