By Rick Tetrault, Host of Starbase 66
A few years back the X-Men movies proved that comic book movies could be fun, good, and deadly serious. But the problem with that deadly seriousness was that when the inevitable melodramatic moments came along, they seemed very out of place. Comments about yellow Spandex aside this has been a problem with the genre, the producers go out of their way to create a very realistic world where we have to struggle to accept the very unrealistic heroes. Well, Marvel has finally figured out the right balance of realism and melodrama with their Avengers films, and the best example of this to date is Captain America. I’ll admit I dared to hope that this film would be, at least, fun, and I was not disappointed.
We follow Steve Rogers, a scrawny, weak man who wants nothing more than to join the US Army to fight the Nazis. He is turned down over and over until Dr. Abraham Erskine, played with a beautiful, understated intensity by Stanley Tucci, convinces him to volunteer for his super-soldier project. Chris Evans does a great job as the weakling Rogers, and the CGI magic that made him seem half the man he used to be is brilliant. Of course, if you’ve seen the trailer you know that the process works, and Rogers becomes the extremely buff and lawful good Captain America. I shan’t spoil what happens next, but there are laughs, tears, and more action than you can shake a mighty shield at. The pacing of the film is fast, and the editing tight, and the CGI is both artistic and unobtrusive. This isn’t exactly going to rewrite the paradigm of the modern hero, but it does avoid the unwilling savior trope quite deftly. Cap never doubts his position, nor his duty, and I found that refreshing.
Hugo Weaving’s turn as the Red Skull is deliciously evil. Weaving’s almost Wagnerian portrayal of the only man more twisted than Hitler simmers with barely contained insanity, yet is remarkably subtle at times. I will definitely watch this again if only for his performance.
The story is simple enough, and there will be times when you just have to remind yourself that this is based on a comic book, and not Saving Private Ryan, but it won’t put too much of a strain on your willing suspension of disbelief muscles because you’ll be having too much fun to think about it. And for those of you outside of the US who are worried that you will be forced to endure a two-hour dose of ‘America…fuck yeah!’ you need not fret. Aside from some rather comical scenes just after Cap’s transformation, this is very much a story of the Allies, not just the US. The only misstep in Captain America is the score. There are a few times that the triumphant, Sousa-esque crescendos overpower rather than underscore the action, but this is a very minor quibble. Like Thor and Iron Man, there probably won’t be any Oscar nods for Captain America: The First Avenger, but also like Thor and Iron Man it’s one hell of a ride. I’d give it a solid 3.5 out of 5. (oh, one other thing, I saw it in 2D, so I don’t know if the 3D was worth it or not)
Oh, and make sure you stay after the credits. You won’t be sorry.
