Captain America: The Winter Soldier Review

If the MCU was our Solar System, Thor: The Dark World would be Saturn. Guardians of the Galaxy would probably be Pluto (yes I’m old enough to count Pluto). Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the Sun.

The events of this movie will have far reaching consequences that will change the course of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s a game changer. It’s also the best Marvel film.

Part spy film and part thriller with a hefty dose of comic book mixed in. A true sequel to both The First Avenger and The Avengers that juggles the past and the future extremely well.

With his action figure physique and earnest (yet far less naive) attitude Chris Evans fits the character extremely well. This is a story full of deception and intrigue, which works to further enhance Captain America’s virtuous nature. His questioning of Nick Fury and SHIELD’S methods mirrors our world, lending the film extra weight. The good guys aren’t always good guys.

It’s always good to see Black Widow, and the relationship between the two is a large part of the films’ success. Whilst Rogers encourages Romanoff to live a more truthful life she is a constant reminder that the world is shades of grey. Through their partnership we discover a little more of Natasha’s history too. While I don’t miss the other Avengers, it does feel as though Hawkeye and his power set could have fitted in well, though that would have made things perhaps too busy?

Newcomer Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) not only provides another set of ridiculous arms (seriously, if you have body issues this is not the film for you), but also mental support. His understanding and fancy kit are of massive benefit to Rogers throughout the film. Mackie shares similarly strong chemistry to Evans as Johansson, with them making quite the trio.  A lot of the remaining cast we’ve met, and it’s very cool to see these characters popping in and out of films, whilst you’ll also spot a few famous faces appearing in supporting roles. It’s de rigueur to be in Superhero film now don’t you know.

Action scenes make great use of the Captain’s signature shield (lovely thunk noises), and they’ve clearly sent him to a few martial arts classes too. We really get to see how someone with these abilities would interact with the world, crashing through doors and jumping from heights that would shatter a normal person.

Not only is the action great, but the story covers a lot of ground without ever feeling rushed. The sheer amount of characters could easily have lead to a pile up. But for the most part everyone is fleshed out as well as they need to be. There is even time to sow a few seeds for the future.

One of my struggles with comic book films is the lack of surprise from having knowledge of the source material. But The Winter Solider constantly kept on my toes. Alongside the sheer amount of exciting Easter eggs this is Marvel at their best.

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