“CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER”
Based upon the Marvel Comics series created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby
Screenplay Written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Directed by Joe Johnston
*** ½ (three and a half stars)
With all due respect to Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, all of the members of the Justice League of America and the remainder of the roster at DC Comics, I have always been more emotionally tied to the heroes and heroines of the Marvel Comics line. In my review of Director Mike Mills’ terrific “Beginners,” I wrote about how, for whatever reason, I am a typically a more melancholic person. Within the Marvel universe, melancholy seems to be the descriptive emotion that runs through nearly all of their titles and that particular substantive weight spoke to me on a deeper level than their DC Comics counterparts. Bruce Banner’s repressed rage, Tony Stark’s alcoholism, Peter Parker’s teen angst and all of psychological underpinnings contained within the team members of The Avengers, The Fantastic Four and especially, The X-Men all supplied the wonderland acts of daring-do with profound gravity that somehow made these costumes characters relatable through their humanity.
With the second Marvel Comics themed film release this summer, Director Joe Johnston scores highly with “Captain America: The First Avenger,” his interpretation of the red, white and blue costumed hero. Like Kenneth Branagh’s terrific “Thor,” released just two months ago, Johnston has wondrously presented an unapologetically old-fashioned epic that eschews any and all stabs at 21st century irony and hipster cool and even wears its earnest and knowingly corny story as proudly as if it were wrapped in the American flag itself. During what has got to be the best summer I’ve had at the movies in many, many years, “Captain America: The First Avenger” is another terrific piece of entertainment fueled by strong performances, perfect casting, an excellent and fully dimensioned screenplay and a visual palate that splendidly evokes every vintage World War II poster and newsreel image you have ever seen. I had a great time and I think you will as well.
Set in 1942 during the height of World War II, Chris Evans stars as Steve Rogers, a puny, sickly young man from Brooklyn who desperately wants the opportunity to stand up and fight for his country yet due to his scrawny size and questionable health, he has been turned down by the United States Army five times in a row. But, you can never count a good man like Steve Rogers down and out for the count as his tremendous persistence fuels his unshakable willingness to try, try and try again, especially after his best friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) enlists and is shipped off to England for his tour of duty against the Nazis.
While attending a Modern Marvels of Tomorrow exhibition, Steve slips quietly into yet another United States Army recruiting center and catches the eye of expatriate German Scientist Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci), confidant and colleague of a certain Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper). Erskine, in collaboration with the United States government's Strategic Scientific Reserve, is in the throes of developing a “super solider” experiment under the command of Colonel Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones) and officer Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). After meeting Rogers and seeing his pureness of heart combined with his physical frailty, Erskine realizes that he has found his perfect test subject for his super serum which is fully realized as Rogers soon emerges taller, fuller, brawnier and in full fighting form to take on the Nazis.
Meanwhile in Norway, Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving), the leader of Adolf Hitler’s science division HYDRA, has discovered and stolen a tesseract (a mythical object that once belonged to Thor’s Father Odin). He, along with Nazi scientist Dr. Arnim Zola (Toby Jones), hopes to harness its power for the creation of super technological weaponry and eventual world domination. Schmidt, donning himself “The Red Skull,” has also developed his own and unperfected super serum, which has begun to consume him with the demonic side effects that fuels his maniacal hunger for ultimate power, even thirsting to eclipse Hitler himself.
Back in the states, Rogers is rejected for duty by the skeptical Colonel Phillips, despite his single-handed pursuit of a Nazi spy and rescue of a small child to boot. Rogers is then recruited by the government to serve as a spokesman for a War Bonds tour as the costumed “Captain America,” in full red, white and blue regalia and trusty shield as his weapon of choice. While on a scheduled tour stop in Italy to entertain the troops, Rogers learns of the missing status of his best friend Bucky Barnes and nearly 400 additional soldiers. Desiring to save his friend and fellow soldiers, Rogers, with the aid of Peggy Carter and Howard Stark, descends behind enemy lines in an apparent suicide rescue mission. From here, Captain America the superhero is born and his collision course with his arch nemesis the Red Skull will soon reach its zenith!
From top to bottom, “Captain America: The First Avenger” is rock solid entertainment that stands firmly on its own creative feet while also fitting in snugly with Branagh's “Thor,” Louis Leterrier's “The Incredible Hulk” (2008) and both of Jon Favreau’s “Iron Man” (2008/2010) entries as this film is the next connective puzzle piece to Writer/Director Joss Wheadon’s “The Avengers,” which arrives next year.
Director Joe Johnston is the perfect choice as he has explored our historical period between the 1930’s-1950’s twice before with the superhero film “The Rocketeer” (1991) and the period drama “October Sky” (1999). Like Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” (2009), Johnston is clearly having a blast with the revisionist war history yet he is also respectful and reverential to the time period and the realities of World War II. And I particularly appreciated his inclusion of the ethnically diverse squadron of Captain America’s helpful commandos so as not to make this fleet of World War II cinematic soldiers as lily white as they are usually depicted.
The visual look of the film is flat out gorgeous, with its 1940’s sepia tone and visual CGI effects that are remarkably seamless, especially with the depiction of Steve Rogers' 90 pound weakling physique and transformation into Captain America’s boulder shoulders and broad chest. All of the battle sequences and fight choreography are presented with clean and visceral elegance—no dreaded shaky cams allowed! And there were also several moments during the film opening sequences featuring the Red Skull that reminded me tremendously of no less than Steven Spielberg’s “Raiders Of The Lost Ark” (1981) with its sights of Nazis pursuing objects of religious or occult significance solely for the purpose of the subjugation of the world.
All of the performances are pitch perfect and never strike a false note. Tommy Lee Jones. Hugo Weaving and Stanley Tucci in particular are all terrific as they continuously found new notes to play in all too familiar characters. Hayley Atwell is appropriately officious and seductively curvaceous as the military love interest for Steve Rogers. I enjoyed very much how she was never presented for a moment as the "damsel in distress" as she carried crisp authority, is more than handy with a pistol and ready for action if need be.
Thankfully, “Captain America: The First Avenger” is decidedly not a jingoistic exercise in ponderously patriotic flag waving, something that would have made me run for the theater exits rapidly. What Johnston has chosen to emphasize through this particular superhero is his overall goodness. Steve Rogers is simply a good, honest man who solely wants to do right by his friends, his comrades, the woman he loves and his country. No more. No less. And that’s good enough for me. That's why for me, the biggest surprise of this film was how much I enjoyed the performance of Chris Evans, an actor that I never felt to be much of an actor but this role fits him like the proverbial glove.
On the surface and at his core, Steve Rogers is forthright, steadfast, honorable, virtuous and yes…virginal. Aside from being chemically enhanced to a tremendous degree, he is the definition of purity. Chris Evans, in a performance of great sensitivity, accomplishes the very feat that makes the best of these superhero films work so well. Evans finds the humanity behind the costume and the cardboard cut-out heroics and attributes. At all times in the film, Evans is playing Steve Rogers and so that is whom we care about. We want Steve Rogers to succeed because he wants to succeed so badly. Not for himself but for the betterment of others. Yet it is the film’s final and stellar line of dialogue that cemented the character as a uniquely Marvel Comics character as it beautifully nailed the melancholy that is the Marvel Comics trademark. It is a small moment but a sad one that concludes the film with longing, yearning, wistfulness and disappointment.
And still, there is a world to save from all manner of tyranny and rest assured that Captain America will be there carrying his mighty red, white and blue shield with the slick boomerang responsiveness. In the real world, where you and I go to the movies, I thank the cinematic heroics of Joe Johnston, his screenwriters, actors and entire crew for creating a top-notch comic book film. “Captain America: The First Avenger” is not a great film like Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" (2008) but it is a handsomely mounted and enormously entertaining one. Its quality is so strong that I think it will only assist in maintaining and strengthening a genre that typically receives very little respect and that also runs the risk of losing its luster due to over saturation.
As a final note dear readers, I must inform you to please remain seated throughout ALL of the film’s ending credits and you will see the first trailer for “The Avengers.” I am already anxious to purchase a ticket!!
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