DISMANTLING A WORLD WITH “THE WINTER SOLDIER”
by Maxwell Meyers
Left: Chris Evans returns as Cap
So let me say this right up front—Captain America is my FAVORITE superhero, from either Marvel or DC. Thus, when I was asked to give this review, I feared I might be a little biased. Luckily for me, at midnight last Thursday I had the wonderful privilege of seeing Cap's new adventure and at the end, there was this huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Why? Because I now knew that the movie was so wonderful that I wouldn't haveto be biased. Suffice to say that if you are a fan of superhero films, Marvel movies, older political thrillers, or all three, then you are in for a treat. “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” has elements of all of those and could very well be the best film of the year so far.
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo and written
by Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus, the movie brings us to present-day
Washington, D.C., where we are reintroduced to Cap (Chris Evans), a World War
II superhero frozen in ice for seventy years. In the first “Captain America”
film, we saw him awakened and shocked to find himself in the twenty-first
century. Yet in “The Winter Soldier,” he is almost fully adjusted to the world
that he now exists in, thanks to his awareness of the internet and his useful
list of things to catch up on (including “Star Trek,” “Star Wars,” and the
music of Marvin Gaye).
From here on out, I will be as spoiler-free
as humanly possible. The basic plot of this film involves Cap attempting to
pick up his life as a soldier by working for the secret agency S.H.I.E.L.D.
alongside the rubber-moralized agent Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). Yet Cap
finds something suspicious about the way S.H.I.E.LD. director Nick Fury (Samuel
L. Jackson) operates behind half truths and the
"compartmentalization" of information. These policies conflict with
the straight-and-narrow Cap’s moral compass, even as his battles with the
Winter Soldier of title (a mysterious and masked assassin) lead him closer
towards a larger conspiracy within S.H.I.E.L.D.
Needless to say, this is a huge plot laid out
in front of us, and “The Winter Soldier” does so well with all the characters
on hand. There are four major players (Cap, Black Window, Fury, and the Winter
Soldier), as well as four new ones to deal with (most notably, Anthony Mackie’s
new-to-the-game hero The Falcon and Robert Redford’s sinister and secretive
schemer Alexander Pierce). Yet the film does an amazing job balancing the
characters’ screen time—not only does it give you an in-depth look at Black
Widow and Nick Fury in addition to Cap, but it wets your appetite for more.
Equally masterful are the film’s behind the
scenes personnel. I certainly noticed the spectacular score by Henry Jackman,
which does what I believe all scores should do—it is there without being there,
elegantly accenting every scene (I love listening to it on its own). And, just
like the music, the direction by the Russo bros. is impeccable. They take a
terrific story with so many moving pieces (including memory loss, secret evils,
and subterfuge) and blend them expertly. As a result, while watching the film I
never felt lost or bewildered...until they wanted me to be.
Which brings me to my final point (which
requires me to dabble lightly in spoiler territory for a moment, so bear with
me). Going into “The Winter Soldier,” you might think you have a handle on what
is going to happen. But then, just as you figure out what could be in store for
Cap and the other Marvel heroes, it all crumbles in your hand. This film literally
changes the entire Marvel universe in every way—all of the worlds created by
the studio are affected by it. Thus, the expected end credits sequence (which
sets up Cap’s next adventure) sits like a decadent cherry atop the most
glorious red, white, and blue sundae. If you don't know by now to not exit the
ride until they turn the lights back on in the theater, woe be unto you and you
don't know how much you are missing out on.
I honestly have nothing but good things to
say about the film. I’ll admit that it’s a little heavy-handed in dropping
hints to the Winter Soldier’s identity, but the overall secrets and revelations
of the movie are so compelling that I’m happy to give it a pass. This is, after
all, not just the most impressive Cap film, but the most impressive Marvel film
to date—a picture that was satisfying and left me with truly compelling
questions. The best news? That Marvel has already signed Mr. McFeely, Mr.
Markus, and the Russo bros. for “Captain America 3,” which will be squaring off
against the untitled Batman/Superman film in 2016.
In conclusion, “Captain America: The Winter
Soldier”gets a solid A. Go see this film ASAP!!!
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