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USA 2014
Directed by
Joe Russo / Anthony Russo
136 minutes
Rated M

Reviewed by
Andrew Lee
4 stars

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Synopsis: Captain America (Chris Evans) finds himself on the run and questioning everything he believes in as a conspiracy engulfs SHIELD. 

The presence of Robert Redford, the sort of actor you expect in a political thriller, not a comic book action blockbuster, playing the chairman of SHIELD, Alexander Pierce, clues you in early that this is going to be a slightly different sort of superhero film to normal. And sure enough, while there’s plenty of action, this sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger, is far more of a political thriller than you’d expect given the output to-date from Marvel Studios. Big popcorn action films, sure, but subtext and political commentary? Magically, this film manages to blend both without appearing to struggle.

Character relationships are established quickly but organically, with Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson developing an easy chemistry with the Cap inside of a minute and never giving you pause to question it. There’s an art to quickly sketching characters and relationships, and the Russos demonstrate a deft hand at it. There’s also Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury in the mix, and both have already established themselves as reliable actors within the universe these films inhabit.

The plot is a twisting but intelligent commentary on fear and totalitarianism, quietly making its points without ever preaching. There are only a few moments where you question the logic of the situation, and that’s mainly because it’s damn obvious to everyone that killing off certain characters is so unlikely that you wonder why they’d attempt the deceit in the first place. After Agent Coulson (played by Clark Gregg) was killed in The Avengers, only to resurface as the lead in the Agents of SHIELD television series, you’d think they’d be past trying to put one over their fictional enemies the audience. Still, an alternate plot would have meant multiple characters on the run, complicating the narrative. It irritates a little, but I can see why it was done.

What’s also impressive is the way the thriller gives way to an enormous action setpiece without changing gears. One logically flows into the other, the revelations uncovered in the thriller component requiring the outsized heroics of the third act. Even from a purely structural level, this is an impressive piece of film-making, let alone the fact it’s hugely entertaining and smart. It’s big and brash like you’d expect a comic book movie to be, but it reminds you that the comics it comes from can also be quite thoughtful and intelligent reflections on the world outside.

 

 

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