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May 22, 2018gord_ma rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Or the one where the red and the white and the blue came through.  If I could nominate one film as the best MCU film released before [The Avengers], it must be [Captain America: The First Avenger].  [Captain America: The First Avenger] is a mild retrofuturist war film directed by a veteran of them, Joe Johnston, known for period films with special effects, i.e., The Rocketeer, with a fittingly soaring score by Alan Silvestri. [Captain America] is that patriotic World War 2 tear-jerker you’ve been waiting for since [The Pacific] ended and then you saw Michael Bay’s [Pearl Harbor], thinking that you’d give it a chance, but now you need a neuralyzer from [Men in Black] to restore your faith in films.  This not to be confused with the low-budget and bizarre 1990 [Captain America] that I must’ve rented a dozen times as a kid.  [Captain America: The First Avenger] is a fairly linear introduction to Steve Rogers/Captain America, the heart and soul of the Marvel Comics’ superhero team, the Avengers. The film has good special effects, a decent to good score, decent to good script and dialogue, and above-average acting. Cinematography was very nice. Stand out performances: Hugo Weaving as the bombastic Johann Schmidt/Red Skull, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, Stanley Tucci as Dr. Erskine. Good performances: Tommy Lee Jones as Chester Phillips and Toby Jones as Dr. Zola.  But what is true heroism? In an age where people barely have enough willpower to do more than break up over text or perform “ghosting,” [Captain America: The First Avenger] would like us to know the score. This film wants us to know what true heroism is, along with what “real” food is—all boiled. Sure, the hero has a spangly costume, but this film knows that true heroism comes not from flag waving or bond drives but from character and selfless sacrifice.  Indeed, Steve Rogers, an emaciated, poor kid from Brooklyn will put his life on the line for a chance to join the army, to fight the good fight, in the hour of greatest need. And Rogers will lose everything, everyone he loves, everything he cherishes, and even his entire world to foil the Red Skull’s plans to conquer the world with the power of the gods.   “On your left.”   MCU Introductions: Steve Rogers “Captain America” (Chris Evans), Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), young Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper), “Bucky” Barnes (Sebastian Stan).   MCU Minor Cast Additions: Johann Schmidt “Red Skull” (Hugo Weaving), Dr. Zola (Toby Jones), Dr. Erskine (Stanley Tucci), Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones), “Dum Dum” Dugan (Neal McDonough), Jim Morita (Kenneth Choi).   “On your left.”   Marvel Moments:  #16 – “I can do this all day.”  #17 – “I don’t like bullies. I don’t care where they’re from.”  #18 – Capture the Flag  #19 – “Not a perfect soldier, but a good man.”  #20 – Project Rebirth  #21 – “Then how come you’re running?”  #22 – Not standard issue  #23 – The Howling Commandos  #24 – The Valkyrie  #25 – “Nothing. I’m just a kid from Brooklyn.”  #26 – Power of the Gods  #27 – Next Saturday  #28 – “I had a date.”