Captain America: The Winter Soldier*

Sure, of course. But there is a point where, if you're a film critic, the danger is that you're out of touch with what audiences like and what mainstream critics praise. Note that this is a charge that was sometimes leveled at critics like Rex Reed or even Roger Ebert, who would understandably say "just because 100 other critics like something doesn't mean it'd good."

But there are some major critics I follow mainly because their tastes dovetail very closely to mine. Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter is one of my go-to guys, and I think he has a good handle between understanding the artistic quality, the technical achievement, and the potential financial aspects of most studio films. McCarthy gave the film a near-rave:

Fortunately, the story develops some genuine intrigue; as in the best such yarns, it's hard to know who's really pulling the strings and who, other than the characters who wear costumes, is sincere and who might be up to no good. For sheer plotting and audience involvement, this is a notch above any of the other Avengers-feeding Marvel entries, the one that feels most like a real movie rather than a production line of ooh-and-ahh moments for fanboys.

That's very close to how I felt as well, and McCarthy is a guy with solid credentials and several decades of published film criticism.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movie/captain-america-winter-soldier/review/689435

 

Just got back from seeing this after finally watching Thor 2 on blu-ray. Enjoyed both very much but I think Thor 2 might be my favorite of all the Avengers films just nudging out the first Iron Man. Scarlett Johannson is still the best thing about all of these films IMO.

 

You're barking up Alda wrong trees in this thread!

Clint Barton disapproves.

 

Doh, I really disliked Thor 2, but I agree with you about ScarJo. Beautiful woman, very good actress.

 

I'm developing a visual aversion to Samuel Jackson, I almost can't stand him anymore.
I love Captain America, great movie.

 

I just told a friend of mine tonight that I thought Jackson's performance in the new Captain America was the best work I've ever seen him do. He's very much the co-star of this movie. So... I guess we disagree.

 

I wouldn't go so far as to call it the best work I've seen him do, but it's a surprisingly vulnerable version of the character from an actor who's specialized in cartoon versions of himself for a decade-plus now. Jackson has kind of been doing the De Niro thing lately, in other words, and believe it or not, Captain America is kind of like his Silver Linings Playbook/American Hustle.

 

Then I think you don't understand the character and aren't familiar with Cap comics. Ever since the early '70s, Cap has wound up in tales of political intrigue and fighting against elements of the US government. There's a very famous storyline in which the ultimate bad guy was revealed to be the President of the USA himself. And then there was the Marvel "Civil War" storyline of a decade or so ago.

Cap is the moral compass of the Marvel Universe. He's the one who stands up and says "What you're doing is wrong." That's why it makes dramatic sense to set him down against such dark plotting.

Everything in this new movie has roots in the Captain America and Avengers comics. All of it. It couldn't possibly be more true to the tone of the comics or the character of Captain America.

 

I'm sorry, I didn't mean in this movie, I haven't seen the movie yet. I'm just tired of seeing him in one of every 5 movies that come out. For me he's overexposed, I'm sick of looking at him, now he's doing commercials on TV too. There are plenty of other character actors
out there to chose from, they need to make a living too. Sam's got 100 million dollars...........geez.

 

I gotta say, I cringe when Mr. Jackson started doing the Capitol One credit card commercials... At least he didn't wear the floor-length leather coat and the eyepatch. I was hoping they'd bring Lawrence Fishbourne in and have him say, "hey! Give me back my Matrix jacket!"

 

He's even on PBS.

 

You made me laugh!

 

Kind of an inspired choice for the part too, seeing as this is sort of the comic book superhero version of Three Days of the Condor.

 

We went and saw it today, 3D at the new-ish Imax screen here (we've been waiting to go there until a film we really wanted to see was playing).

We both really liked the film a lot - usually I can come up with some nagging criticism (too long, or plot flaws etc) but this time I can't. Doesn't mean they're not there, but I liked it so much I don't care and that's a rarity for me.

 

I'm totally with you on this, I too think the Nick Fury talking car chase was the best action scene in the entire movie and there was actually a feeling danger and suspense. With so many super hero action scenes seeming so over the top, this tightly written intimate action scene was refreshing.

Makes me want to see a Nick Fury Agent of Shield film franchise start up!

 

Amusing observation: "Zola" gives Black Widow's birth date as being in 1984, and she later mentions having worked for the KGB. Well, seeing as the KGB was dissolved in 1991...wow, she must've been super incredible to have worked for the Soviet spy service as a preschooler!

 

KGB must stand for Kindergarten Girls Boarding school.

 

We obviously need a great Black Widow film to explain all of this.

Maybe we can recruit Tarantino to do it up all Kill Bill style...

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs (who truly is not joking...)

 

You only think the KGB was dissolved...

Note that the movie made another $41 million over the weekend, beating out competitor Rio 2, and is now sitting at $476 million after only two weeks at the worldwide box office. Not only are they already into profit, this is more money than the first movie made after months and months of screenings. It's a huge hit by any definition.

I'm always glad to see a decent film make a lotta money. What drives me crazy is when haaaaarible films make a lotta money. I'm already bracing myself for Transformers 4...

 

Yep, as already pointed out by Vidiot, that was a powerful scene.
Another fave of mine was the "elevator" fight; I think it's always difficult for filmakers to shoot and edit a well coreographed fight into a small space, and in these shaky camera times, the risk is to come out with just an unwatchable mess. But the Captain America team did it with gusto and - yes, I know it may sound over the top- I think it rivals the classic & legendary Red Grant/James Bond train fight on "From Russia with love". OK, the Captain has way more enemies and the superpowers but the scene doesn't convey the silliness of the Burly Brawl fight on "Matrix: reloaded". Imho.

 

I agree -- a superlative scene. I only guessed it was coming when the second group of thugs came in, right before Cap asked, "do any of you need to leave?" Great, great fight scene. And this is another example of a very often-filmed scene -- hero fighting against impossible odds -- done extremely well, still filled with surprises, plus it made dramatic sense. (Although ya gotta ask why they didn't just shoot him or gas him or something.)

BTW, that damn S.H.I.E.L.D. office building by the Potomac River in Washington was the best-looking fake-building I've seen in a movie in years, maybe ever. Beautiful design. Shame what happens...

 

That made me raise an eyebrow too, although I guess it was either that or pretend Scarlett's character is older than she is. But yeah, in all seriousness, the rationalization would seem to be that in the Marvel universe, the KGB was only ostensibly dissolved in 1991.