Every time I walk into the cinema to see the latest instalment from the Marvel Cinematic Universe I think there is no way that this film is going to live up to the standard created by the last one. So far I have been wrong every single time (with the exception of Iron Man 2, which wasn’t even that bad). But of all of phase two Captain America: The Winter Soldier was the film I was looking forward to the most because the Cinematic Universe has turned me into a total Captain America convert in a way I never was before.
This review is mostly spoiler free but something might slip through so watch out.
Let’s just get this out of the way shall we because I REALLY LOVED THIS MOVIE. Like a lot. A lot a lot. I want to wine and dine and make an honest man out of this movie. Now I’ll admit that enjoyment comes with a certain amount of bias because I am heavily invested in both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Steve Rogers as a character. Not to mention this movie features two prominent Marvel ladies (Black Widow and Maria Hill), which is something I just can’t get enough of (where’s the Carol Danvers movie already?).
If you’re not a fan of superhero movies then The Winter Soldier is not going to convert you. Not that it wasn’t brilliant, because it was AMAZING, but it was an action packed, hero (or in this cast heroic team) driven movie with FANTASTIC fight sequences and oodles of angst. It’s just everything I wanted out of this movie - and that’s a big deal because I wanted A LOT out of this movie.
The first thing to say about this film is that the action sequences are phenomenal. I have a stupidly short attention span when it comes to fight scenes - I care about characters I can only watch two people do unnecessary acrobatics at each other for a seriously short amount of time. I’m talking goldfish. But I was not bored once in The Winter Soldier - and considering at least 75% of this film is fighting that’s saying something. I was also blown away by how different the choreography was in this film compared to the Iron Man and Thor franchises. It was so, human, which is strange considering it involves someone superhuman.
And can we talk about Black Widow? Because she stole the show again. I knew her friendship with Steve was going to be amazing and I was right. I would just watch a whole film of their sarcastic banter (especially when it’s happening throughout one of the epic fight sequences). It’s so easy to forget that she doesn’t have Steve's super-human advantages because she holds her own next to him and I am forever loving the way her moral ambiguity is evolving every time she appears in a film. I desperately need her to have a solo film so that they can explore that more because there is nothing I love more than when I character who has done a lot of bad things has to deal with righteous good guys.
Really though, despite it’s name Captain America: The Winter Soldier is as much Natasha’s movie as it is Steve's. This is a true “team” movie, even more so than The Avengers. And the addition of Sam Wilson rounds off, what is definitely my favorite cinematic hero teams. Forget the fight sequences I would watch an entire movie about Natasha and Sam trying to help Steve adjust to 21st Century life.
I’m going to assume that everyone knows who the Winter Soldier is and say that the reveal within the film is played brilliantly. Because it’s not about our shock, it’s about Steve’s. For those of you that are expecting pain - you will not be disappointed, I was up all night screaming into the wind about it. (Don’t forget to stick around until the end of the rolling credits because that scene will fuel your feels until the next film).
There is just so much to talk about this film - not in the least the impact it will have on future Marvel movies and of course Agents of SHIELD. But I will save that discussion for a later date. For right now I will just tell you to fork up the cash and go see Captain America: The Winter Soldier at the cinema. It’s definitely worth it.
