Captain America: The Winter Soldier Review

You'd forgive me for being a little stunned at "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." Even four days after seeing this film, I'm still in awe of it. Captain America, that star-spangled Avenger from the '40s, produced one of the greatest superhero films in recent memory. That alone is kind of hard to grasp. I've read the amazing comic book arc by Ed Brubaker the film is based on. I knew the potential was there. But I didn't think it would translate to film THIS well. Yes, a lot of changes were made, but the core themes were kept intact.

But I'm not really here to talk about how well this translated a comic book. I'm here to comment on how good of a film this is. Despite the presence of superheroes, this feels like a straight up political thriller, just as "The Dark Knight" was a crime drama with a guy in a cape. This has to be one of the most meticulously plotted films in Marvel's film canon. I'd even say in terms of story, it's the most intelligent. And all that on top of being an action packed thrill ride and emotional character piece.

So why is it so good? Simply, it's that the film embraces how Steve would react to our modern society. He doesn't freak out over the advances in technology, or the changes in pop culture. No, what's so great is that Steve sticks to his black-and-white ideals in a world defined by shades of grey. He joins SHIELD thinking he's doing the right thing. But after an attempt on Nick Fury's life, Steve is told to trust no one, and a conspiracy involving a corrupted SHIELD comes to light. Steve goes rogue to uncover the conspiracy, but all the while his morals never waiver. It's a great set up, recalling the conspiracy thrillers of the '70s, and indeed the first half of the film is more this than a superhero movie. And it's all the better for it.

The action here is a lot grittier and more realistic than previous MCU films. Cap is fighting terrorists armed with grenades, knives and machine guns, not super Nazis or aliens with energy weapons. Those are all well and good, but the action here definitely cements the film in reality. Every action scene felt like something out of a Bourne film, at least until the climax, where the superhero element reasserts itself and the CG budget is on full display. But thankfully, the shift from gritty action movie and political thriller to high-flying superheroics is never jarring, unlike, say, the third act of "The Wolverine." It's all expertly staged and massively entertaining, with action that rivals that of "The Avengers" and the first "Iron Man."

But this is much more than just a solid action movie. The conspiracy elements make for an ingenious plot, wherein HYDRA reforms after WWII within SHIELD to shape the post-war political landscape. This culminates in Project Insight, the deployment of three remote controlled Helicarriers programmed to take out thousands of pre-determined threats to HYDRA.

The threats are predicted by an algorithm made by Arnim Zola, still alive thanks to his mind being uploaded into a computer. It's a nice compromise from his robotic body of the comics, and suitably creepy when Zola does show up. What's really creepy, however, is the parallels to our post 9/11 surveillance state, which the film is clearly a commentary on. It adds a degree of relevance to the film, giving it an extra layer to chew on amid all the superhero battles.

More than anything, this plot gives us a chance to really focus on the characters. At its heart, "The Winter Soldier" is a character piece. Steve's ideals are shown to be unshakable, even when the world around him isn't. His heartbreaking scene with an older Peggy tragically shows what he's lost to time. His fast but sincere friendship with Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon, shows how easily he can bond with others. His exchanges with Nick Fury and Black Widow put his ideals front and center, contrasting with the shifting Widow and paranoid Fury.

Both characters are given much more to work with here, as we learn more of their pasts and ideologies than ever before. Widow in particular has cemented herself as the MCU's strongest female character, clearly worthy of a solo film. Falcon is also a solid addition, bringing levity to an otherwise serious film. His wing suit led to some exhilarating action scenes, and his character is just so fun that it'd be a shame if he doesn't become an Avenger.

Steve's interactions with the villains are also fantastic. In addition to Zola, we get Batroc the Leaper, an origin for Crossbones, and Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce. He's a bit character in the comics, but here he's re-imagined as the head of both the World Security Council and HYDRA. Redford is fantastic, as befitting a living screen legend, since he actually makes HYDRA's goals seem admirable. Batroc and Crossbones have small roles, but are nonetheless memorable and square off in some of the film's best action scenes. Of course, they're just small potatoes compared to the titular villain. The one I've been anticipating since reading the comics and seeing the first film: The Winter Soldier.

Just as I thought, Bucky's fall in "The First Avenger" was a lead-in to him becoming the Soldier. It turns out Zola and HYDRA got to him, and are responsible for his brainwashing and subsequent assassination missions throughout the century. Sebastian Stan is perfect in the role. The Winter Soldier is a complete badass, squaring off with Steve in some absolutely brutal fight scenes.

What Stan really nailed with Bucky though, was his reluctance to fight Steve once his memories began returning. You could see the hesitance in him, the lingering doubt that he once knew the man he's been ordered to kill. Bucky pulls all this off with facial expressions alone, showing the anguish he's going through. A well-placed flashback helps cement the bond Bucky and Steve once shared, so Steve's reaction and subsequent attempts to save his friend feel genuine. The twist has the impact it should, even if comic fans like me called it from a mile away.

If there is any real flaw in the film, it's that for one of the title characters, Bucky shows up very little. He's in four action scenes spread throughout the film, but since the revelation comes towards the end, Bucky's redemption is sidelined in favor of the larger HYDRA plot. It feels more like a subplot rather than the main plot, which would have made the film even more personal if given more focus. However, Cap's final confrontation with Bucky does serve as a thrilling climax, so it's still given the emphasis it needs to work.

Since Bucky's story is open-ended, along with the fate of numerous SHIELD agents now out of a job, the story does end on somewhat of a cliffhanger. But while this helps set up both "Avengers 2" and "Captain America 3", the story here does have an air of completeness to it. Cap helped bring down the corrupt SHIELD, Alexander Pierce is dead, and Cap and Falcon have a new mission. There's the sense of both an ending and a new beginning, so ultimately the film has a standalone quality to it. Unlike the glorified filler episode that was "Iron Man 2", this film's events have actual weight to them. And unlike the super standalone "Iron Man 3", this film doesn't exist in a bubble.

What happens here will have huge ramifications for the MCU. When the Avengers reunite for "Age of Ultron", they won't have SHIELD backing them. When future solo films come out, we won't have to wonder about why SHIELD isn't interfering. But those aren't the only ramifications. One of the end credits scenes confirmed Bucky remembers who he is. That's great for "Cap 3" and all, but the other scene sets up something far more interesting.

HYDRA is still alive, now run by Baron Von Strucker. A villain who happens to posses both Loki's staff, and Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. The scene was a great reveal for the Twins and an awesome "Ultron" set-up, but what I really loved was what it implies for future films. We are now in the "Age of Miracles", as Strucker puts it. SHIELD is dead, and superhumans are becoming more and more common.

The true miracle, though, is how amazing this film turned out to be. Equal parts action movie, conspiracy thriller, superhero spectacle, and character drama, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is an exceptional entry in the Marvel canon. Not only does it out-do its predecessor, but it's easily the best Phase II film so far. I'd tie it with the first "Iron Man" and "The Avengers" as my favorite of the Marvel films, easily above everything else. It's not an exaggeration; this film is THAT good.

I may have subjected every MCU film to my meticulous reviewing, but there's still one aspect I haven't covered. Tomorrow I shall review "Agents of SHIELD", plus the more recent One Shots, to see their effect on this growing universe. Until then, I can rest easy knowing the MCU is in great hands. The good Captain made sure of that.