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Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Daniel's Review
The sequel to 2011’s ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ and the semi-sequel to 2012’s ‘The Avengers’, Captain America returns with his signature red, white, blue star shaped shield for another outing that is both exciting and suspenseful all at the same time, and that’s a big accomplishment.
‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ is set some time after the events of ‘The Avengers’ where Steve Rogers is trying to get use to the new era and century he is living in, but that causes problems as it makes Rogers lost in this world we live in, which has become almost alien to him. But there’s a bigger concern which will see Captain America to his weakness in this political world we live in.
‘The Winter Soldier’ is not your usual Marvel superhero film, as it is smartly assembled and brilliantly directed, this is nothing like ‘Iron Man’ or ‘Thor’. It’s part superhero genre, part spy thriller, part political drama, it works on every level as an exciting, action-packed instalment in the popular ‘Marvel Cinematic Universe’, otherwise known as ‘The Avengers’ universe.
As a huge fan of the first ‘Captain America’ movie, the sequel is thrilling, loads of suspense that stands tall over its predecessor. If you are not a fan of ‘Captain America’, you will love this film, if you are, you will love this film.
The sequel is a major build up and feels like a prequel to next year’s ‘Avengers 2’. For that alone, it is worth the price of admission.
Summing it all up, the sequel is smart, exciting and above all, the greatest Marvel film since ‘The Avengers’ in my opinion.
P.S. Stay at the end of the credits, there is something great at the end for next year’s ‘Avengers’.
Score: 10/10
Published: April 6th, 2014
Details
Review
Release Date: April 3rd, 2014
Studio: Marvel Studios, Disney
Runtime: 136 mins
Rated: M
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Nic's Review
It's been 6 years since 'Iron Man' kicked off one of the greatest blockbuster experiments in recent history, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe shows no signs of slowing down.
'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' is not only one of Marvel's best yet but is a deftly crafted film overall. Its greatest achievement is how fresh it feels; you've never seen a superhero film like this.
'The Winter Soldier' will leave you breathless, in true political thriller fashion, with twists and turns that will reverberate throughout the Marvel universe. Some of Marvel's recent efforts have struggled to define their villains, but the eponymous Winter Soldier is remarkably well-developed for a character that punches more than he talks. I'd go so far to say that he's the most likeable antagonist since Loki, as I was rooting for him as much as I was Cap.
Speaking of Steve Rogers, it's become clear by this film that his character's near faultless morality is an essential part of what makes these films work. We envy Steve's optimism and admire his unshakable altruism. Cap never changes but the world changes around Cap. In 'The Winter Soldier' this is shown through the growth of Black Widow, who really comes into her own as a three-dimensional character this time, and Nick Fury. New character, Falcon, is also a welcome addition whom I can't wait to see more of, while Robert Redford is commanding as Alexander Pierce, one of SHIELD's leading execs. It really is remarkable how balanced each character is, and it is a testament to the quality of the script and the Russos' impeccable direction that no one is shortchanged.
The action scenes are stunning and shot in such a fresh, cinematographic style that, although it may polarise some audiences, it adds to the unique feel of the film overall.
Finally, it serves as a spectacular prequel for next year's 'The Avengers: Age of Ultron'. If you weren't excited for that film before, you will be after seeing 'The Winter Soldier'. Stay for the credits to see something truly special. That being said, a high bar has now been set for all future Marvel films.
But for now, let's celebrate the cinematic triumph that is 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier'.
Mission accomplished, Marvel.
Well done.
Score: 9.5/10