Well, Randomites, it’s summer again. That time of the year were everything is bright, sunny and alive and all anyone can talk about is how hot it is and how sweaty their sacks are. While most of us are content to hide in our homes with the AC blasting, eating Spaghettios while watching Spongebob with no pants on (…really? Just me?), Hollywood realizes that summer is the perfect time to release their big budget blockbusters, usually chock full of heroes, explosions, boobs and exploding boobs. Hollywood knows that people love these sorts of movies. Hell, look at everything Michael Bay has ever done.
So, with this knowledge in mind, Hollywood has brought us, the sweaty masses, “Captain America: The First Avenger”, a movie so full of explosions, sweet action scenes and good old fashioned Nazi beatdowns that you can’t help but love it. Seriously, people. This movie just screams “AAAMMMUUURRRIIIKKAA” at the top of its lungs and I’ll be damned if I didn’t enjoy the hell out of it.
Now, before we go any further, I have to drop my usual warning that I’m a comic book nerd and that I, like my neck-bearded brothers in arms across the world, was extremely worried about how this movie would turn out. Captain America is one of the single most important characters to ever exist in the Marvel universe and making his story terrible or hokey would have released the rage of thousands of basement dwellers nationwide. Along with all this comes the fact that this movie sets the tone and the stage for the upcoming “The Avengers” movie (more on that later), so it had to be good or no one would have faith in next summer’s predicted blockbuster. Thankfully, “Captain America: The First Avenger” doesn’t disappoint.
“Captain America: The First Avenger” (I’m getting really tired of typing that title) is the story of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), a scrawny, asthmatic weakling with the bone structure of a sick pigeon who wants nothing more than to join the military and serve his country, despite the fact that the military has rejected him 5 separate times. While attempting to falsify his paperwork (again), Rogers meets Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci), a German born scientist who’s developing a super soldier program for the American military. Rogers is chosen and, after becoming the strongest soldier in the military, he’s tasked with stopping the Nazi science division, Hydra, and its leader, Johann Schmidt/Red Skull (Hugo Weaving), Erskine’s first super soldier and a man who has discovered a source of incredible Asgardian power that he intends to use to destroy and remake the world under his rule.
Let’s start off with Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America. I know that no one wants to remember the two Fantastic Four films that have been released. Both films were celluloid abortions and, besides being awful and terribly directed, the Fantastic Four films didn’t quite capture the essence of the team or who they were, except for Chris Evans, who played Johnny Storm/The Human Torch. Storm, in the comic books, is a smart ass who spends more time fooling around and having fun than being serious and Evans was great in the role, making Storm funny and likeable. This worried me, since Steve Rogers isn’t a jokester or a goof, but Evans proved me wrong. He plays Rogers as a serious man who wants nothing more than to fight for and serve his country, win the war and save the world. He’s quiet, respectful and intelligent and it makes his portrayal of Captain America great and watching him stomp on Nazis is great fun.
Hugo Weaving, another favorite of mine, does a fine job playing the films villain, Johann Schmidt/The Red Skull. Weaving usually spends his films chewing the scenery and he doesn’t disappoint here, though I did keep expecting him to put on a pair of sunglasses and say “Hello, Mr. Anderson”…but I think we all do that. While Weaving is a great actor, his portrayal of the Red Skull isn’t his best. His accent slips here and there and he never seems to truly inhabit the role, though watching him sneer, threaten and kill people through his heavily made-up Red Skull outfit was a treat.
I only really had a few small issues with the movie. While plenty of things were changed from the comic books to make the movie more understandable and simpler, such as the origin of the Cosmic Cube, some things rubbed me the wrong way. Captain America is famous in the comics for disliking guns and never killing people, preferring to beat his enemies to bloody, quivering pulps with his fists and shield. In the film he carries a pistol and kills henchmen in entertaining and inventive methods. This move is understandable, as placing a character in a modern American film who dislikes guns is not a great idea (second amendment, whoot!) There were also small changes in characters and events, but this is still the angry comic book nerd in me, raging beneath the surface, demanding perfection and bitching about things that don’t really matter.
Overall, this is another film to add to Marvel’s massive library (30+ movies and steadily rising…they’re building an empire!) and probably one of the best yet. It’s smart, fast paced, action packed and trimmed with just enough cheesiness and comedy that it doesn’t fall flat and keeps the audience entertained. Go see it and have fun, Randomites. Also, be sure you stay after the credits for a treat that will have fan boys filling their tighty whities for months to come.
3.5 of 5 Smilin' Abes
Review written by Angry Movie Nerd
Writer, Editor, Nerd and Head Pancake Batter Mixer
Writer, Editor, Nerd and Head Pancake Batter Mixer
POST-CREDITS SPOILER ALERT
Marvel loves doing their post-credts scenes. These little teasers usually show a small clip or quick tie-in to another film, but “Captain America: The First Avenger” plays it differently by offering up the trailer for next summer’s “The Avengers”. Several very low quality versions exist online and, while it’s cool to see, it doesn’t beat sitting in the theater and seeing it up close. I, for one, can barely contain my excitement. Now nerds across the country have one year to prepare for what could be the greatest Marvel film of them all or a smoldering, steaming pile of shit. It may only be a minute long and it doesn’t give away any plot or real story, but it’s awesome. Stay for it, people. You’ll be happy you did.
On another note, who wants to start taking bets over who will win next summers Comic Company Film Face Off? Remember, “The Dark Knight Rises” and “The Avengers” will be released somewhat close together. Goddamn… the summer of 2012 is going to be awesome. Until next time, Randomites.
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