Captain America: The First Avenger

[Crusader]

What aDIM said 4/10

[jb007]

I loved the movie. The movie has an endearing quality augmented by a fine performance from Chris Evans. It is old-fashioned and entertaining.

A

[BK007]

Captain America's first half is as strong as any movie. Wonderful production value, just a lovely world to get into.Then, stupid re-writing of World War 2, most retarded action montage yet of battle winning, ludicrous villain, whored out ending and poor CA sinks without a trace. I really like Chris Evans too.If only they weren't constrained. I'd love to see another CA with Evans but only in a period setting.

[acsc1312]

I don't think I ever reviewed this here. I think I wanted to like it more than I actually did, but I did think it was a pretty good movie overall. Some of it just dragged a bit.B+

[Blankments]

I know there's a lot of dissenting opinions on this movie, but I really like it. It's my favorite of the pre-Avengers MCU movies, and a lot of that goes to the fun, pulpy tone, and great performances by Weaving, Atwell, and Evans. Tommy Lee Jones and Stanley Tucci were good as well. I also really liked the action in this movie. My second favorite movie of 2011, I give it an A+.

[Orestes]

I rank the movie somewhere in the B+ to A- range. The movie loses its footing just a lil after Cap rescues the Howling Commandos from that factory, and doesn't really steady itself until he gets aboard Red Skull's bomber.

[DAR]

Loved it A

[Squaremaster316]

Ralph Waldo Emerson once stated that life was a journey, not a destination.

One could only wish that Jumanji director Joe Johnston would have taken that timeless quote to heart when directing the final installment of the Avengers' prequels.

Instead, he opts to give us a film that was about as winding of a journey as a trip to the mailbox.

Steve Rogers' journey from frail young man to, well, strong young man, presents us with the tale of one of the most one-dimensional, uninteresting protagonists in recent memory, as any amount of internal conflict or struggle is tossed to the wayside from virtually the opening frame. The only thing in the film that has any substantial development is the titular character's muscular frame.

Along with Evans of lackluster supporting cast, including Hayley Atwell, who's monotone Carter provides a one-dimensional and particularly shallow love interest (any interest whatsoever in Rogers literally occurs after his CGI rendered frame is replaced with his natural torso), and a ultimately pointless villain in Red Skull (considering Hitler's role in the war at the time) a quickly forgotten about Richard Artimage, and a slumming, emotionless Tommy Lee Jones, all form a rather toothless cast.

The plot is filled with poorly executed cliches (the kissing scene with the blonde, in particular, feels so forced that you could practically see Atwell standing behind the scenery waiting for her 'cue'), tepid dialogue, plot holes and boundless leaps of logic (discovering the underground base by going in through an above ground window, wearing a brightly colored suit when infiltrating a base to rescue soldiers, and the ending, which I'll get to), and rushed pacing.

What makes this film seem more of an contrived Avengers prequel than its associated films is the ending, which features Rogers commandeering a plane with a nuke.

After taking manual control, instead of jumping out of the plane after diverting it at the last minute to save himself and let the plane crash on its own, or diverting it to a warmer, isolated climate where it would do no harm, he instead chooses to go down with the plane.

There is no logical reason for Rogers to do this except for the fact that he wouldn't be part of the Avengers film if he didn't (also to give some forced pathos between himself and Atwell's character).

Overall, Captain America: The First Avenger is a piant-by-numbers origin that seems more of a bullet point presentation than a fully developed final product

When it comes to the several years of audience buildup and putting the pieces into place for the upcoming Marvel crossover, it's little wonder why The 'First' Avenger, was given the 'Last' slot.

[*] out of [*****]

Edited January 15, 2013 by Squaremaster316

[ChD]

Entertaining movie. Overall, I think it was better than Thor... I simply didn't like Thor because Asgard was just a clusterfuck of colors. This was interesting, and it had great performances. AND IT HAD A ROMANIAN ACTOR (Bucky) - You know, that does a lot for me.

 

8.5/10

[Olive]

7.5/10

A decent movie.

[RobinHood26]

-

Edited March 6, 2018 by Jay Hollywood

[Cmasterclay]

I thought the period setting and serial tone was absolutely excellent, and Evans and TLJ did an excellent job. However, the plot was mediocre and meandering, the build up of the actual Captain America was rushed, Red Skull was poorly executed, and the action was a bit flat. Great first half, poor second half.

 

6.75/10

[Captain Craig]

Grade: A

 

Not sure how I never graded this but it's as nearly perfect a translation from printed page to live action medium as one could have wanted. They got the right director and had a brilliant cast who was able to work off a great screenplay. 

[Squaremaster316]

 

Stretch that out for 2 hours and you have The First Avenger.

[CaptainJackSparrow]

C'mon Square, CA was the best Avengers film. Much better than IM3 or Thor.

[rukaio101]

Alright, while I'm aware Squaremaster already has the.... slightest hint of an anti-marvel bias, I'm going to take his post apart anyway.

 

Steve Rogers' journey from frail young man to, well, strong young man, presents us with the tale of one of the most one-dimensional, uninteresting protagonists in recent memory, as any amount of internal conflict or struggle is tossed to the wayside from virtually the opening frame. The only thing in the film that has any substantial development is the titular character's muscular frame.

Obviously you missed his whole struggle about wanting to join his army despite his lack of physical capabilities and the fact that no-one really believes in him (aside from Erskine) because of that. Not too hard to miss. After all, it was only the main focus of the first 30 minutes!

 

And then after that, you have his internal struggle as to how he believes he's being treated as a circus monkey to sell war bonds, rather than the soldier he wanted to be. And then there's Bucky's death. 

 

Unless 'the opening frame' for you consists of the first hour and a half of the movie, I think you may be somewhat wrong.

 

 

Along with Evans of lackluster supporting cast, including Hayley Atwell, who's monotone Carter provides a one-dimensional and particularly shallow love interest (any interest whatsoever in Rogers literally occurs after his CGI rendered frame is replaced with his natural torso),

Except for her interest in him when he takes down the flagpole. And when he jumps on the grenade. And the car journey on the experiment where they talk. And her obvious concern when Steve is going through the procedure. 

 

 

and a ultimately pointless villain in Red Skull (considering Hitler's role in the war at the time) 

Ah yes, I forgot about Hitler's little known plan to achieve world domination via all-powerful alien cube. And how Hitler gave himself that incomplete super-soldier serum which drove him slightly mad. Strange how so few modern history books seem to mention that.

 

 

 

a quickly forgotten about Richard Artimage,

Because he died. 

 

 

The plot is filled with poorly executed cliches (the kissing scene with the blonde, in particular, feels so forced that you could practically see Atwell standing behind the scenery waiting for her 'cue'),

And then.... she promptly forgives him, only blowing off a bit of anger by shooting the shield, before not bringing it up again. Isn't that usually how those things go?

 

 

plot holes

This is usually where you give examples of major plot holes and why they majorly subtract from the film. Otherwise it looks like you're making stuff up.

 

Also, Nolan films are well known for being completely plot-hole free, aren't they?

 

 

boundless leaps of logic (discovering the underground base by going in through an above ground window,

I fail to see how that's a boundless leap of logic.

 

 

wearing a brightly colored suit when infiltrating a base to rescue soldiers, 

Yeah, that was kind of a stupid thing for him to do, but it's not a boundless leap of logic either.

 

 

What makes this film seem more of an contrived Avengers prequel than its associated films is the ending, which features Rogers commandeering a plane with a nuke.

After taking manual control, instead of jumping out of the plane after diverting it at the last minute to save himself and let the plane crash on its own, or diverting it to a warmer, isolated climate where it would do no harm, he instead chooses to go down with the plane.

You fail to note that he doesn't actually know how to fly that thing properly and, unless the Allies have a completely identically flying machine, neither does anyone else on the ground. It's relatively easy for him to crash it. It's a lot harder for him to turn it without crashing it and even more difficult for him to land.

 

As for the parachute thing, a) he has to find one, b ) he has to find a safe place to jump from and c) he will be floating in the middle of the ocean probably without a lifejacket and without anyone being able to pick him up very easily due to the whole 'war' thing. He'll drown.

 

Also, that's not a boundless leap of logic either. Do you know what those words even mean?

 

Stretch that out for 2 hours and you have The First Avenger.

Did you even see the film? Literally, the only thing those two have in common is that a skinny guy turns into a muscular guy.

Edited October 19, 2013 by rukaio101

[Sam]

I admire you rukaio for bothering with his obvious hatred and bitter attitude towards MCU in general especially since TA blows up. It's futile.

[CaptainJackSparrow]

I admire you rukaio for bothering with his obvious hatred and bitter attitude towards MCU in general especially since TA blows up. It's futile.

I only accept his attitude towards Thor and Iron Man 3.

[John Marston]

Pretty entertaining movie bit nothing special

[rukaio101]

I admire you rukaio for bothering with his obvious hatred and bitter attitude towards MCU in general especially since TA blows up. It's futile.

I try to enjoy it more than he does.

 

I'm like that cop from TDK who may or may not have got his throat slit by the Joker.

Edited October 19, 2013 by rukaio101