MasterChugs Theater: ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’

I’m a big comic book movie fan. Hell, I’m a comic book fan. I’ll readily admit that I’m a sucker for the character that does good acts just because (as an only child for a fairly long time, and with no children living near me, and going to school that was in another town, comics were one of many forms of media that helped shape my childhood).

To tell the truth, though, I almost thought I was comic-book-superhero-movie’d out. I thought the genre had hit a wall. I thought the spandex onslaught that has been distinguished by Spider-Man, Iron Man, and the X-Men flicks had of late filled that particular cup to overflowing with sputtering also-rans. It doesn’t help that the most recent one, Green Lantern, really stunk.

Apparently not.

There’s nothing like crisp movie making execution — a spirited mix of action, sci-fi fantasy, humor, nostalgia, and romance — to blast through one’s enough-already reservations and been-there-done-that fatigue. That’s exactly what Captain America: The First Avenger does.

Chris Evans of course stars as the world first super defender, Captain America, but before he was Cap he was the puny weakling army reject, Steve Rogers. Rogers is rejected every time he tries to enlist in the military, until Dr. Erskine sees Rogers spirit and commitment to serving and enlists him for the purpose of turning him into a super soldier with a serum he has helped develop. The serum also worked on the evil Johann Schmidt/Red Skull, but it magnified his evil tendencies. Schmidt is hell bent on controlling the world and it is up to Rogers and a handful of soldiers to stop him before Schmidt unleashes his plan on the world.

Evans is great as Steve Rogers and of course as the hero Captain America. He has a clear sense of humility, bravery and even innocence. This is such a sigh of relief for me, because when I first heard the news of him being cast as the lead in the movie, I nearly had a reaction normally found on the internet. It’s good to be wrong, though. Evans played the role of Cap in the same exact same way that Cap is: A character that is so grounded and down to Earth that he’s not cocky and full of himself, despite being a genetic marvel. He’s more than jingoistic, he really is a character that anyone would want beside them. Okay, comic nerd love over.

Hugo Weaving was a superb choice for the Red Skull. The man just knows how to play a villain right, with a touch of humor. His performance deserves an award for best villain. Every time he’s on screen, it’s truly a treat, reiterating that he’s one of the best actors out there. I honestly would rather have Red Skull than Loki in Avengers. And of course there’s a Stan Lee cameo.

It’s not all quite kittens and sunshine, though. The majority of the special effects are very clunky. There are moments where they fit in seamlessly, but other times the effects look extremely dated and fake. Aside from the effects the only other gripe I have is some of the cheesy moments that are not a major problem because they fit in with the tone of the film. The tone is all about fun; director Joe Johnston tried nothing more than to tell the origin straight forward without pulling any twists or tricks.

The movie turns out in the end — and this is really the opposite of a spoiler — to have been (highlight to see the spoiler space, just in case you don’t want to be spoiled) a two-hour teaser for another movie. (Spoiler space once again)That picture, foreshadowed in The Incredible Hulk, the Thor and both Iron Man episodes and scheduled to open next May, will be called The Avengers(end spoilers). Whether you regard its imminence with resignation, dread or uncontainable glee depends on your standing in the Marvel Universe.

The movie at-hand, however, fantastic. Once the flames have settled and the dust blows away, Captain America: The First Avenger stands as one of Marvel’s best films to date. The final product is nowhere near as polished and flashy as other Marvel hero movies, but the story and characters are some of the best they have to offer. Strong performances from Weaving and Evans are the anchor with great supporting roles surrounding them. For a film depicting Nazi’s and war, it maintains the ability to still be fun for the whole family despite moments of violence. There’s enough winking at the camera and even a little bit of romance amongst the fighting that everyone will find something to like.