I have always had a soft spot for Captain America as a character. He’s the Superman of Marvel in terms of values and what he represents, but he’s not a God-tier hero with all the power that Superman wields, and he isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty with death if he needs to. His lack of superpower in comparison to the Man of Steel does not make him any less afraid to go against the biggest threats of the universe without hesitation. He’s an inspirational hero held together by his principles and his morals, and he’s a natural leader who takes charge when needed. Could Marvel pull off a film to properly introduce the character to the MCU?

Pros

Good acting from the cast, with some performances from veteran actors bringing a level of quality and reputation to the movie
Good chemistry between Chris Evans and Haley Atwell
A musical number that isn’t cringe
Decent action scenes with high stakes
Solid pacing
Makeup looks good

Cons

Red Skull’s defeat is somewhat unsatisfying
Some cliche storytelling tropes

Plot & Thoughts

Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is a small, scrawny young man with a big heart. He wants to go to Europe and fight for America in WWII for no reason other than he has a sense of duty and a desire to fight for the values he believes in. Unfortunately for him, he’s too small and unhealthy to be fit for service and continues to be denied at recruiting offices, despite how many fake identities he gives. His luck changes, however, when Dr. Erskine (Stanley Tucci), a brilliant scientist who has defected from Germany, offers Steve a chance to be the guinea pig in his super soldier program. Upon receiving the serum, he’s given a new, taller, agile, muscular body fit for a superhero, but Dr. Erskine is killed and unable to make more like him. Steve takes on the title of Captain America and acts on stage in propaganda performances to build morale for the troops, but is really waiting for his chance to do what he’s wanted the whole time and fight for his country. When the evil Nazi organization known as HYDRA captures various prisoners of war, including his best friend, Steve jumps into action and becomes the hero he was destined to be.

Iron Man set my expectations high for the MCU movies that followed. They were a little too high, however, because I was somewhat disappointed by Iron Man 2, and I was not super enthusiastic after Thor. Thankfully, Captain America: The First Avenger brought my expectations for The Avengers right back up for a few reasons, not least of which was the advertisement for The Avengers that came after the credits.

As I said, Captain America shares a lot in common with Superman as characters and heroes, which means their movies have certain requirements. A movie that introduces the character of Captain America needs to hit the right tone and messages, and this nails it. First of all, Steve Rogers is an idealistic individual with a heart of gold who just wants to help and protect people from danger. A fair amount of the first act focuses on his character and why he is worthy of the super serum, with Stanley Tucci giving a powerful but subdued performance to drill that message in. There is plenty of dialogue throughout the movie that demonstrates that Steve Rogers is becoming more and more the soldier and leader that he needs to be, but you can still tell that his core values are intact, even in the darkest moments. The musical score also adds to the uplifting tone that is required for a hero who doesn’t give up and is all about hope and courage in the face of adversity. That’s part of the reason that the musical number in the middle of the movie works so well. It may sound dorky to the average nihilist, but it’s a necessary element of Captain America. The sequels to bear his title would go down darker territories, but they wouldn’t be nearly as good if Captain America was not properly established in The First Avenger. Learning who he is, where he comes from, and the values he holds helps ground The Winter Soldier and Civil War because the hope that he brings to each situation makes the dire stories more compelling.

Of course, the acting does a lot of work to make The First Avenger shine. Stanley Tucci is a well-regarded actor for good reason, as he manages to make a side character like Dr. Erskine, who is barely in the movie, extremely memorable and important concerning why Steve Rogers is right for the role of Captain America. Tommy Lee Jones does his usual gruff routine as a military leader, which may sound like damning with faint praise, but it’s a role he is always fit to play. Chris Evans ditches his macho bravado from the characters he played in past films like Fantastic Four and Not Another Teen Movie and becomes the humble and loyal Steve Rogers, and he does a great job. There’s genuine chemistry between Chris Evans and Haley Atwell that worked well enough to keep bringing back her character for the two to interact in later movies. As for the villain, Hugo Weaving established his ability to play a compelling, over-the-top villain in The Matrix, and he does so again here as Red Skull. Every time we see Weaving, he is chewing up the scene with menacing glares and diabolical dialogue with a tilted German accent.

While the first half of the film focuses more on the characters, the second half is where the action picks up. After the musical montage ends, it’s revealed that numerous allied soldiers have been captured and are being held prisoner, but there is no plan for a rescue mission. In a moment that is important to the film for allowing Rogers to finally become the hero we’ve been waiting to see, it’s also important character of Captain America for future movies to come. He goes against the orders of his superior and breaks into the HYDRA facility on his own to rescue the POWs, including his best friend, Bucky (Sebastian Stan). Of course, he wins the day and is allowed to finally fight for his country rather than doing propaganda performances for soldiers as a symbol of America, but the fact that he goes against the orders of his so-called superiors to save his friend is a crucial trait to the character that will remain consistent in future films.

What also remains consistent in Captain America movies is the quality of the action. When the action finally picks up, it’s a satisfying romp watching him throw his iconic shield at enemies and launch people through the air with well-placed kicks and punches. The climax of the film, with Captain America and his team storming the HYDRA headquarters, is thrilling up to his final confrontation with Red Skull. Unfortunately, the fight between the two of them is a little unsatisfying because of how brief the interaction is and how Red Skull is ultimately defeated. It feels like Cap got a “defeat the villain for free” card rather than overcoming the villain. Regardless, Hugo Weaving still looked pretty good in the makeup.

TL;DR

While Captain America: The First Avenger is a somewhat tame affair when compared with future installments of the Infinity Saga, it’s still a satisfying entry with a lot of focus on the character of Captain America and a tone that fits. The stellar cast keeps things moving and engaging. The budding romance between Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter adds a layer of depth to the hero and his personality. The action is fun and satisfying. It’s one of my favorite entries in the MCU.

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