Captain America: The First Avenger

Captain America: The First Avenger
UK Release Date: Jul 29th 2011
Rating: 12A
☆  

This film really does sit on the fence for me. I’ll recall moments of awesome and then moments of cringe. And it really does excel in both.

The film, set in 1942, adds a really nice twist to the modern Marvel/Super-Hero films of late and actually achieves the era-change very well. With elements of WW2 throughout the plot, it added some nice depth to the storyline. Equally the villain, Johann Schmidt was a brilliant and fascinating plot-base. Unfortunately, the villain isn’t the main character in this film and while, ironically, this superhero shares my first name – I felt he a weaker character of the Avengers and the Marvel universe. But that is not this film’s downfall.

I think if you were a patriotic American, this film would appeal a lot more to you. Although there are some intensely cheesy moments throughout the movie, it is an entertaining watch. Above anything else, the title gives away a little nugget of what lies beneath the surface of this film…

Post credits, we get the usual Marvel easter egg. This time it’s a full trailer for The Avengers film – set for release in May 2012. Frankly, go see the film for this alone.

For a film, would I like to have seen more from this? Yes. But in the larger spectrum of the Marvel Unison that is around the corner, I see this film as a welcome, albeit slightly sideline, addition to the Marvel Franchise. A steady three out of five.