Okay all you true believers. Another Marvel movie has hit the multiplexes, this time in the form of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Is it made with the same basic level of quality as the other recent spate of Marvel movies? Sure. Does it tie into the general universe being created to allow for such mash-ups as the über-successful Avengers film? Yeah. But does this sequel do anything to make me care more about that all-encompassing? I won’t leave you in suspense, the answer is no.
Honestly, I’d rather they just title this thing Not Another Avengers Movie. Sure, it’s got Captain America, but it’s also got Scarlett Johansson’s terrible rendition of the Black Widow spending far too much time on-screen (and they found a way to make her look less than her normally spectacular self). Then there’s “The Winter Soldier” which did nothing to create excitement in the film (though apparently, Sebastian Stan was really going for a Jared Leto look).
And worst of all, there’s the underlying story. Frankly, it’s boring. I couldn’t care less about what happens, and even though it will mean something different for future movies (and the Marvel Agents of Shield TV show in particular), I again shrug my shoulders and roll my eyes. I won’t go into it as people get all nutso about spoilers, especially with the comic book movies, but unless you’re a super diehard Marvel fan, and in particular a super diehard Captain America fan, I see no reason to bother seeing this on the big screen.
Now, like I said the production value is good, as is par for the course with the Marvel film world right now. But the direction by Joe and Anthony Russo is far below the general standards and mostly where it counts: the action. While there are some good action scenes, almost all of them are shot with shaky, quick-cut camera work that frankly reminded me of the first Hunger Games movie. And that’s not camerawork you want to be compared to.
Perhaps the lone bright spot in the entire 2 hours-plus runtime is Anthony Mackie stepping into the role of Captain America’s sidekick, Falcon. He injected a bit of energy into the proceedings and, most importantly, reduced the amount of time the audience is stuck watching Scarlett Johansson suck the life out of the movie. Sorry, Scarlett, this is just not a good role for you.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier follows the tradition of its brethren, being a bland and filler sequel while everyone awaits the next Avengers movie. I can understand the desire to see it if you’re a comic book fan but just wait for it to hit the home market. There’s no need to hit the theaters for this one but if you still decide to do so, make sure to sit through the entire credits. But you already knew that, didn’t you?
GRADE: C
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, gunplay and action throughout.
