Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The second Captain America, reasonably moved to the “present”, is more serious and filled with more physical action. It takes place predominantly in the streets (cars and shootings) and it’s nice that the movie’s best scene is dominated by Samuel L. Jackson. However, the conspiracy plot is unsurprising and becomes chaotic in the second half. The initial diversity of the action-scene settings also disappears in the second half. And the action scenes are not helped much by being finished with contrived twists (anyone can be rescued from anywhere at the last moment). However, the audience will be kept on their toes with respect to the identity of the intriguing villain until the end. And the villain’s shared past with the Captain saves the plot. As a spectacular comic book blockbuster that you can watch with your brain turned off, it’s not bad. (04/08/2014)

A movie with two different halves. In the first, Marvel departs from its usual, inoffensive colorful safe family content into as yet unexplored waters of the more seriously-inclined comic book movies like those from DC. And believe it or not, this does the Captain unexpected good; the hand-to-hand, nineties style action is exactly what Marvel movies so badly needed. Unfortunately, everything falls apart after the bunker in New Jersey when the movie suddenly turns into a parade of one dumb deus ex machiny after another. Which wouldn’t necessarily have to matter in a standard, painted “ha, ha, ha" Marvel cartoon, but it seems really out of place here. When you add the unnecessarily disproportionate length, the unused potential of certain characters and with regard to all preceding contact action in the form of utterly unsuitable, commonplace CGI, editing-party finale, then... This way, this is certainly a good Marvel movie (and one of the three best so far), but nothing more. And the pleasant first half promised “more" in a style that I have been waiting for from Marvel since the first Iron Man. (04/02/2014)

The first one introduced us to the subject and allowed us to get to know the main character in a relatively interesting and unconventional retro-futuristic affair, but it adhered a bit too much to the shallowness and straightforwardness typical of comics. The sequel is more complex and works much better as a standalone film. In fact, it's an upgrade of 100 percent. It has plenty of references to war and espionage, excellent antagonists, great timing in shots and surprisingly even in action scenes. The action itself is phenomenal, with beautifully coordinated visuals, editing, and sound that formally present depict the protagonist's supernatural abilities. And they achieve all that even without a ton of slow-motion shots and various other auxiliary tricks. The only drawback is the pathos towards the end and the piano, which had no business being there. An outstanding episode and a great taste of what's to come with the coming Avengers, etc. (04/05/2014)

Boring, boring, grey. There was some effort put into it, though. However, cinematic Marvel adventures set in the present are for a different target audience. I prefer to have some of that sequential art, as the film version of The Winter Soldier only served to make me cry over Steve and Peg's reunion. That was really touching. Other than that, I didn’t even enjoy Robert Redford, and that's saying something. (02/28/2015)

The Captain’s second stop will wipe the grin off the faces of most doubters. A pithy techno-thriller atmosphere starts the opening unbelievably. Well, opening... The first half hour is perfect, crowned by the fight on the freeway which takes your breath away in Heatstyle. The ending then heads into familiar Marvel waters and in a raunchy finale it easily abandons the endeavor to do it slightly differently. Nothing exceptional, but never mind. Evans was born for the role of Steve Rogers, but I hope the Winter Soldier gets his own movie some day, or else they’ll deal with it comic book style (if you read it, you know what I mean ;-) because it... I mean he has the mojo for it. Redford disappointed me a little for not being the man I thought he was, and with the final confrontation. The Russo brothers are on an outrageous roll and maybe it’s thanks to Opaloch’s dynamic camerawork, but the action is a feast for the eyes. The moments where the story diverges from the comic book are interesting, offering many interpretations of things to come. The glance into the Age of Ultron also lured into and hinted at the dark atmosphere I mentioned above. Sock to me, I want more. (04/06/2014)