Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The environment and era are changing, forgetting any idealism in terms of genre, moving from a number of surprising twists – and yet it's still number one. In the lead role remains a dedicated heartthrob, who you can't help but root for, and if I had to jump into any war, let it be the one where this guy is standing by my side. He is capable of clarifying the shadows of the past, lighting up the thickening future, and, in collaboration with the amazing Black Widow and the lovable Falcon, delivering lines in one continuous sequence against the backdrop of perfect action. Many may find plenty of mistakes in this comic book world, but I will not join them. A sixth five-star Marvel film in a row is no coincidence. (04/28/2014)

First of all, interpreting the first half of Captain America through the prism of the espionage genre requires a relatively high degree of tolerance for the reckless and simply transparent twists, but which, I’m afraid, also leads to disappointment about halfway through, when inevitability comes to the fore and the Captain reminds us that he can hardly break the Avenger’s rules (in a way, the IM3 twist is much more subversive, but it somehow fits into the humorous style). In other words, for me, this film maintains a stable level of simplicity. To perceive it as a subversive and overlapping moment, when the symbol of American war propaganda plays out on the aggressiveness and unscrupulousness of US foreign policy, requires a certain degree of leniency. The true and authentic values are not particularly endangered, because the main character carries them from beginning to end. In this respect, Marvel films do not test the integrity of their heroes much and they bend the world to their image (no one is going to tell me that not only is contemporary America troubled by the snooping of citizens and "leaks", but also by the problem of internal enemies and denazification). But no more criticism. This is truly a superstructure that one can / does not have to build. Otherwise, the Captain ticks off the Marvel blockbuster box par excellence. The film has the best directed action of the entire Avengers series (great kinetics and physical contact surprisingly survive without opacity and 3D glasses). In his muscular version of Grandpa Simpson, Chris Evans still finds enough fragility and goodness, the supporting characters have their "careful magnetism" and this time the storytelling does not suffer from overlong exposition. Although it makes it difficult for me to get emotionally hooked on it, I still have a good time. Definitely one of the three best Avenger films. [75%] P.S. Out of competition: isn't the Marvel Universe a little too divergent and unmanageable? Terrifying destructive objects levitate in the air, and one wonders ... where the hell is Tony Stark? (04/04/2014)

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)

Marvel is a cult, outwardly accessible to everyone and open to unconventional souls for whom building their universe may be the ultimate peak stint. Yet inwardly, it is bound by the hard doctrine of Kevin Feige's infallibility and unwillingness to let go of the reins of even one brand. Cap steps into it quite uncompromisingly and holds on for a long time. The contact fights are once again cool, the plot is not a stupid rehash of traditional clichés, and the main villain enters with a really unprecedented vigor (excellently supported by Jackman's musical theme). The bad thing is that the grand rules of destruction have to be respected and in the end, everything collapses into a traditional 0 1 mess and the thriller game in the old-world tone becomes bitter in but a few moments (moreover, it stops being clear). I believe the Russo brothers had a very free creative hand on set, but the concrete dramaturgy for years to come must inevitably lead to hell. [I'd be quite interested to see how Shane Black zigzagged in IM3, as he more or less manages it here for almost 100 minutes]. (11/17/2014)

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)