Marvel puts its second foot forward this year with the latest entry into their interwoven Avengers film saga, this time telling the tale of on eSteve Rogers as he goes from a skinny kid from Brooklyn to the peakest of physical specimans. Given expectations held from the success of Thor and Iron Man as well as the impending Joss Whedon-helmed nerdgasm that is the Avengers film of 2012, how does Captain America fit in?
Click after the cut for some thoughts on the film, spoiler-free.
It is tough to be a superhero in today’s cinematic world. Fanboys and girls are far too harsh, and the average movie-goer seems less interested in the ongoing adventures of a man or woman in tights. Most people seem more keen on the gritty world of Batman then they are on anything or anyone else, and it’s tough for films to really stay true to their comic book origins when they’re trying to straddle a line between “gritty/realistic” and “let’s watch a movie starring a man in tights that is not Men In Tights.”
However, Marvel has been pretty great about putting out movies that are both accessible to the average audience and not insulting to fans. Iron Man came out of nowhere and was great, Thor was just phenomenal, and The Incredible Hulk made it very easy to forgive and forget that whole Hulk “film” with Eric Bana (I remember liking it at the time, but I was 16 and had a crush on Jennifer Connely). With all of this gearing towards the Avengers, it makes it very easy for Marvel to really make comic book-based movies, as opposed to a movie that is related to a comic book. They’ve been able to capture their own stories in a re-imagined form and a new medium, without all of those messy producers who want things like giant spiders for no other reason than it’d be a cool idea.
Such is the case with Captain America. Set in the 1940’s, it tells the rise of young Steve Rogers, a poor skinny artist boy who has flunked 5 physicals while trying to serve his country during its time of need. Picked out of a crowd at the Stark Expo by Dr. Erskine, he is transformed into a super soldier. It’s a story that just aobut every comic book fan is familiar with, at least to a certain degree; details change over time as they will, but the same basic story is always there. Throw in an evil maniacal Nazi, an evil organization named Hydra, and give the kid two hours to prove himself a hero and you’re bound to come up with – at the very least – a decent superhero summer popcorn flick.
The nice thing is is that ultimately, Captain America rises above it. Perhaps it is the sour taste left in my mouth by Green Lantern, or even the ever-growing excitement for the first actual superhero crossover film, but Captain America fits in with it’s bretheren. It is not Iron Man and it is not Thor, nor is it actually as good as either of them, but Captain America is a damn solid flick. All the story beats are there, and every major moment in his origin is represented on film. Granted, a few things are different; without Baron Zemo around obviously the ending is changed, and Bucky/Cap’s relationship is completely different – but it’s not painful. Often times a superhero film will try to mix in what works for fans and what works for “regular folk” and it usually ends up with disaster, but Captain America’s story is so accessible anyway that you’d hardly notice. Throw in an easter egg or two here and there and everyone’s happy.
The most interesting thing about the film, though, is the way it tells the story of its hero. Iron Man and Thor both told the tales of “losers”, as in characters who were full of themselves, becoming “heroes”, as in characters who are more selfless and less egotistical. The difference between Stark, Thor, and Steve Rogers is key: Steve Rogers has always been a good person. Thats his shtick, really; before he is even Captain America he is a symbol for everything that a hero can and should be, he just lacks the body to do anything about. On the flipside, you have Johann Schmidt, the Red Skull – a character who is pure evil to the core. This is not a man who feels any sort of repentance for his actions, and the film will nail that point home repeatedly just as it will the opposite with Rogers. So while you are watching Steve Rogers become a hero despite the odds, it is more similar to watching a film about a baseball team who has the heart and just needs to learn how to focus so they can win against the rival town. Steve Rogers has a character arc that is basically null and void, and you are watching a film that is entirely good vs. evil.
Continued belowNormally, that’d be something to critique a film on to no end. If there is no major personal challenge for the hero to overcome, why should we care? The film reminds you with the development of the super-soldier serum that Captain America is good and that’s why he becomes strong, whereas Red Skull is evil and that’s why becomes grotesque. However, given the way that the film presents itself – with its 1940’s setting and a clear comic-based lens filtering the events – it actually makes sense. Its a bit incredulous at first; why is this man able to chase down a car through the busy streets of New York fresh after being zapped with radiation? But what is ridiculous at first becomes reality quickly second, and it becomes clear in this more than most: you’re watching a comic book. To bring the comparisons around one final time, Iron Man and Thor tried to fixate themselves within a believable reality. Captain America does this, but to a lesser extent; the point is not that this really happened during World War II, but rather – in a complete nod to their original comic books (which appear in the film) – symbolism incarnate. It’s almost as if you’re actually watching a 1940’s propaganda film about how great America is, but with black and white and cheesy voice overs aobut how little Timmy is doing his part replaced with the ripped bulging biceps of Chris Evans.
That is not to say that the film doesn’t have flaws. It’s far from perfect. Joe Johnston’s direction is awkward at times, and there are a lot of over-the-top and cheesy moments/visuals. The film is also somewhat like watching four half hour episodes of a show back to back. It’s very clearly segmented that way to be the birth, the “trials,” the first grand battle, and then the final victory of good over evil. The story doesn’t flow as simple as you might assume, and there are several rather big changes to the origin of Captain America that could – depending on your level of fanboy – annoy you (it certainly threw a left curve for me at one point, which I will refrain from mentioning as it is a rather large spoiler). There are also some rather key moments that are lost on the audience, because while the average comic book fan can understand the Hydra and their salute, it is worth noting that the entire audience (minus me) burst into laughter when two arms were thrown out and “HAIL HYDRA!” was screamed.
Fortunately, the film more than makes up for it lacks with what it has: a fantastic cast. Chris Evans embodies Captain America in a way that you wouldn’t expect given his previous roles and penchant for funny/snarky characters. He is the All-American hero here with no time for humor, and it’s up to everyone else to joke about. Tommy Lee Jones and Hayley Atwell make up his two major companions for the duration of the film, the three of which manage to play off each other quite expertly. Dominc Cooper’s Howard Stark has a surprisingly large role in the film, and who ultimately provides the greatest hints and teases towards the future. The assorted Howling Commandos (who are not only not called the Howling Commandos in the film but are actually not named at all) are all excellent, and despite no hints towards their identities and importance (the character of Union Jack is there, but he’s not Union Jack), act the hell out of their roles – which truthfully is mostly made up of yelling, saying sassy lines, and shooting guns, but it works. Meanwhile the villainous Hugo Weaving makes for a remarkable Red Skull, although this should generally surprise no one as Weaving is a veteran of villainous roles at this point, and iconic ones at that. Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes is perhaps the only lacking role in the film, but it’s not so much his fault as it is that Bucky is just a small character in the grand scheme of things. There is an importance to him that is never fully realized, although it is addressed, and the film’s main purpose is to make Chris Evans a solo act (and it doesn’t look like the Marvel film-verse is interested in the Winter Soldier).
It stands to reason then that the key thing to understand about Captain America here is that this is not the “modern” Cap, and that’s inherently the point. Modern marvels are all about the techno-crazyness of it all, or the gritty and abusive environment that birthed them and how that evolved the hero. Everything is dead/abusive parents this and alcohol that, but not Captain America. This isn’t Ed Brubaker’s conspiracy-thriller Cap, and this isn’t Mark Millar’s over-the-top action-infused Cap; this is Joe Simon and Jack Kirby’s symbol of America and our potential brought to life on the big screen. No, you won’t see the intense character development other heroes get, but you’ll be rooting for the hero by the end – and if you aren’t, you clearly have no soul. More than anything the film brings you to the point that you can’t wait for Cap to throw a punch and knock someone on their ass, and that is it’s proudest achievement. You will care, and for that – even with its flaws – Captain America wins.
