So it's with a sense of surprise, and mild delight that I am pleased to report that not only is Captain America not totally shit, it's actually pretty damn enjoyable.Ok , so it's as silly as expected, but crucially, and this is something Marvel should be keeping in mind when approaching the first film of this new mega franchise when it kicks off, it's tremendous fun.
I'm not even going to bother summing up the plot, but suffice to say it's a leave your brain at the door affair ,with Evans as a likeable Steve Rogers/America first playing the plucky underdog(with the aid of some Benjamin Button style digital manipulation) , and the later on being buffed up to the beefcake'd superdude with the mad patriotic fervour, ya dig?Meanwhile, back on villain duties after Transformers is Hugo Weaving, bizarrely but actually quite brilliantly evoking, of all people, Werner Herzog as Nazi uber-bastard Red Skull, and leaving bite marks on the scenery as he goes.
The rest of the cast are able enough, with Tommy Lee Jones as grizzled but decent Colonel Philips, and Hayley Atwell as lovely as a very lovely thing as love interest Peggy Carter.There's a couple of great set ups, and the movie hurtles along at break neck pace, with a middle act admirable in it's demented approach to OTT action , and the movie evokes, among other things, the jollity of Indiana Jones,as well as , in places, a more family friendly Inglorious Basterds, albeit with laser cannons.
Inevitably the pace slackens towards the end, but the film's sense of fun stays on, and it has to be said that this is probably one of the better comic book films you'll see this year.Just don't expect much in the way of dramatic timbre.Do expect however, henchmen getting punched,and a ton of crap blowing up.
Rating:7/10
Stephen O' Connor for Bornagainnihilist
bornagainnihilist@gmail.com
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