What's a Captain Without His Crew?

Ensign Lestat's Film Log, 25/04/14

A lonesome man in Washington DC is out on his morning run, when suddenly a speedy devil rushes past him, saying 'On your left'. This instance continues a few more times before the man gives up in his attempt to beat the speedster.

It's Captain America!

This humorous and innocuous scene reintroduces us to Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), Captain America and a soon-to-be vital ally, Sam Wilson (a buffed up Anthony Mackie) in the much anticipated Captain America: The Winter Soldier. We are immersed in a mission soon afterwards as Cap leads a team to rescue SHIELD agents from the ship, Lemurian Star. Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Brock Rumlow (Frank Grillo) are his closest aides on this mission.

This pace-setting scene is followed up by the uncomfortable realisation that the Captain is being kept in the dark by the head of SHIELD, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). As he teeters on indecision, Rogers seeks out the people in his life for answers and advice, before the world comes crashing around him.

Mistrust abounds when Fury is attacked in a chilling car chase that reveals to us a formidable foe. Rogers and Widow form an uncomfortable partnership as they attempt to seek out the new foe and get to the bottom of this treachery.

[SPOILERS BEGIN]

I have noted before that Captain America: The First Avenger didn't quite capture my imagination when first I saw it, but on rewatching it last year (twice) I thoroughly enjoyed its pace and humour. This film makes for a fitting sequel as it continues the pace, the action, the humour and the heart.

Where The Avengers had little time to show us if Steve had settled into this world or not, this one is about pulling the already unsteady carpet right from under him. As his world is rocked, so is ours, and we feel for Steve as he struggles to trust the people and the society around him.

I dreaded watching this film, because, to be honest, I set too much score by films and my enjoyment of them. Part of me was devastated to learn that the Black Widow was to have a role in the film, but I will confess now that she was more help than hindrance, and I enjoyed her presence on screen.

Black Widow and Captain America, contemplating tactics.

But, I jump the gun. TWS feels more like The Avengers 1.5, than Captain America 2, because it concentrates on Cap as a team leader. There are a lot of characters in this film. While initially I begrudged the lack of screen time for Chris Evans, I admit that the myriad plotlines and characters added a depth that is usually missing in action films.

Red, as the formidable Alexander Pierce.

Depth is the operative term when concerning this film. It ties in instances from the comics and gives it a spy thriller feel. Perhaps it was the addition of Robert Redford that lent it that edge. Who'd think ol' Red would be in a comic book film? But he fits in majestically, without robbing the spotlight of the franchise's mainstays.

I especially loved how the film harked back to its comic book roots, with the Winter Soldier, Arnim Zola's (Toby Jones) transformation, the sub-plot of Fury's betrayal (which was a key storyline in The Ultimates) and the introduction of Falcon and Rumlow.

What works in this film is the relevance of it. The fact that Big Brother is watching our every move is a thought never far from our minds, and the film alludes to the same fear with Cap as our stand-in. I always find that stories which touch on reality live with you longer than those that do not.

I mentioned earlier that this film has a lot of heart. What I'd missed when I watched TFA was that Steve Rogers was all about giving... He was all about sacrifice, and his desperation to join the war came from that generosity. Hence his angered speech at Tony Stark in The Avengers. Having established that part of Steve, this film allows us to feel empathy for the man, as he struggles with the gravity of his losses.

But let us pause for a moment. Not everything worked in this film, and I'd like to get the negatives off my chest.

1. Kate/ Sharon/ Agent 13 - It baffles me that Captain America needs a chaperon/ bodyguard. And even if he did, a puny creature who doesn't think twice about the fact that he's apparently left his radio on and doesn't enter the scene before Fury's been shot, suggests to me that she may not be the most credible agent around. Throughout, her appearance felt like an extra cog in the wheel. There is something as too many characters in a film.

The extra cog in the wheel.

I am especially displeased at the prospect of the Captain being set up with Agent 13, as they lacked any modicum of chemistry. And anyway, Emily VanCamp looks way too young to play her character.

2. Revelations - This is partly a problem of the film as well as with the marketing. By informing us in advance that Bucky (Sebastian Stan) would return in this film, and having his face emblazoned on all the posters as the Winter Solider took away the impact of the moment.

Spoiler alert, anyone?

When we first see him, he is almost fully covered. When next we see him, he is maskless but in shadow. We know who the actor is, though not necessarily the character. We question why this mute person is doing what he does, and why his allegiances are with Pierce and Hydra. But, I still felt a bit robbed when he is presented to us without his mask in broad daylight. It's a shock to Steve, but not so much for us.

The saving grace of that scene is that when Steve calls out 'Bucky', the Winter Soldier does not recognise the name, lending the scene a credence of shock value.

3. Goodbye - Death scenes are hard, because you have to make them matter. The death of Coulson (Clark Gregg) in The Avengers was a tragic moment, because he'd become an icon for the fans.

In this film, we are met with the death of Nick Fury. This is a shocking moment, rather than a tragic one, because Fury feels a lot like a mainstay. But, what ruins it is the crying Black Widow and Maria Hill (Colbie Smulders). Not feeling it. Not because I don't like Fury, but because I know that he'll be back, he kinda has to. Because he has a nine-film deal, of which he's only appeared in over half, by my estimate. So, yeah, overlong death scenes don't work if we know he's coming back. It's like that cringeworthy scene from Star Trek Into Darkness - Kirk's not going to die, he has a ruddy contract! And even though he has, the cure is flying about on Earth, just go down and get it!

Farewell, till we meet in heav... I mean in 45 minutes.

When Fury is revealed to be alive, we are immensely pleased, but it only makes the crying scenes even more frustrating.

4. Peggy Carter - Or the lack thereof. I didn't like Peggy the first time I saw TFA, but on subsequent viewings; I was floored. I loved her to bits and I can't tell you how much I'd love a Peggy Carter TV show (though I doubt the studios will bother to make her as fabulous and not into a two-dimensional prop/ damsel).

Agent Peggy Carter.

When I heard Hayley Atwell would be back for this film, I was super-excited, even though I knew that timelines would not permit Steve and her to be back together - I'm a hopeless romantic when it comes to films.

But here's the thing, I thought that Peggy would be back in nostalgia-filled flashbacks, and we'd see more substance to their relationship, and hence yearn for what was not. But... the nostalgia-filled flashbacks were of a completely different sort in this film. So all we get is a short video where a still heartbroken-looking Peggy tells us that Steve was helping her even after his death.

The Peggy we do meet is the much older, bed-ridden one. Atwell is covered in makeup and digital corrections, but her eyes shine through as Steve talks to her about his worries. I think I had just anticipated there to be more of her, so hence ended up being disappointed.

Those are the few thorns that really got stuck in my side, but aside from that, the film is a stunning marvel. Here's a few magical moments that that made the film memorable.

1. In the Flesh - Yes blockbusters are all about the action, but when the action feels tangible, real and bone-crushingly excruciating, you know you've done a good job. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo decided to use stuntmen and real sets to make the world of the film come alive, and it did. There's a genuine uniqueness to CGI-less fight scenes. Watching the Captain beat and get beat has never looked more chilling.

Feel that?

I loved the fight scenes, I could watch those for a long time. The hand to hand combat was especially stunning, irrespective of who was doing the fighting.

2. The Triskelion - The glorious headquarters of SHIELD is finally shown to us in this film, and it is everything one could imagine. Imposing, regal and a tech-hive, it is a thing of beauty. And because I loved it so much, it had to come crashing down by the end of the film, didn't it? Well, it was beautiful while it lasted.

3. The Sting of the Widow - I've complained before about the Widow, but I shan't this time. I enjoyed her portrayal in this film, though at times she appears almost childishly fascinated with the Captain's love life.

Back to being a badass.

Despite that she's resourceful, energetic, intelligent and funny. We're shown her vulnerability, but also her inability to back down. She goes to great lengths to get the job done, right down to frying herself so that Pierce can be taken down. What was Joss Whedon thinking when he made The Avengers? Johansson shows us what she can do if she's given a proper script and an arc. While still not at peak, at least there's some substance to the character. And yeah, love the addition of the stinging bracelets. Those are going to hurt!

4. Beware the Fury - Keeping a calm head when there's guns pointed at it is no mean feat, but you can always trust Fury to do it. Another person who'll go to extraordinary lengths to find out the truth, Fury's increased screen time lends weight to the proceedings. The script also displays Fury's motivations for his actions, no matter how uncomfortable they make the Captain and the audience.

You talkin' to me?

Seriously, who ever thought of hiding away the presence of Samuel L. Jackson? He's a scene-stealer that man, be it in a car chase or in a boring conference. Screen presence, thy name is Jackson.

5. Where Do Broken Hearts Go? - I mentioned the scene where Steve talks to older Peggy. It should have been a routine scene, but it isn't. They talk like they're the same people who met in TFA, but we can see they're not. There's respect and a hint of love in Steve's eyes, but just how much he loves this woman does not become evident till she gets into a coughing fit. Suffering from either Dementia or Alzheimer's, Peggy has forgotten her lengthy conversation with Steve and becomes overwhelmed at seeing him again. The scene could've ended there, but the directors allow a short discourse as Steve, visibly fighting back tears, reintroduces himself to his love. It's a beautiful, emotional scene, played brilliantly by the two parties involved.

Another tear-jerking moment is when the Winter Soldier reveals himself to the Captain. But the revelation isn't enough, the Captain can live with that, it's the fact that the Winter Soldier doesn't know who the Captain is, or who he himself is. That breaks the Captain.

This is exactly how it plays out in the film!

In a moment reminiscent of Thor, a shocked and hurt Captain allows himself to be captured, because his world now has been truly torn apart. His friend is alive in body, but not in soul, and nothing can hurt more. "He looked straight at me, and didn't know who I was," says the Captain to his colleagues, apparently unaware of his circumstances. The pain runs deep.

6. Bird of Prey - I can't remember if I knew Wilson was to be the Falcon, but since character posters showed off his wings, I take it I knew. But nothing compares to seeing the Falcon in flight for the first time. A truly glorious moment that makes your hair stand on end. All the scenes of Wilson flying are a pleasure to watch, and just shows how much fun it really would be to have wings.

Soaring through the skies - The Falcon!

I'll mention here that Mackie as Sam Wilson is a valuable addition to the franchise. He's gorgeous, buff, and hilarious! I don't know if he'll be in The Avengers 2, but, boy, would I love to see more of his character.

He's the Peggy Carter of this film, the perfect foil to the Captain. In his own words, he does everything the Captain does, just slower. Mackie's self-awareness when playing Wilson gives hope for the little guy in this film, though Mackie himself is no little guy.

7. Just a Chemical Reaction - By the end of the film I was beginning to think that if you placed Chris Evans next to a mummy, he'd have electrifying chemistry with that too. He either gets along with everyone, or I'm seeing things, because the chemistry between him and his co-stars is utterly insane. Captain and Fury, Captain and Black Widow, Captain and Wilson, Skinny Steve and Bucky, Captain and Bucky, it's all there. Had Hill been given two more minutes with him, they would've had chemistry too. The chemistry certainly lends credence to the role, whereas it was a hindrance in The Avengers, as the lot of them were shown to be adversaries who did not know each other, and their comfortable chemistry made that dynamic less believable. Here, it really helps with feeling for the characters.

Chemistry?

More chemistry!

8. Do Not Mess with Crossbones - Frank Grillo was a surprise inclusion for me. I've seen him in TV stuff but I didn't expect him to turn up in Captain America! But I absolutely loved his character. Rumlow is superbly intelligent, but it's the action scenes that killed me. The man had moves on him, and Grillo maintains a strong presence throughout. Will we see more of him in the franchise? Well, Rumlow is not the same, but that shot of him at the end indicates that from the ashes of Rumlow, Crossbones may arise.

Man about town - Rumlow.

9. The Fallen Soldier - When Bucky joined the army in the TFA, I expected not to see him again, but lo and behold, the Captain finds out that his squad has been captured and goes about rescuing him, only to lose him again, this time for good, as he plummets to his death aiding his best friend. It was a heart-wrenching moment.

Bucky Barnes The Howling Commando.

As I mentioned earlier, I was looking for nostalgic flashbacks in this film, but those that we got harked back to the good old days of Steve's friendship with Bucky (okay, I'm including the videos too). Just how important Bucky was to Steve is not lost on us, and his reappearance as a murdering weapon is disturbing.

The good old days.

Had he stayed dead, his memory would have been preserved, but alive, Captain's faith in the world is shattered for good. What we see happened to Bucky is just as disturbing. Kudos to the studio for their forethought, as Bucky is the only one we saw being experimented on in Zola's lab in TFA, and it foreshadowed his resurrection in this film.

The broken Bucky that Zola discovers has his memory wiped and cryo-frozen till he is of use to Hydra. He's not a human being, at least not treated as one. On returning from his failed mission to kill the Captain and the others, he remembers instances of his past. When Pierce is called to get a report out of him, he just strikes Bucky across the face to get an answer. As I said, Bucky is reduced to an inanimate object by Hydra, and it's a scary proposition.

Bucky Barnes The Winter Soldier

And let's not start with his metallic arm. My sister pointed out that Bucky lost his arm in the fall, something I hadn't noticed earlier. But his metallic arm appears to be soldered to the remaining part of his flesh which is... distressing.

I've not seen much of Sebastian Stan before, and his casting in TFA was a real surprise for me, because I'd not heard of him since 'The Covenant', which is where I first saw him. But I loved his Bucky in the first film, and he really got the emotions flowing for me in this film. His stoicism as the Winter Soldier, is cut by the pain of his memories. He comes alive in the scene at the Hydra lab, where he's anticipating the horrible memory wipe but just does what he's told. Wow! Loved it, even though it was terrible. Those screams... Ugh!

Disturbing.

10. The Hand That Saves the Captain - Continuing with Bucky, as he viciously attacks Steve aboard the crashing helicarrier, Steve narrates a line that Bucky used to say to him, and revelation is wrought on Bucky's face. But he's too late to do anything about it, because Steve falls out and into the ocean.

We watch as Steve sinks deeper and deeper, and, again, in a scene reminiscent of an earlier Marvel film (this time Iron Man 3), a hand appears in the water and Steve is pulled out. Bucky drags Steve to shore and makes sure he's alive before leaving him. So, when Steve wakes up, does he know who saved him?

11. A Captain's Burden - Is it a man? Is it a doll? No, it's Chris Evans, the man-doll! Okay, he really looks like a doll in this film, even more so than in The Avengers, which I thought was hard to beat. He's attractive, very very attractive. Distractingly so. That's not a bad thing when combined with acting chops, and fighting ability. He has moves to die for.

I'm sorry, were you saying something?

As always, it's the quieter moments that bring out the best in an actor. Those pent up tears in Steve's eyes as he sees his beloved Peggy will have you blubbing. He has very expressive eyes that do a lot of his work for him. In the scene at the Smithsonian there is so much love in his eyes as he's watching the video of Peggy, and so much sorrow when he's watching Bucky.

In TFA Chris spent a lot of time as skinny Steve, and it could not have been easy to emote when he would have been so obviously uncomfortable. Here, he's much more assured of himself as the Captain. What I find interesting is that this film feels more like an ensemble movie than a lone hero one. Is that a statement on the studio's feelings about Chris? One wonders.

Steve Rogers.

I think credit must be given to Chris for making a character as banal as Captain America relatable, and more importantly, likeable. He's vulnerable, but strong, trustworthy and trusting, loyal, yet aloof. He's a man out of time, yet not desperate to conform. He's a leader, but a team player. Had it not been for Chris, I may have skipped TFA completely, but he draws you in. And yes, it helps that he is so magnificently beautiful. And the camera does spend a lot of time gazing at his face - oh, wait, that may just have been me.

It's hard to believe the guy playing cocky Johnny Storm is the pensive, contemplative Captain America, but there you have it, the man is versatile.

There is so much to love about this film. It can't stand alone because it is entrenched in the Marvel filmverse, but the writers, the directors and the studio have taken some gigantic and unconventional steps with this film; steps that will no doubt impact all other franchise productions. But it's all worth it for a film that is actually good rather than just enjoyable.

I'm hard-pressed to admit it, but this might just undoubtedly be my favourite of the Marvel films. But it's a film without Loki, a voice in my head is screaming right now. But, I need to look beyond. Films are about escaping reality, but the truth is, they are memorable only when they relate to reality. TWS alludes to our fears and addresses the state of power in today's world. But TWS is about relationships as well. Why we love Captain America in the films is because he can be a universal archetype despite his name, his title, his uniform, his gender and the colour of his skin. He's about fitting in, about giving to others, and about making a stand for what is right.

Is this the best it gets?

Blockbuster movies of the future need to take note - relevance is key. Humanism, even more so. TWS is going to stay with you for much longer than you expect it to. Stick around after the credits roll, that electronic screech was made to haunt your dreams.

In conclusion, the film has a lot of good looking men in it.