REVIEW: ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ Is A Recent Best For Marvel

By Lorna Elliot on Wed 2 Apr, 2014

If you follow media news, you may remember the build-up to the release of last year’s Iron Man 3, where its cast and crew made a bit of a deal out of the sequel’s aim to be ‘darker’ than previous instalments (in keeping with the current Nolan/Batman trend of ‘gritty’ comic-book outings). Sadly, the film never really lived up to the hype, seeing as it was one of the more blatantly comedic adventures from the Marvel canon thus far, and that supposed ‘darkness’ amounted to little more than a few throwaway lines from Tony Stark about his close encounter with death in The Avengers. The potential was there, for certain, but the billion-dollar success of Joss Whedon’s magnum opus skewed expectations towards ‘lighter’ and ‘cheerier’. They gave audiences what they wanted, but lost their nerve in the process.

Thankfully, Captain America: The Winter Soldier goes some ways in making up for those empty promises. Three films on (following last year’s aforementioned Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World), the dust has finally started to settle on the post-Avengers craze, and Marvel have allowed themselves the indulgence of a more serious and decidedly grown-up tale, but one that is still unmistakably set within the same universe we know and (your mileage may vary) love.

An as-ever-likable Chris Evans makes his return as Steve Rogers, aka super-soldier Captain America, now working for the covert S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives. He’s still adjusting to being defrosted in the 21^st century, but it’s not long before he realises things aren’t so different from the war he left behind. Paranoia is rife – supposed allies are still keeping secrets, enemies are still hiding in the shadows, and Rogers is still having trouble with the ladies, only exacerbated by Scarlett Johansson’s inquisitive (that’s the nice way of putting it) fellow agent Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow.

And, much like Rogers’ own predicament, Marvel are also operating on familiar turf, making sure to include all the obligatory action beats, comic references and Stan Lee cameos for its discerning audience. Where The Winter Soldier comes into its own, though, is in its story. Now that his origin has been taken care of, Marvel are free to dig a little deeper into what makes the Star-Spangled Man such a lovable schmuck; that constant need to always do the right thing. The whole concept of S.H.I.E.L.D., a recognisable and relevance-friendly government outfit that fits comfortably alongside the superhero exploits, has always been rich for material since it was first introduced in 2008’s Iron Man, and as it turns out, it makes the perfect setting for Cap’s growing realisation that the enemy isn’t always on the other side. His unease with his modern surroundings is wonderfully in synch with the deceit he experiences within the agency’s hierarchy. Not knowing who to trust, his allegiances are put to the test by a returning Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Robert Redford’s senior official Alexander Pierce. His faith in the country he has fought so long to protect are challenged, and the character strokes are played wonderfully by Evans.

Fans of the more slow-burning conspiracy thrillers of yore will probably know how events are about to unfold, but it is a testament to its stars, especially Redford (playing against type here), that the tension remains even after that initial suspense dies down and the action ramps up. The tone remains firm throughout, only letting itself laugh for small moments of character revelation, such as with Anthony Mackie’s cheeky newcomer Sam Wilson (aka The Falcon), rather than the shoehorned-in comedy subplots of Iron Man and Thor’s latest adventures. And a lot of effort has been made to humanise Black Widow, a character who has previously come across as stand-offish eye-candy but here makes for capable emotional support (and occasional teased love interest).

Credit must also go to brothers Joe and Anthony Russo, who prove once again Marvel’s apt hand at picking left-field directors to helm their projects. Known mostly for their work on television (namely sitcoms Arrested Development and Community), they may not seem the perfect choice for a big-budget actioner, but they do a capable job at balancing the unfolding drama with high-octane spectacle. The action scenes feel immediate without being overly visceral, a mixture of good ol’ fisticuffs and CG-led Falcon flying, with some of the best stunt work to come out of a Marvel production to date.

In fact, any faults of the film come with the occasional dip into canonical cliché. The ‘hidden enemy’ plot starts out intriguingly enough, but is slightly sullied by a second-act reveal that leans back on the inherent silliness of The First Avenger. Rogers’ reunion with an old friend is weighed down by clunky dialogue, losing any impact it might have had. But perhaps the biggest disappointment is the titular Winter Soldier himself. The Soviet agent sent to take out Rogers and co. should be the emotional crux of the story (for spoiler reasons), but the film is far more interested with the machinations at S.H.I.E.L.D., and he just isn’t given the time to flesh out his own personal trauma. Sure, he gets his fair share of fighting to do, but little FX-free moments. It leaves poor Sebastian Stan to glare through heavy make-up and whine out overwrought lines like a petulant child. There is the possibility for his return in future installments, but his appearance here amounts to a feature-length cameo, and little else. Which makes you wonder – why name the film after him in the first place?

Even so, Captain America: The Winter Soldier proves that Marvel are willing to take a sideways approach to its properties, which is good news for the upcoming Guardians Of The Galaxy. Maybe not quite ‘dark and gritty’, but certainly an organic step in the right direction.