Dispatches from the Popcorn Stadium: Captain America: the Winter Soldier

Somehow, a miracle has happened and I have seen a movie and written a review for it a semi-timely manner. I actually had the pleasure of viewing Captain America: the Winter Soldier in theaters on Friday. I knew I'd probably procrastinate in writing this review so I actually wrote down my major talking points on a piece of paper. Score one for organization!

Marvel Studios/Screenrant.com

The second installment of the Captain America movie franchise certainly delivered on the hype generated from the trailers. As opposed to being a true superhero movie where the action is focused on Captain America kicking ass in the name of Freedom in all his costumed glory, the film felt more like a spy thriller. Steve Rogers, the man out of time himself, finds himself working for S.H.I.E.L.D. (the security force behind the Avenger's Initiative, headed by Director Nick Fury) and questioning his place in this new generation of military involvement. The movie has a darker tone overall to what we're used to with the Marvel Movie-verse experience, in large part due to the fact that a good portion of the film lends itself to uncovering plots and motives.


One major trope that works against the film, in my opinion, is how heavily chance is leaned upon. Characters show up just in the nick of time to diffuse a particularly sticky situation that they could have in no way known about prior; a new ally just happens to be a specialized operative, etc. However, these instances of chance do lend themselves seamlessly to the action (and there is a lot of action). As my good friend Leonard said in her own review, the movie is able to afford explosions over exposition since this is a sequel, not an origin story. However, the famed Marvel hero and Captain America ally, Sam Wilson (also known as Falcon) does get a proper introduction and character building that we've come to expect from a proper Marvel Movie. Another plus was the run time was perfect - not so short that the audience felt like we were missing out on plot and substance, and not so long that scenes dragged insufferably. While some of the humor felt to me off base and poorly placed, the laughs by my fellow theater goers apparently suggested differently. References to the other movies and their respective characters in the Movieverse were abundant enough to remind the audience that this version of our timeline weaves many stories together (remember, Avengers: Age of Ultron is't too far away boys and girls!). The acting was fairly solid all around, with good performances given by Marvel veterans Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, and Scarlett Johansson. Robert Redford looked like he must have had fun with his role as Alexander Pierce. Hopefully, future movies will utilize Sebastian Stan's acting ability to expand on Bucky Barnes, as he spent the majority of the movie either shooting stuff or just looking broody.

Winter Soldier also showcases the diversifying of the Marvelverse. Out of the five main protagonists in the film, two are well written strong women, and two are men of color (which now brings Movie-verse heroes of color up to three with the inclusion of Tony Stark's long time friend and ally, James Rhodes, as War Machine). Of course, we wouldn't have the Captain America movie without Steve being the main character, but the screen time lent to these important heroes so often underrepresented in big budget films was promising. This is the kind of touch that makes Marvel so successful not only with comic purists and film fanatics, but with the main stream market as well. The way these characters are written are also in line with the thinking that people who happen to be of a certain minority (in this case, anything other than white and male) are not soley defined as such. Sam isn't the sassy black sidekick. Natasha isn't the frigid ice queen or alluring sex kitten (although she can and has used her femininity to her advantage). They're well-rounded characters dealing with things like identity, PTSD, and their personal definitions of honor and duty. Marvel is quite spectacular in the fact that a franchise full of franchises, built around different movies with different writers and directors, we're seeing an emergence of well written and fairly consistent characters. Like Pepper Potts in the Iron Man series, I'm loving that women are being written as people with strengths and weaknesses and their own drives and determination and not just damsels to be saved by the superhero.

Speaking of Natasha Romanova, our favorite KGB spy-turned-hero, I found her characterization in Winter Soldier to be different than her previous appearances in Iron Man 2 and the Avengers. Not inconsistent, not bad, but different enough to the point where I wondered if the writers knew that the circumstances of all that is Natasha worked in their favor. Black Widow is a hero that has many faces (and in fact, the confrontation of her various selves is an underlying theme in the movie) and her more outgoing personality in Winter Soldier reflects that. A running gag in the film is her suggestions of who Steve should ask out on a date, for instance. Her more casual attire, even her body language was more fluid and "civilian" than the catsuits and master of disguises that we're used to (although both aspects do make an appearance in the film). Even her hair is different again, underscoring that the Natasha we might be seeing on the screen may or may not be the "real" her.

Overall the movie is an excellent addition to the Marvel Movieverse and Captain America franchise. The reveal of Bucky Barnes as the Winter Soldier, the antagonist foil to Steve's Captain America, was not shocking (it wasn't exactly a secret after all, so I'm sorry if you felt like this is a spoiler) but was still packed an emotional punch. The parallels drawn between Bucky and Steve's friendship in the 1940s and their respective "missions" in 2014 jump the line from subtext straight into just text as we see Steve struggling to save his friend. In a blow to all the Captain America naysayers who find Steve boring for not being gritty enough (and actually a decent human being), we're shown that Steve's moral compass includes the ultimate sign of patriotism. He questions the paths S.H.I.E.L.D. is taking to ensure security, continuing his healthy skepticism that we witnessed in the Avengers. While I could easily make this sound as if Steve could rebrand himself as Captain Tea Party or Captain Libertarian, he brings to mind his role in the Civil War comic arc. Although he is a soldier and he's following orders, it does not mean he can't question the morality of those orders placed on him. As an inside man knowing the full extent and consequences of a government that sacrifices freedom for security he wants to ensure that he's doing the right thing for the people of America, or else he runs the risk of allowing an organization like Hydra to re-emerge.

Definitely a watch for Captain America and Marvel fans, and highly recommended for casual fans of action and spy movies. Maybe not the strongest in plot and action wise for fans of the fantastic that superhero movies can offer, but still a solid contribution to the Marvel Movieverse.

Stray Observations, Commentary, and Spoilers. 

• Where the heck was Clint Barton? This was the biggest question I had on my mind while leaving the theater. With plenty of references to Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, and Loki's staff showing up in the stinger, there wasn't even one throwaway line to suggest Hawkeye was off on a mission to divert his attention from the S.H.I.E.L.D. mutiny. As a known ally of Captain America and Black Widow, and a fellow agent for S.H.I.E.L.D., I find it odd that nothing was mentioned about his whereabouts. Perhaps the reality is just that he's the office doofus who just showed up to HQ during the launching of the helicarriers and was like "so we're out of coffee in the brea.....oh." 
•  The Winter Soldier in the comics is definitely a Soviet construct (as given away by his name and the giant red star on his arm), but the movie seemed to imply he was of German construct and always under the control of Hydra. That was kind of confusing for me. 
• Sebastian Stan prepared for his role by watching a lot of stuff about World War II and brainwashing. However, I think due to the fact he's been frozen and electrocuted so many damn times, I can't help but question if he's pretty much a helpless man child at the point we see him in the movie. "But I knowed him, dad." "Well, you have to kill him, it's your mission. And Asset, don't throw a tantrum or we're going to have to electrocute your brain again!" "But I knowed him." 
• DANNY PUDI! Yes, the loveable actor most famous for playing the pop-culture enthusiast Abed Nadir on Community makes a small appearance in the film as a tech in the third act. If Community doesn't write this as a bit part that Abed landed, much like he did as an extra on Cougar Town, I'll be sorely disappointed. Anthony and Joe Russo, the directors of the film, are also a couple of the minds behind Community. If that doesn't convince you to watch one of the greatest shows on television, I don't know what will. Also, apparently Alison Brie, who plays Annie Edison on the show, was at one time considered for the role of Agent 13 (Sharon Carter). 
• Let's talk about that stinger. The twins in question are, in fact, Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff) and Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff), children of Magneto. In keeping with my practice of not following movie production (a superstition built around the fact that I was let down so badly by X-Men 3 after I read every production note, interview, and checked the website daily), I don't know how Marvel Studios was able to get the right away from 20th Century Studios who currently have the rights to the X-Men on the big screen. It's almost no spoiler that the twins are going to end up being good guys, as both had runs as Avengers. 
• Batroc the Leaper and Crossbones make appearances, but are somewhat minor villains. I only know of them from the periphery though, because the truth is I don't read that many comics. I'm just able to soak up all things pop-culture related like some geeky sponge. Steve Strange (not the singer, Doctor Strange) also had a name drop as a potential target of the helicarriers. 
• Favorite Stan Lee cameo? I think so. 
• I'm sure someone has done it already, but I'd like to see slow down the target lock scene and see what the names are that were set to be destroyed by the helicarriers. Tony Stark was one of them, and they mentioned Banner as a target in another scene. Good luck with that, guys - you picked two superheroes who pretty much are used to missiles being shot at them all the damn time. Also, Stark built the propulsion system on your helicarrier. Don't bite the hand that feeds. 
• Seriously. Where the hell was Clint.