Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier starring Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Redford hits theaters today. The sequel to 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger is an action packed roller coaster ride. However, like all roller coasters, this movie has its ups and downs. Read the review below for a synopsis of the film’s plot, as well as a rundown of some of the best and worst moments of the movie, as well as a few of the cameos, Easter eggs and end credits spoilers. SPOILER WARNING: Do not read if you have not see the movie and don’t want to know what happens.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier picks up shortly after the events of The Avengers. Steve Rogers is settling into his role as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Rogers, however, is having issues taking orders in the modern age. Now stationed in D.C, Rogers befriends military vet Sam Wilson, who is serving a counselor for fellow vets at the V.A.
Cap is then sent on a mission, leading a strike force, consisting of The Black Widow, and Brock Rumlow. The team is sent to rescue captive S.H.I.E.L.D., agents, including, Jasper Sitwell, from a S.H.I.E.L.D. ship that has been hijacked by pirates, lead by Batroc the Leaper.
During the mission, The Black Widow goes off script to secure some secret files on the order of Nick Fury.
When Fury gets a hold of the files, he learns that his access at S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ has been restricted, leading him to ask S.H.I.E.L.D. senior officer Alexander Pierce to temporarily halt Project Insight (A harebrained scheme to police the globe by knocking off possible threats with a tiny fleet of Helicarriers. Threats accessed by a predictive algorithm will be gunned down by the satellite guided warships).
Fury soon discovers that S.H.I.E.L.D has been compromised, when a team of agents, disguised as police offers, attack him on the streets. Fury escapes the would be assassins, only to come face to face with Winter Soldier.
After narrowly escaping the Winter Soldier, Fury then turns to the only man he can trust, Captain America. Breaking into Cap’s apartment, a nearly dead Fury informs him of S.H.I.E.L.D’s corruption before being sniper shot by The Winter Soldier.
As he lay dying, Fury gives Cap the flash drive that Black Widow had secured for him earlier, containing S.H.I.E.L.D.’s secrets. Fury then tell Rogers not to trust anyone, just as Rogers’ neighbor enters to reveal herself as S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent 13.
Cap then leaps into action, chasing down The Winter Soldier. Cap then throws his mighty shield at The Winter Soldier, who catches it, which contradicts previous reports that “all those who chose to oppose his shield must yield.”
Instead, of keeping ahold of one of the worlds most precious metals, TWS tosses the shield back at Cap, and then escapes.
Back to Fury who we see “die” on the operating table, while Cap, The Black Widow, and Maria Hill look on.
Cap is then called into Pierce's office. He hides the hard drive and heads to the meeting, where he refuses to give Pierce any info about what Fury told him. All of S.H.I.E.L.D is then sent after the now fugitive Cap. The S.H.I.E.L.D grunts are lead to believe that Cap has turned traitor and must be apprehended.
Rogers then goes on to retrieve the hard drive only to find that The Black Widow has taken it. She hands over the drive, along with a ghost story about Fury’s assassin.
This leads the two of them to an abandoned S.H.I.E.L.D facility that now houses the computerized brain of Arnim Zola, the Swiss HYDRA scientist who was captured in the first film. Zola tells Cap and Widow that S.H.I.E.L.D. has been secretly invaded by HYDRA, and they plan to use Project Insight to take out HYDRA’s enemies.
Zola’s monologue is used to stall Cap and Widow, long enough for Rumlow’s S.T.R.I.K.E team to destroy the facility, while our heroes are still inside.
Cap and Widow survive the blast and then enlist the help of Sam Wilson, A.K.A. Falcon. After stealing off-screen Wilson’s Falcon flight suit, that he used in the war, the group kidnap S.H.I.E.L.D/HYDRA agent Jasper Sitwell.
Sitwell starts spilling HYDRA’s secrets before he is killed by The Winter Soldier. After a bloody battle, Cap, Widow and Falcon are taken into HYDRA custody. Maria Hill then manages to save the gang and takes them to a secret base. It is then revealed that Nick Fury is alive and ...well, he’s not really well. However, he does have a plan to stop Project Insight and take down Hydra. It is also revealed that The Winter Soldier is really Cap's childhood friend, Bucky Barnes, who has been brainwashed by HYDRA and kept on ice, only to be thawed out used as a super assassin.
A massive battle ensues between Hydra and the few loyal S.H.I.E.L.D agents. Project Insight and the ticking clock then begin. Cap not only has to try stop the death ships from gunning down millions, but he also must fight an emotional (and physical) battle with The Winter Soldier.
In the end, the day is saved, however, it's changed forever. During the finale, Black Widow leaks all of S.H.I.E.L.D’s and HYDRA’s secrets to the internet for all to see. The fallout from this is bound to affect the rest of the MCU.
The mid-credits scene introduces Baron von Strucker, a high ranking HYDRA agent, who has Loki’s scepter from Avengers. He also has Quicker Silver and The Scarlet Witch captive, calling them “miracles.”
The after credits scene shows Bucky Barnes learning more about his heroic past, starting his journey to be the next Captain America.
Some of the films include references to:
Dr. Strange-Jasper Sitwell mentions his as a threat to Hydra.
Star Wars/ Star Trek-found on Steve Rogers' pop culture to do list.
It also includes a cameo by Community’s Danny Pudi. Community executive producers Anthony and Joe Russo directed the film. The crossover-cameo is sure to delight even the geekiest of geeks.
Now for some of the film’s best elements.
Cap and Falcon:
Chris Evans is his charming self in this film, and some of his best and funniest moments are when he his teamed up with Anthony Mackie’s Falcon.
Peggy Carter:
The brief scene where we see the return of 90+ Peggy Carter was amazing both visually and emotionally. Not only are the makeup and effects awe-inspiring, but the scene pulls on the emotional heart strings, when it is revealed that she is suffering from Alzheimer's (or something like it).
Zola:
The little known Cap villain was a delightful addition to the film. Only true believers will get a full appreciation for the character.
Crossbones:
Fans should look forward to Brock Rumlow's return as Crossbones in the next Cap movie.
The Bad
The Plot:
Where the action in the movie is something straight out of a comic book. The bad guy’s scheme doesn’t make much sense. The evil plan to gun down all of HYDRA’s threats seems like it would work for the short term. It is hard to imagine three gun ships not being easily taken down by Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, or any number of other valid threats.
After the initial shots are fired, all who are left would quickly retaliate. Not to mention, S.H.I.E.L.D.s HQ is sitting out in the open ripe for a missile strike. You can not hold the world hostage with three gun ships. It is just not enough. Even worse, is that S.H.I.E.L.D. thought this plan would against its enemies at the beginning of the film. The Helicarrier is perhaps the worse idea in comics history. Expanding on the idea, after the events of the Avengers, just seems half-baked at best.
The Winter Soldier:
Don’t get us wrong. This is an amazing character, played by an excellently actor. However, the movie’s titular character is underused in this film. The emotional tale that should of lead the picture, was reduced to a side story, with a rushed third act emotional ark.
No World War Two:
The action packed, modern day Skyfall-esque, spy drama, made for some amazing explosion porn. However, it failed to capture the epic, Star Wars/Indiana Jones, type feeling of the first film. The absence of Tommy Lee Jones,and the Howling Commandos is bad enough, but the film could really some Howard Stark. The only solace, is that Marvel is reportedly working an Agent Charter show.
Cap’s Shield:
The physics of Cap’s Shield is called into question. The same weapon that was able to the full force of Thor’s hammer, without knocking cap on his butt, can barely withstand a few of the leaper’s kicks. Now it can be argued that Cap didn’t have his footing when he was struck by the Batroc, it still doesn’t seem plausible any amounting of bracing could withstand Thor’s Hammer. #ComicBookScience.
Mace Windu:
Nick Fury's earth carving lightsaber weapon feels a little over the top. Where the first movie paid loving tribute to Star Wars, this feels a little heavy-handed.
The In-between.
Agent 13:
The character was well acted, but much like the Winter Soldier, the film did a poor job of explaining who she is. The underdeveloped character serves as more of an Easter egg, the actual in film element.
Captain Suicide:
It is becoming clearer that Captain America has a death wish. He offers to sacrifice his life in situations that do not seem to call for it. This could serve for some very good storytelling in the future, if used properly.
In the end, Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier, is a thrilling action adventure flick, that lacks to soul of the first film. The villains cross the line of suspension of disbelief resulting in an idiot plot, complete with a cliche ticking clock. The movie follows the age old Marvel motto of action over intelligence. Fans of the Marvel MCU will love the film, and true it is not the worst showing from the studio, it definitely has a few holes, that won't hold up past the first viewing.
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