Now Playing: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

You probably won't notice much of a change in routine here on the site, but I'm actually writing this from a very nice desk on the opposite side of Canada than I'm normally on! I'm in British Columbia on vacation for the next week and a half, but that won't stop me from watching movies!

Today I went out to see the newest Marvel film, Captain America: The First Avenger. I was really looking forward to this one, as early reports were positive from film critics whose opinions I put a lot of faith into. I've never been a big fan of the Captain America character in the comics, but I was hoping this movie would change all that. More after the jump.


The story follows the origin of the comics quite closely as far as I can tell. We follow Steve Rogers, played by Chris Evans, as the small scrawny kid from Brooklyn, desperate to join the army to fight in the war. He's chosen has the prime candidate for an experimental procedure, and obviously results in him becoming the massively muscular Captain America. Only with his help will the war be won against the Nazi off-shoot of Hydra, and it's maniacal leader, The Red Skull, played by Hugo Weaving.

Never before have I seen effects that look this good

First of all I HAVE to talk about the special effects. They are FANTASTIC! The fact that they made Chris Evans look completely believable in every scene as a short skinny guy is amazing. The effect never once faltered, and I even got used to seeing him like that and I believed it. There are of course plenty of other explosions, energy blasts, crazy Hydra vehicles and who can forget the haunting yet amazing look of Red Skull!

The Red Skull. I can't believe how great Hugo Weaving was for this role. Not only his acting (was there ever any doubt?) but also the effects that make his look come to life. He was everything a great villain should be. Creepy and evil, powerful and intelligent. I can't praise the Red Skull character enough because I think he stole the entire movie for me. How cool is it, that after seeing Captain America kick everybody's ass up and down the countryside, practically unstoppable, to then see Red Skull stop him in his tracks with a single punch?! If you said "Damn Cool!" then you'd be right. Even his car was amazing!

I'd put a picture of Red Skull in all his glory, but that reveal was just too good to spoil here

But I do have one problem with the movie. For quite a long time, probably more than half way through, I just wasn't being brought into the world of Captain America. What I mean by that is that I just wasn't captivated by the character or the story. Unfortunately I just can't put my finger on why, since I did enjoy the movie a lot. It probably wasn't until he got the more modern costume and just went full out against the Hydra forces that I really started getting into the movie. I don't want it to sound like I was bored, I just never got that thrill, that "Holy Crap" moment like I had from Iron Man, or Thor. At least not until quite late in the film. I was loving it at the end, but it was too little too late for it to top other movies in the superhero genre.

In the end I can't deny that I had a really good time despite not being converted into a die-hard Captain America fan. The acting, the action, and the sense of war is all great. In fact, even if this wasn't a superhero movie, it would still be a really good war movie. Also, make sure you stay after the credits, all the way to the end after the black rolling credits. Speaking of the credits, those specially crafted credits that take advantage of all those old WWII recruitment army posters were great.

You and the Cap'n make it happen!

It's definitely a good movie. All the production values were very high, and it was actually quite funny sometimes. I can't wait to see more of Cap in The Avengers next year and hopefully be fully converted then. In the meantime I'd definitely recommend Captain America: The First Avenger as a movie to see in the theater. Money well spent.