Thursday, Nov. 10, 2011

Captain America: The First Avenger

The title alone screams cheesy. The propaganda machine of comic books gets made into a film. The final feature film leading into “The Avengers” movie coming next year with Iron Man, Hulk, Thor and a cast of Marvel Comic heroes. Captain America is sure to make this whole thing schmaltzy, right? Wrong! Directed by Joe Johnston, who has helmed a list of period-piece movies where an underdog hero overcomes adversity but these films feel like results from his beginnings – Art Director on “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” The parallels are all there – the WWII backdrop, the underdog story, leaving behind bureaucratic authority and propaganda to get things done – this film is not afraid to make fun of its origins and makes a hero movie begrudgingly free of schmaltz. The unexpected Chris Evans rocks his second superhero role after playing The Human Torch in “Fantastic Four” and its sequel. Like the other “Avenger” tie-in films, the supporting cast is packed with great actors. The storylines intermingle with the other films logically. Another respectable, kick-ass addition to superhero-action movies cannon – worth a watch.