Captain America: The First Avenger-Review, Discuss, Grade, Sequel, DVD

[JD]

I actually prefer Metacritic myself, and it's at a 66 there, with 17 positive reviews, 4 mixed, and 0 negative.

[Captain Craig]

^^^^
I did list MetaCritic on the first post but was keeping it easy as scores came in by limiting updates to RT. Your link to MetaCritic will come in handy for someone, thanks.

RottenTomatoes got the score to nudge up and is now 71%

[Gov Kodos]

It opens next week here, and the previews I've seen on TV sure make it a go see film.

[sojourner]

Saw a special screening earlier today. Best superhero movie of the summer.

[Warped9]

Just read the reviews from the Toronto Star and the Toronto Sun. neither seemed to really care much for the film, but there was something rather dismissive in their write-ups giving me the impression perhaps they had it in for the film before they even got to the screening. Whereas other reviews I've read online appreciate the film's style harkening back to older fare the Star and Sun critics seem to think it wouldn't fly with contemporary audiences.

Oh yeah, audiences today are so much more sophisticated.

They do chime in with other reviews opining that the 3D is wasted in this movie. I actually am quite interested in seeing this film, but I have zero interest in 3D (it doesn't work for me) and I resent paying extra for something I don't want. But I fear my local cinema won't have it available in 2D and it's (partly) for that reason I haven't yet seen Thor or Green Lantern.

[ElimParra]

Like Gov Kodos, it opens here in Australia next Thursday. So I'll be seeing it then.

[od0_ital]

A-

Went to the midnight show tonight.

Pretty good movie, can't argue a bit with the castin'. Hate that they tease the Red Skull all through the first half of the movie, only to have his reveal in the trailer.

Be sure to stick around after the credits, 'cause there's a bonus scene AND a teaser for The Avengers!

[TemporalFlux]

Saw the midnight showing, and I believe they nailed it. Outstanding, fun film that managed to integrate Cap's history in a believable way while also carrying forward the shared movie universe in a manner that was natural and not forced. But the main thing that put this movie over the top for me was the human element. The presentation had alot of heart to it, and that's only fitting for a Captain America movie.

Overall, I think it's the best Marvel studios has put out since the first Iron Man film.

[Servo]

davejames wrote:

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I wouldn't be surprised if many critics are just burnt out on superhero movies. You can sense that most of them don't think much of the genre to BEGIN with, and now Captain America is the fourth such film coming out this year.

Awww, the poor critics. They'd better get used to it, since next year we're getting new Batman, Superman, Spider-Man and Ghost Rider films, plus the Avengers film.

[TemporalFlux]

Servo wrote:

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Awww, the poor critics. They'd better get used to it, since next year we're getting new Batman, Superman, Spider-Man and Ghost Rider films, plus the Avengers film.

Superman just got pushed to June 14, 2013.

[Valar]

Came back a while ago, man it was good, I am so pumped from the movie and then the Avengers teaser that I drove around and then popped by my gym for a workout.

Good- the casting is perfect, Evans is Cap America now, no one can replace him, just as Reeves owns Superman and RDJ is Iron man. The Cap seen here is just such an earnest and good character, without being naive or silly like the Donner superman movies, that you just want this guy as your buddy, and you just want to root for this guy. OMG the action scenes were great, and the Howling commandos were good- wish there was more screen time for them, but it was enough to give a lasting impression. Bucky was perfectly done, the scene foreshadowing his future was perfect.. Humor- only a few spots but they were well done, Cap is not a wise ass, this is not GL part deux.

Bad- 1-because I've read a Cap comic here and there the two major deaths weren't that affecting- I know they have a future. 2- the ending wasn't an ending as much as the film felt like it stopped mid sentence, and then the credits roll, it was weird.

the Avengers teaser after the credits was awesome, but waaaaay too fast.

[Warped9]

davejames wrote:

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I wouldn't be surprised if many critics are just burnt out on superhero movies. You can sense that most of them don't think much of the genre to BEGIN with, and now Captain America is the fourth such film coming out this year.

Fair point. Film critics, just like television critics, can be a rather jaded lot.

[Agent Richard07]

Loved it and gave it an "A".

- It didn't feel like a by-the-numbers superhero movie. A good central character as Valar described above, some substance and it being a period piece helped set it apart. I couldn't help but think that this is what G.I. Joe should have been.

- I was quite impressed with the way they made Chris Evans look small and thin.

- I liked the retro style high tech.

- Loved all the connections to Iron Man and Thor.

- Caps got the girl. Too bad it was only a kiss.

- The end scene got an applause from the audience and I loved it too. I'm very much looking forward to The Avengers and hope to see at least a little of what became of everyone Steve left behind.

A few nits...

- With Captain America's shield being one of a kind, I kept worrying that he'd lose it. Then what?

- Having the wrong thing on the radio seemed like too much of a misstep for S.H.I.E.L.D.

- Red Skull did look a bit cartoonish but Hugo Weaving was fantastic. I wonder how they got his nose under that make-up since Red Skull doesn't have one. Or was that a CGI manipulation too?

[JD]

I'm hoping to see this today and I can't wait. I've been loving all of the Marvel movies (even IM2 and Incredible Hulk) and it looks like this won't be changing that.

[Captain Craig]

I finished watching this at a midnight show 7hrs ago in 2-D with a packed crowd.

Grade: A-

You can tell that Thor and Captain America were both done at the same time and more in synch than when IM and TIH were done. Now I love TIH, wish it had caught on just saying that Thor and Cap are both high quality and if there is justice will at worst perform the same at the box office.

Captain America opens in the present day with some SHIELD agents answering a call by some Arctic Circle researchers who've stumbled on something BIG. The agents uncover Cap and then we are whisked back to 1942.

The "skinny" Steve part of the movie sells you on the character. They do a really great job of showing why Erskine is going to pick him for the project. Not once was I ever thinking Evans looks off right here. The affect was excellent.

Evans does a great job as Cap/Steve. He really brings out the heart of the character in a way I wasn't sure he could. I knew he could look the part when cast. However, roles like PUSH, Losers and Johnny in FF don't sell you on an actor whose going to pull off the humbleness of Steve Rogers. He does just that, he acts the required part and did it convincingly. Acting, huh, who knew?

Haley Atwell as Peggy Carter is brilliant and looks fine in every scene. Even with her hair wet out on the frontlines. That red dress at the pub though, WOW!! You really do sense the attraction that is there before they really reveal it's there.

Hugo Weaving as Red Skull was fantastic. Skull is a more 1 dimensional bad guy and kudos to Weaving for bringing the flair to the part. He and Evans share 3 scenes that I counted and each one was fun to watch.

Tommy Lee Jones, I guess I expected him to be a glorified cameo but he had a real big part in the film and has some of the best lines really. The one "he's still skinny" is just one of several great lines.

Regarding the foreign markets reaction I can't say unless you just have a predisposed bias against anything you recognize as AMERICAN you'd not like this. If your an action movie fan, a period piece fan then this should be right up your alley. Outside of the USO War Bonds selling moments(where it is intentional propaganda) there isn't anything that screams "AMERICA F&CK Yeah!"

Armin Zola was great as the quirky side kick to Red Skull. Not in the funny "kick him around" type way. In the "there is genius here, don't screw with it" way but the character recognizes Skull's madness and plays along accordingly.

I'll be seeing this again shortly. Can't wait.

PS-YES there is a teaser for THE AVENGERS, sit tight it's very much worth it. A montage mostly but a few spoken lines.