Captain America: The Winter Soldier Review

by Helen Earnshaw | 24 March 2014

Starring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan

Director: Anthony & Joe Russo

Rating: 5/5

No year is complete without the release of a Marvel film, and the studio is back with a major bang with Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

This is the second stand-alone film for this character, and the first time that we have seen Chris Evans reprise the role of Steve Rodgers since Avengers Assemble: apart from a little cameo in Thor: The Dark World.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier gets the blockbuster season off with a bang, and really is one of the best Marvel films that we have been treated to so far.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier finds Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world.

However, when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow, Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn.

When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon. However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy - the Winter Soldier.

This is a movie that I have been looking forward to for some time - I was a big fan of The First Avenger - and The Winter Soldier really does not disappoint.

While the film looks fantastic, Anthony & Joe Russo have made this a movie that is driven by character and their development, rather than CGI and special effects.

This is the first film that has really explored Steve Rodgers suddenly finding himself in the modern world after being asleep for seventy years; there wasn't really time to do this in Avengers Assemble.

He really is in quite a difficult and vulnerable place as he tries to catch up with all that has happened, accept that everyone he knows is gone, and find his place in this new world.

Events of the film also see Rodgers struggle to find who he can trust: plunging him further insolation and self-doubt. It is wonderful watching Evans balance all of these complex elements of this character.

We also see some fascinating character development of Black Widow; a further piece of her past is unveiled. She is a character who is beginning to struggle with things that she has seen and done in her past; I cannot wait to see this explored further in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Evans and Johansson make a terrific team, as Rodgers spends half the film working out of Black Widow can be trusted. The pair mixes action, friendship, and humour to make this a very interesting relationship.

Of course, this movie is not all about character development, as the action sequences really will have you on the edge of your seat.

From the fight on the boat at the beginning, to Nick Fury's first meeting with the Winter Solider and Captain America and Black Widow's encounter with this new villain, this is everything that you want and expect from a Marvel film.

What is so great about all of the Marvel movies, is while they are all part of a greater puzzle, each film has its own defined and distinct look and feel.

While we do see three Avengers characters - Captain America, Black Widow, and Nick Fury - coming together in this film, this movie feels like a separate entity to the Avengers series.

Anthony & Joe Russo much be applauded for their work on this film, as they have delivered a movie that is intricately crafted to balance action and fantastic character development.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the first must see blockbuster of the year, and is a Marvel film that is close to perfection. An absolute must see!!!!