By Matt Fulkerson/sports editor
It’s rare that a sequel surpasses the original. The Empire Strikes Back, The Dark Knight and The Godfather: Part II usually pop up in this type of discussion, and now the list needs to be updated with Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Hands down, it’s one of the best movies Marvel has produced, topping The Avengers and the original Iron Man, which is no small feat.
Picking up after the events of The Avengers, Cap (Chris Evans) works rescue and espionage missions for S.H.I.E.L.D. and still feels out of place in a world he doesn’t fully understand.
Recovering from his defrosting after spending decades on ice, Cap is more than a little uneasy about the path his country and government have traveled down in the name of security and freedom.
While he may question the judgment of his superiors, his new partner Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson) is more than willing to follow orders and perform the dirty work Cap is unwilling to accomplish.
Soon, the two find themselves on the wrong side of the law as everything they assume to be true is thrown into question.
The chemistry between Evans and Johannson can’t be overstated. The two actors play off each other perfectly.
With nods to classic political thrillers like Three Days of the Condor — including the casting of Robert Redford as a jaded politician — The Winter Soldier has a lot to say while never betraying its comic book roots.
Similar to the thrillers of the 1970s it references, The Winter Soldier is very much a product of its time. Although it touches on the themes of government intrusion and pre-emptive strikes, along with the difficulties soldiers face when returning from the front, the movie never forgets to have fun.
Based loosely on Ed Brubraker’s 2005 comic series of the same name, the filmmakers do a superb job of acknowledging the threat that the Winter Soldier poses while still highlighting the tragedy of his situation. While he may not feature much in the movie, Sebastian Stan is fantastic.
Perhaps the only major flaw in the new Captain America is that for a movie subtitled The Winter Soldier, there is precious little Winter Soldier to be found.
Joining the fight against the forces of evil is Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, aka Falcon. Mackie is the perfect choice to play Cap’s best friend and confidant. With any luck, Falcon will return in next year’s Avengers: Age of Ultron and not just the third installment of the Captain America franchise.
Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury, who until now has mostly made glorified cameo appearances, expands on his role from the previous Marvel movies. This time out, Jackson gets a chance to prove why Fury is the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. in a thrilling chase through D.C.’s rush hour traffic.
Directors Anthony and Joe Russo, who until now were most well-known for directing episodes of Arrested Development and Community, have a great eye for action sequences and certainly understand the importance of grounding the characters in believable relationships.
Although Captain America may be the product of another time, the type of chemistry between Evans, Johannson and Mackie should never go out of style.
