User reviews

At the time it came out, this was my favorite MCU film. I don't know how this one could've been done much better.

The casting is perfect!! Evans was obviously the choice to portray Steve Rogers. I will forever keep Hayley Atwell in that red dress as a fond memory. Weaving as Red Skull? No brainer. No one else could've done it as much justice. Stan, Jones, Tucci, and the rest of the cast of characters bring the story together.

Joe Johnston has done it again, managing to take what SHOULD be great action flick material and managed to make it, well, boring.

Don't get me wrong, the film started out quite well. The change from puny wimp to super hero was well done, as was the intro sequence with red skull. The whole nazi-mysticism mystique was done very well. But it seemed that after Joe Johnston filmed these two or three well thought out portions, the rest of the film was just filler.

I caught myself looking at my watch a few times, just sort of wanting the movie to end - and this was at the 1/2 point of the film. The action sequences are fairly average for the most part and I really never got that "edge of my seat" feeling as the characters faced peril.

All in all, an above-average film which could have been great if someone with better directing chops had been chosen.

6/10

With the imminent "Avengers" movie coming next year, only one hero's origin story remains untold…until now. Falling in line with "Thor," "Iron Man," and "The Incredible Hulk," "Captain America" showcases the rise of Steve Rogers as the title character. Unlike the other films, which take place in modern times, this one goes way back to WWII, showing the Captain kicking Nazi butt! With a lot of "Wolfenstein" style occult mystique and a slight "Indiana Jones" sense of adventure, this movie has a number of solid action sequences, and plenty of imaginative special effects and setpieces. With its references to various characters and concepts of other Mavel movies, it fits into the franchise really well. It might take some stretch of the imagination to believe that Nazis could be this futuristic, but for a superhero movie, it's all good fun.

The story in this case is pretty solid. The main character shows strong development, and for most of the movie, you really root for him. There's nothing more thrilling than watching the underdog getting the upper hand. As it goes on, much of the character drama and story development gets pushed aside by the action, but it still works. By the end, voila, we have the lead-in for the "Avengers" film.

If there's any complaint for this film, it's that there could have been more. Whether it needs a stronger action setpiece or a more invoking sense of drama, I'm not sure, but something seems missing, and nothing really makes this film stand over any of the other superhero films that have come out so far.

The film is competently made, with decent (but never exceptional) photography. Editing is good for the most part, but I am not a fan of the montage in the middle of the film that makes the entire war campaign whiz by. A couple of action scenes seemed a little sloppily-edited, but it's hardly noticeable. Acting is swell; Chris Evans is surprisingly strong as the main character, and I enjoyed Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones, Stanley Tucci, and Hugo Weaving in their roles. Writing seems pretty good. Production value is high, featuring lots of good (if not overly-slick) sets, props, costumes and special effects. Music is appropriately upbeat and adventurous. In the end, I'd say the film met my expectations, but never fully exceeded them. But it, along with an all-too-short sneak preview after the credits, provide the necessary bridge to the "Avengers" film.

Recommended.

4/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 4/5, film: 4/5)

Like many comic-book fans I was expecting the worst from this movie. This is not because the character has any less depth than other super-heroes, but I knew that it would be extremely difficult to transition Steve Rogers to film in a serviceable way. The guy is called "Captain America" for heaven's sake.

Any comic-book reader would probably appreciate the ironies and idiosyncrasies behind such ostentatiously patriotic code-name, mostly because in print Cap has challenged the assumptions behind his symbolism, becoming a more conflicted and universal figure.

But its hard to translate any of this idiosyncrasy successfully in 2 hours. Fortunately the film, instead of getting to political, is more old-fashioned pulp like Indy or "Sky Captain," which thankfully never takes itself too seriously (which was one of the flaws of "Thor").

I had my doubts that Chris Evans could pull off the modesty and heart needed for the role, but I was wrong. As the Red Skull, Hugo Weaving was wonderfully evil in a nostalgic, serial-villain kind of way. Haley Atwell is a sidekick/love-interest with the rare quality of not being incredibly annoying, and Tommy Lee Jones is perfectly cast as Tommy Lee Jones.

The reason I found this to be a good movie was because I enjoyed it, plain and simple. It's well-photographed and well-acted. Like its titular hero, it modestly embraced its silliness, creating a charming B-movie experience.

I have had the pleasure of watching "Captain America: The First Avenger," a Marvel movie that tells the origin story of one of the most iconic superheroes in the Marvel Universe. Directed by Joe Johnston, this film is set in the 1940s and follows the story of Steve Rogers, a scrawny but determined young man who is transformed into a super-soldier and fights against the evil forces of HYDRA during World War II.

One of the things that impressed me about this film was the way it captures the spirit of the time period. The film's visual style and production design are absolutely stunning, transporting viewers back to the 1940s with great authenticity. The film's use of sepia-toned colors and vintage aesthetic make it feel like a classic comic book come to life.

Chris Evans gives a standout performance as Steve Rogers, bringing a vulnerability and humanity to the character that makes his transformation into Captain America all the more compelling. The supporting cast is equally impressive, with Hayley Atwell delivering a strong performance as Peggy Carter, Tommy Lee Jones adding a touch of humor as Colonel Phillips, and Hugo Weaving embodying the menacing Red Skull with great conviction.

The action scenes in the film are thrilling and well-executed, with the use of practical effects and CGI blending seamlessly to create an immersive experience. The pacing of the film is also well done, with a good balance between action and character development.

Overall, "Captain America: The First Avenger" is a triumph of superhero cinema that deserves more credit than it often receives. The film's strong performances, impressive visual style, and well-crafted story make it a standout among Marvel's vast cinematic universe.

Having been refused several times for The Army, Steve Rogers is finally successful, once there he takes part in a project and becomes Captain America.

I know I'm late to the party, but what a party, my Marvel journey starts here. On the whole, I really did enjoy it, it's action packed, it's well paced, it's fun. There is no ambiguity here at all, it's a case of the good guys versus the bad, Captain America is a wholesome, kind and brave American, Schmidt is a fairly basic, scheming villain, Hugo Weaving makes him interesting though.

I rate Chris Evans, I'm a big fan of his, and I did very much like the way he played the part, there was a degree of humility, a whole lot of sincerity.

Some nice special effects, and plenty of action scenes. I loved the production values, especially the way they recreated a war torn Britain.

I really appreciated the wry humour, and of course enjoyed the story of the little guy overcoming adversity to save the world.

First one down, I really rather enjoyed that, considering where this sits in the Marvel world, I thought it was good, 7/10.

Really? First of all, the whole Nazi alternative history theme should be retired. Second, I love Marvel comics, read them as a boy, many of them. I liked them. So I understand the initial urge to accept yet another movie bringing up the Marvel super heroes. Ever since Stan Lee decided to retire and count his money, the franchise has declined into mere commercialism. Sometimes the same old tricks, and the tired chase scenes and the over-worked dangling from peril scenes can only be stretched so far...in this film it is to far. After watching the film I could not tell you what is was about, it is completely forgettable. I cannot recall a single interesting moment beyond my surprise to see that Tommy Lee Jones is in the film. I had no idea he was. Really, I am astonished at the overall high rating of this piece of trash. Is the attention span of the movie-going public so in decline? That such a poor film could be so well rated is mysterious to me and would make a more interesting subject for a movie than this film was.

So Captain America!... the last superhero movie before the Avengers

And how those this all America movie fair? pretty good to be honest. Even though this movie was pushing the whole American war propaganda a little over the edge I never quite felt the "america" in the movie which is a good thing. The sight of Chris Evans portraying Steve Rogers before the super-soldier serum was hilarious but it kinda felt real and non cgi. Kudos to Chris Evans playing a wimp for a change even though only for a short while. Chris Evans was perfect for the role of the young and brave Steve Rogers who later became one of the first known superheroes Captain America. Kudos also to Hugo Weaving who very convincably portrayed the antagonist The red Skull. Both characters were believable were so different in their roles that they actually balanced each other out. As for the rest of the cast. Well Hayley Atwell and Tommy Lee Jones did not contribute much to the acting department. both characters were super underdeveloped especially Atwell who was the romantic interest to Rogers. And Tommy Lee Jonses character was also super clichéd. The movie had some pacing issues with feelings that some scenes lasted for too long but the action scenes were excellent especially with Captain Americas shield which made a nice ding sound when it hit an opponent.

Overall Cpatin America was an excellent superhero movie which kept me wanting for The Avengers movie even more :)

I give this movie a 8 out of 10

The fifth movie released in Marvels MCU and the first appearance of Captain America played by (Chris Evans) though this isn't the first big screen adaptation of the red, white and blue hero this is hands down the best which isn't surprising seeing as the last time Marvel tried to do a Captain America movie was in 1990 and not only did it fail to capture the awsome comics but it made comic book fans in the 90s look like they read kids comics which simply isn't the case as many people now know after getting into the comics after the massive success and popularity of Marvel and the MCU as a whole in the past ten years.

Captain America switched things up a bit with it's storyline instead of introducing Captain America in the modern day the movie takes place in the 1940s during World War II and tells the story of a young, short, skinny guy with asthma from Brooklyn named Steve Rogers who is determined to serve his country become the strong and courageous Captain America by becoming the world's first super soldier with a pure heart and kind spirit in a story that sees him fight Nazi soldiers and take on the evil Red Skull (Hugo Weving) the leader of Hydra a secret evil cult set on world domination and their new weapons of destruction only the shield wielding hero in the red, white and blue can save the day.

This movie also introduces us to Agent Carter (Haley Atwell) who is Steve Rogers love interest in the movie who would later get her own TV series Agent Carter where her character gets much more back story and kicks ass like she should she is also one of the founding members of Shield along with Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) who is also in the movie as basically the MCU version of Q from the 007 movies. Captain America also gives us the first appearance of Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) who plays the character very well the makeup effects and black leather outfit actually make Red Skull look kinda scary and intimidating sadly the only other appearance of this character in the MCU to date is in Avengers Infinity War which was seven years after this movie and was only in the movie for a few minutes.

This is probably one of the best hero origin story's in a comic book movie because the movie shows us Captain America as just plain old Steve Roger's to start with before he got his powers and we get to see the kind of man he is before he gets his powers and honestly it really makes Captain America feel more relatable as a character because we see ourselves in this regular guy who wants to do good in the world and fight back against the bullies of the world again and again and then when he does get his powers we see him stay true to himself the power doesn't change or corrupt him it instead gives him the means to do what he always wanted to do make a difference in the world and stand up to the bullies of the world no matter what form they take and that's something this movie got right about the comics Captain America was always a symbol of strength and courage to people who read the comics as children and gave us a hero to look up to the very first avenger.

The special effects are again top quality which isn't surprising after Marvel started to get a much higher budget after every movie before this one in the MCU were such big hits and made a ton of money at the box office.

I highly recommend watching Captain America The First Avenger if your a fan of the comics and the MCU as a whole even if you're not interested in watching every movie in the MCU I would still recommend watching this one as it stands out on it's own and is the best movie interpretation of Captain America out there.

People suck, that's the only reason this movie is rated to low! I love this movie!

I not sure what to right, in 2011, this was my second marvel movie and the both were fantastic (TOR Captain America). I love it. Guys just go and watch. I am waiting on the Avengers now. Also, don't miss out the credits they will show the Avengers trailer in the very end. This movie starts from the making of the "Captain America" and beautifully ends up in the New York City current day where Steve Rogers and head of STARK foundation meet. Movie has a lot of details about Captain America. Only thing which I might question was gun used by Steve. I don't recall from comics that captain America has gun but maybe I am wrong. Also, what I like was Tony Stark's father Howard Stark in the movie.

It should come as no surprise that this mid-summer 2011 entry into the Marvel Comics-originated series would be the most unabashedly old-fashioned of all the Avengers-related sagas, but what is admirable about this particular epic adventure is how committed director Joe Johnston ("October Sky") and co-screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely ("The Chronicles of Narnia") appear to be in telling their somewhat revisionist story with such patriotic, good-versus-evil fervor on its own comic-book terms. There is nothing emotionally complex about the tale of this familiar superhero beyond a standard-issue time-travel element to bring all the Avengers story lines together. Bookended by present-day scenes, the bulk of the story focuses on our stalwart hero and his primary adversary, and how they confront each other during the height of World War II. In many respects, the film has a spiritual kinship with earlier retro-style epics like "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and the 1977 version of "Superman".

The historical part of the story begins in Norway where we see renegade Nazi Johann Schmidt uncovering an extraordinary power source which he plans to use for global domination. Meanwhile back in the US, diminutive and physically weak Steve Rogers is trying desperately to serve his country in the military, but he can't get past his 4-F status. His plucky tenacity does not go unnoticed as émigré military scientist Dr. Abraham Erskine selects him for a highly risky experiment that will transform him into a muscular soldier with superhuman strength and speed. He performs a heroic act of derring-do against a Nazi spy that throws him immediately into the spotlight, and the US government decides to use him to sell savings bonds at patriotic USO revues. However, when Steve finds out his best buddy "Bucky" Barnes is lost behind enemy lines, Captain America is truly born complete with his indestructible Vibranium shield. Naturally, he not only saves "Bucky" but the entire battalion who were given up for dead. All of this merely sets up the final showdown with the evil Schmidt, who has transformed himself into Red Skull, the super-powered head of HYDRA, the Nazi's occult research arm.

While the action in the second half is well-paced and impressively choreographed, it also feels increasingly overblown when you consider how Captain America steadfastly remains a beacon of service and loyalty as a direct contrast to the megalomania of Red Skull. The finale feels anti-climactic in many ways. Already familiar to Marvel fans as the hot-headed Johnny Storm/"The Human Torch" in the "Fantastic Four" movies, Chris Evans does surprisingly well playing such an earnest character, especially the first part where CGI effects turn him into the classic 98-pound weakling. Hugo Weaving has a field day as Schmidt, even if his character's motivations start to come across as simplistic. Other actors fare just as well if somewhat predictably given the lack of true dimension they are given to play - Toby Jones (Truman Capote in "Infamous") as HYDRA's No. 2, Dr. Arnim Zola; Stanley Tucci as the slyly supportive Erskine; and Tommy Lee Jones in full military bluster as Colonel Chester Phillips. Only Hayley Atwell comes across as too wan to play the tough-acting strategic officer Peggy Carter, Steve's romantic interest which the filmmakers barely have time to explore. No matter since the whole venture has obviously been designed as a springboard for 2012's "Avengers" sequel.

I separate this movie into to parts, the first and second half. The first being my personal favourite of the two with the most character development, main plot of the story and best dialogue. The second half being straight and fun action. The character that is Steve Rogers is by far the highlight of the movie, he is so courageous despite all his many flaws and continues to overcome his seemingly limitless barriers. It is wonderful to watch how he uses his new strength to fight his enemies and help his allies. Speaking of his enemies, red skull isn't portrayed extremely well, his is shown as a crazed man with a god complex, no other development or back story is given to the character, you could argue that it isn't really needed though. The introduction to Bucky Barnes's character is quite small but obviously leads to more later in his character arc. Besides this I don't have much else to say besides the action towards the end is quite good, a little drawn out a little silly and over the top but intense and enjoyable to watch. Also the soundtrack is incredible, it fits extremely nicely and is very uplifting. Also Also the comedy in the movie, which there is few, is far better than I remember and isn't just thrown in at the most random places. Overall a good origin story 7/10!

Plot

Steve Rogers, a rejected military soldier, transforms into Captain America after taking a dose of a "Super-Soldier serum". But being Captain America comes at a price as he attempts to take down a warmonger and a terrorist organization.

Cast

Chris Evans is fantastic as "Cap", Hayley Atwell delivers, Hugo Weaving hams it up in a rather disappointing performance, Tommy Lee-Jones is always a joy and then also along for the ride are the likes of Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones, Sebastian Stan, Samuel L. Jackson and sadly Neal McDonough.

Verdict

I've now watched this twice, I enjoyed it more the second time around but can still confidently say I believe it's very overrated.

To be clear Evans is great here, he knocks this role out of the park and I couldn't have bee happier. The supporting cast here are also first class, the film also has some great heartfelt and hilarious moments! So why am I not keen?

It's got some great everything, but when you throw it in a mixing pot what comes out the other side is a smidge disjointed, oddly rushed, our villain is under utilized and the whole thing just doesn't flow the way you'd expect it to.

Captain America isn't the worst entry into the MCU, it's just one that should have been considerably better considering the overwhelming tools they had at their disposal.

Rants

What an absolute waste Red Skull was, he's a fantastic fascinating character and they reduced him to a mockery, he was comparable with Jeremy Iron's Profion in the 2000 Dungeons & Dragons movie. I mean there was a global ham shortage for years after this was released, it was hammed into oblivion. And then he never returned, excluding the Endgame cameo which wasn't even Weaving! What a waste.

Breakdown

Evans is great Solid cast Some decent moments Doesn't flow very well Poor attempt at Red Skull.

This is the film where the MCU started building its tone and story. It's a great origin story as it takes us back to the 40's to meet the first Avenger which keeps you engaged in a theme of love for others and America! The cast and acting is great along with great dialogue of happiness and sadness. The cinematography makes the movie feel more in place with the rest of the MCU. The editing is perfect and makes slower scenes not feel to slow and keeps pushing the story. The effects still hold to today with great sound, especially for the shield. The music and theme is perfect because it fits the American patriot tone and is even used many times in later MCU movies. Joe Johnston did a great job introducing Cap to the MCU. I wouldn't say this sticks out but is the perfect movie to make before the Avengers! 9.0/10. A-.