Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) User Reviews

6.9?!? 8.5 all the way at the very least!!!

[reddiemurf81 · 8/10 · 23 July 2020]

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.

Strong start, then quickly ran out of steam.

[contractorjohn2003 · 6/10 · 23 July 2011]

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

From Comic Book to Screen, this one is a winner!

[nettminder · 8/10 · 23 July 2011]

The Marvel character movies have been a mixed bag. I know when a film is being produced and directed by people outside the comics industry that some things are lost in translation and some things are changed simply so the director can put their individual mark on it. Up until last month, Iron Man was the best movie to capture the main idea of the character and story, in my opinion. Iron Man was a very true to the mythos and great to watch. Captain America is better and that is not taking anything away from Iron Man. Yes, still some aspects of the story was changed, but I felt this was a great translation that captured and added to Captain America. They handled the background story and cast of characters with intelligence. I think the original intent of Captain America's creator comes through and what his values were. They did a great job with Steve Rogers pre-super soldier serum with the visual effects. The plot was very good and moved along well developing the story. I do not even remember any bad language at all which is rare these days. If you like super heroes and want to be entertained for two hours then this movie will do it.

A Super-hero Rightly Interpreted for the Big Screen

[webspinner128 · 4 August 2011]

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.

It's a good, action packed film.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 1 August 2022]

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.

The declining attention span of the US Audience

[NanoFrog · 6/10 · 28 July 2011]

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.

I enjoyed this despite what the others said.

[AdamBrad07 · 7/10 · 6 April 2023]

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.

Captain America The First Avenger: A mixed bag of neat and meh

[Platypuschow · 5/10 · 11 January 2024]

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.

Captain America- the last before The Avengers

[darthchris19 · 7/10 · 9 August 2011]

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

How is this movie a 6.9

[drhuffman-17263 · 10/10 · 24 March 2019]

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

Seemingly Old-Fashioned Superhero Epic Gives the Marvel Franchise More Life Than Expected

[EUyeshima · 7/10 · 1 August 2011]

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.

A worthy origin story of a classic hero

[Darkside-Reviewer · 7/10 · 18 May 2020]

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.

Just THE BEST

[hjanjua · 10/10 · 23 July 2011]

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.

Solid movie

[Morejambo54 · 7/10 · 5 April 2021]

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!

Captain America: The First Avenger is Marvel's Best Yet

[mcvayd · 27 July 2011]

Of all the Marvel comic adaptations, I most worried about Captain America because this is a hard comic to adapt. Steve Rogers AKA Captain America is essentially a flag waving, patriotic boy scout and that works in printed form but could end up being a cheesy corn dog on screen. True "Thor" is about an Asgardian thunder god but at it's core it is essentially a fantasy film and we have done that before, so I had a lot of trust that it would work. Captain America however is rooted in the real world and it would be really easy to make this a nauseatingly patriotic Michael Bay movie.

So this brings us to "Captain America: The First Avenger", the latest in the current series of Marvel films that lead into next year's "The Avengers". Did director Joe Johnston ("Jumanji" & "The Rocketeer") manage to bring Captain Steve Rogers to the big screen successfully? The answer is simple, yes he absolutely did. Johnston and his writers, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, have found the balance to bring Cap to life and one of the prime reasons this works so well was the decision to take the character back to his origins and set it in the World War II era. It would have been easy for the filmmakers to have a short World War II intro and then bring Cap into the modern world like the 1990 Albert Pyun version but we probably would have ended up with a similar mess.

The 1940's wartime era plays into that patriotic symbol theme that is vital for Captain America to work. Today it would have seemed tacky to send Captain America to Iraq or Afghanistan. The World War II setting offers Captain America a chance to be a real war hero, in a time when war heroes were celebrated, and to fight a clearly defined, evil enemy that everyone recognizes as a threat. Smart move Marvel Pictures.

The story of "Captain America: The First Avenger" is simple and for anyone who has ever read a Captain America comic, instantly recognisable. Week, puny Steve Rogers wants to join the army and fight for America. What he lacks in body size or health he makes up with bravery, heart and a solid moral code. When asked if he wants to kill Nazis, he answers that he doesn't want to kill anyone, he just hates bullies. After being rejected over and over again he is finally spotted by a scientist who is working on the super soldier program. The scientist, Dr. Abraham Erskine (played brilliantly by Stanley Tucci), recognises that Rogers has the right stuff for his program. A quick experiment later and wimpy Steve Rogers is turned into the super buff super soldier.

Let me just take a moment to say how much I loved Chris Evans in this film. Evans has always played brash and cocky characters. Take a look at "Scott Pilgrim Saves the World" or the "Fantastic Four" films for examples. We loved him in those roles to be sure, but Steve Rogers allows him to play a really humble, polite and sweet character and even after his transformation, he retains that pure and humble spirit. He may have superpowers but he really is just a kid from Brooklyn. While other superheroes are dark, brooding and full of doubt and/or pain, Captain America is like a breath of fresh air, he is brave and bright. He wants to be a superhero to do good, simple as that.

Okay, back to the film. After a minor action scene, Rogers becomes really popular in the USO circuit selling war bonds as Captain America, cheesy costume and all. It is when his best friend Bucky (Sebastian Stan) goes MIA that Steve Rogers jumps to action and the real Captain America is born. With a new costume, super shield and a crack team of commandos at his disposal, Captain America sets about systematically dismantling Hydra, the super evil science division of the Nazis led by Germany's own super soldier, the evil Red Skull.

Hugo Weaving's scenery chewing performance as the Red Skull is brilliant and he often steals the film. In fact the performances by the entire supporting cast are rock solid and this helps Evans sell the more fantastical aspects of the film. Along with the already mentioned Tucci, Weaving and Stan is the ever reliable Tommy Lee Jones as Col. Chester Phillips (Cap's superior officer) and Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark (yes, Iron Man's dad). But I have to give special mention to Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, Steve Roger's love interest. Atwell is not only physically beautiful but she also has guts and can hold her own with the boys. I found the mutual attraction between Rogers and Carter pitch perfect and I think it is one of the most successful love stories in the Marvel films yet. She is a star in the making and I look forward to her future career.

So far I have gushed and to be fair I must point out that the film's third act does have a minor logic flaw, but in the great scheme of things it doesn't take away the sheer pleasure of watching this film. I found that I had a smile on my face from beginning to end.

"Captain America: The First Avenger" proves again that Marvel knows how to bring their heroes to the big screen like no other company can. It is simply the best Marvel superhero film yet and Chris Evans IS Captain America. I can't wait to see "The Avengers" in 2012.

Oh, and one last note: stay to the end of the credits for the most satisfying post credit sequence to date.

I originally posted this review on my site http://geekactually.com

Fanaticalaboutfilms Review: Captain America: The First Avenger

[iReviewFilms · 7/10 · 28 July 2011]

Set during World War II, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) a poorly yet determined man has only one goal- to join the army so that he can serve and protect his country. Due to his illnesses and diminished stature though he is rejected and turned away by every recruitment station he visits. A chance encounter with Dr. Erksine (Stanley Tucci) changes his fortunes and leads him to be accepted onto a secret project codename Project Rebirth where his honour and integrity gain him the chance to become a super soldier. He undergoes the transformation and becomes capable of near superhuman acts.

Meanwhile in Germany, Johann Schmidt aka the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving), head of the Nazi exploratory research department HYDRA is building and army and technology that threatens to not only usurp Hitler but destroy the world. Captain America is tasked with stopping Schmitt and bringing the war to a premature end.

I was looking forward to seeing Evans in his role as Captain America as I'd wanted to see if he had what it takes to be the leading star in a film rather than the supporting roles he's more used to. He passed with flying colours making the character his own from a skinny nobody to the patriotic propaganda spinning Captain America. The rest of the cast also performed well with Weaving a convincing bad guy (despite me wanting him to say Mr. Anderson) and Tommy Lee Jones adding his unique charisma to the hard as nails Colonel. I was less convinced with Hayley Atwell playing the love interest Peggy Carter as the chemistry wasn't there and she never really extracted any emotions from me good or bad.

The action taken as a whole was good but I'm not sure that there was enough from Captain America. Sure he swung his shield and sent the opposition flying but I never felt that he was getting down and dirty for his cause. Some of the fighting scenes felt rushed and tended to be over before they had even begun. Also I understand Captain America's improved metabolism/regeneration properties cover up the fact he always looks like he's just walked out from make-up room #1 but I would still have liked to see him a bit beaten up and then recover for the next scene rather than looking as if he's just going for a stroll through the park. He never felt in peril which instantly removes any suspense that I should have been feeling for him.

The story of his origins seemed to take president over the action and to a certain degree that's understandable- there is no movie without a plot, but I would have liked a smidge more action and a tad less talking. Luckily the film didn't give off that all American vibe that I thought it might with the patriotism healthily present rather than all engulfing. Likewise, the comedy flowed at a decent level with many short (as in height) jokes and other such one liners hitting their mark. Although for me, I found Red Skull to be the funniest merely for his appearance- he was not scary and just looked like he'd forgotten to lather himself in suntan lotion before a trip to the beach one day.

The ending certainly adds its clout to The Avengers film due out next year. (You may want to hang around at the end for another post credit scene and a teaser trailer for said film). So where does this go in my list of Summer comic book heroes? I think it slots in nicely behind X-Men, just pipping Thor into second and is comfortably ahead of the Green Lantern.

Extremely Nationalist but Enjoyable

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 18 December 2011]

In 1942, the weedy and sick Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is determined to enlist the military service to serve in World War Ii, but all his attempts are rejected by the military doctors. His determination, courage and goodness attracts the attention of Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci), who is ahead of the secret Project Rebirth, and Steve is summoned to be submitted to an experiment to become stronger and stronger. However, Dr. Erskine is murdered by an agent of HYDRA, a secret German agency led by the powerful and cruel Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving).

Steve is used by politicians to promote the selling of war bonus and recruit new soldiers to fight in the war. However, when his best friend James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes (Sebastian Stan) is captured with his regiment by Johann, Captain America heads to the fortress where he finds that the insane Johann Schmidt is actually the dangerous Red Skull. Captain America rescues Bucky and his soldiers and begins to battle against Red Skull and his powerful warriors.

"Captain America: The First Avenger" is an extremely nationalist but enjoyable action film. The beginning with the weak Steve Rogers being bullied and beaten by stronger guys is funny and entertaining. His exhibition on the stage in Italy is too much nationalist, boring and annoying. His romance with Peggy Carter has no chemistry, and the technology of the Project Rebirth and HYDRA is too much ahead of time. However, if the viewer forgets the flaws, he or she may find "Captain America: The First Avenger" an entertaining "popcorn" film like I did. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Capitão América: O Primeiro Vingador" ("Captain America: The First Avenger")

Better than expected

[itamarscomix · 7/10 · 2 October 2012]

It's kinda hard, when watching Captain America, to forget that it's intended mostly as a prelude to the far superior The Avengers; Captain America exists mostly to introduce the character and do away with his origin story. The sub-header "The First Avenger" certainly doesn't help to relieve the feeling that this film just wasn't meant to stand in its own right.

But surprisingly enough, director Joe Johnston managed to turn a sparse script about an anachronistic and old-fashioned character into a well-paced, even entertaining film. It's not as entertaining or as energetic as The Avengers or the Iron Man movies; Captain America's style is in accordance with its World War II setting. Johnston embraces the anachronistic idealism and patriotism of the character, but never to the point that it feels camp. The film feels like it takes place in the 40's, but it doesn't feel like a pastiche or a period piece, which would have made the transition into The Avengers jarring and painful. It feels like it's part of the Marvel universe, but it also has its own unique feel (something which Thor and The Incredible Hulk, sadly, cannot say).

It's still not quite a stand-alone film - not like Iron Man. It shows more than any other Marvel film so far the flaws in creating this elaborate shared universe of characters. It's especially clear in the under-utilization of the villain character, the Red Skull, who promises to be an interesting and mysterious character but gets far too little screen-time, which is all spent on the good Captain's origin story. That story leaves very little room for the film to have any of its own plot. But it has its own atmosphere, it has heart and a sense of humor and an anachronistic, idealistic but very likable hero.

"A weak man knows the value of strength."

[Al_The_Strange · 8/10 · 8 August 2011]

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)

Don't miss this one

[idahovandalfan · 7/10 · 22 July 2011]

I've heard a lot of reviews about this being cheesy. I'm not going to disagree with them, however, there's a reason for the cheese. It's a period piece. That period happens to be the WWII Era in the United States. This is a period of time when Americans probably felt the most patriotic. We were sending our young men into war to save the world. Men signed up willingly and those who couldn't fight, found ways to contribute. I think that if any of us suddenly woke up in 1940s America, we'd find it a very different world.

With that said, Joe Johnston, Chris Evans and Tommy Lee Jones capture this era perfectly. Captain America is Steve Rogers, a spirited young man who despite not being blessed with even an average man's physique, still wants to contribute to the war effort. He loves his country and is fearless. It are these qualities that encompass Captain America.

The pacing of the movie is perfect. The movie runs just over 2 hours long and it doesn't feel like it. The scenery and environment (some obviously green screened) are perfectly done. And speaking of green screening, there is a lot of CGI in the movie, but it's not overdone and it doesn't draw your attention often.

I knew going in that it was an introduction to Captain America so I expected a lot of exposition and character development rather than a lot of fight scenes and action. The movie is similar to Thor for me. We get some background and some cool fight scenes, but we can't wait to see more.

The actors are perfect. Chris Evans is so far removed from his role as The Human Torch. It's weird to see him as a team player rather than a hot headed showoff. Hugo Weaving is great as usual. Though I'll always have a tough time not expecting "Mr. Anderson" to come out of his mouth at any given time. And I also really liked the young Howard Stark. You get to really see where Tony gets his charm and personality.

This movie is a must see simply for the fact that it is the last stand-alone film before they (Iron Man, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Thor and Cap) get together for The Avengers. And speaking of the Avengers, make sure to sit through the credits to get an extra scene and a teaser for the Avengers.

Here's my rank for the current Marvel movies so far:

1. Iron Man 2. Thor 3. Captain America 4. The Incredible Hulk 5. Iron Man II

"I'm just a kid from Brooklyn."

[jan_kalina · 7/10 · 14 August 2011]

The film business is flooded with superhero films. I think that the audience is being tired of those films too. These movies always have to start with this origin movie - movie where our hero/superhero is introduced and these origin movies are pretty much the same story over and over every single time. They are interesting if we've got an interesting character like Iron Man, Wolverine, Hulk - men with flaws. I've never liked Superman - he was just too (for lack of a better word) good. The same thing is with Captain America, he is such a goodie goodie. That brings me to the main problem with this movie - the characters. The characters in this movie are not very much established, they are very one-dimensional and so the audience can't create any feelings for them.

Chris Evans has proved before that he is a good actor, playing this cocky Johnny Storm, or nerdy hacker in The Losers. Here he plays a wimpy and skinny Steve Rogers, a man turned through "science" into a superman. He has just one goal to help people fighting in the war. Hayley Atwell is very good looking woman but she has no purpose than just to provide a love story which is very uninteresting in this movie, not like the other Marvel movies. Hugo Weaving is great as usual but again pretty one-dimensional character. Tommy Lee Jones stands out as the Colonel Chester Phillips. He has the best one-liners in the movie. Tommy Lee Jones never disappoints and delivers another grumpy man turned to faith in the main hero. (I've always liked how they incorporated a Stan Lee's cameo into the movie and into the plot but here it was quite unnecessary)

When you go see a blockbuster summer movie, you expect great action scenes. Well, you don't get them here. The action scenes are very average and the addition of throwing shield as a weapon is going to change much. The setting of the movie is within this futuristic retro World War II and I didn't like this messing with history, that Captain was fighting this science Nazi division and all that. I know I shouldn't take this movie too seriously but all these futuristic machines in this retro setting were just way over the top.

Another thing is this movie feels very rushed, there isn't much happening but it just quickly wants to get to the end, so we would be excited for the next big movie from Marvel studios, The Avengers. Sure, it makes you excited for The Avengers, especially if you wait till the end of the credits as usual for a little teaser, but I wanted high quality movie like Thor or Iron Man. The movie is just too straightforward, full of clichés and it has way too formulaic plot. The film starts out well, in an interesting way but when our main hero is transformed into Captain America it just goes down the same route we have seen before in hundreds of other movies. Nothing new here.

THE best big budget movie of 2011

[ThomasMagnumPI · 28 July 2011]

All too infrequently, a much hyped blockbuster hits the mark right on the spot. Captain America First Avenger is such a movie. It's the best big budget movie that I've seen this year. It hits a high standard of excellence by combining a cool plot, breathtaking action sequences, a heavy dose of self discovery and realization, charisma, a dash of patriotism, love and puts it all together in one amazing package. This movie will surprise a lot of people with its heart while sacrificing none of the fun. The inner turmoil worked well, the beautiful thing is that we can relate to each character, especially that of underdog Steve Rogers. His never say die attitude and heart of a champion makes this hero more interesting then most. Captain America delivers on every level and does so with great emotional moments and it's a movie that lives up to all the hype it has generated.

Everything has converged perfectly, delivering what is now the best summer movie season in recent memory. It's certainly the best overall summer for superheroes. The cast is obviously stellar but that doesn't always mean greatness. (American Gangster, Wanted, Sphere, etc.) I'm happy to say this amazing cast delivers in every way. Believe it or not, Chris Evans himself delivers one of the greatest performances in a comic adaptation film EVER. Maybe it's because the character itself is one of the most complex and intriguing that any genre has to offer but that doesn't diminish just what a home run Evans has hit. They took the character seriously but still remembered to include fun and humor. I almost can't convey how much I enjoyed this film.

Captain America: The First Avengers

[auuwws · 7/10 · 23 August 2021]

An excellent movie that I very much enjoyed watching, not the best Marvel movie, but it's one of the best. The villain of the movie was not up to the standards. He could have been better than the one that appeared from the movie. I'm surprised that the movie is considered one of the most hated Marvel movies.

Truly remarkable

[mfaizanak · 8/10 · 22 July 2011]

To be very honest, when I saw the trailers of this movie, I felt it wouldn't do the job right. I love seeing comic books being made into movies, and I will add that I haven't read many Captain America comics. But Captain America is one of Marvel's biggest characters, if not the biggest. Every comic book fan knows his amazing shield and that virtually nothing can stop the hero when he has it with him. And this is why I was afraid. Once someone would take the idea and make it into a movie, that was it. There would be no "revised versions" or anything of the sort. There could be new versions but that would have to be years from now. You wouldn't want a movie like this to go wrong. I saw the trailers and I felt that that was exactly what was going to happen. The great name of Captain America would be ruined by a bad movie. I researched a little bit more to find who the director was and my fears grew stronger. Joe Johnston, the man who directed films like Jumanji, The Wolfman, and Jurassic Park 3? October Sky was good but that's a drama film. How could someone like that ever make Captain America into a successful movie? I went into the theater with low expectations. Forgive me if I bored you with this intro, but I felt if I wrote a review for this it had to be necessary.

You already know I liked this movie, presuming of course that you read the title of this review. It starts out with something I didn't expect at all (I'm not going to say what, and I promise I will not give any vital plot points away, just things you probably already know). After that begins the tale of Steve Rogers, a young man (boy if you wish to call him that) who wishes to enlist in the army during World War II, but finds it hard to do so because of physical problems (among others). But Steve has a good heart, and that makes all the difference. After that, well, you'll see what happens, but I'm sure you already know our little protagonist becomes a lot stronger (and yes ladies, a lot more handsome too). After having watched Chris Evans in Fantastic Four as the Human Torch, I had doubts about him too. I've barely seen any of his other movies but I obviously thought he was just a young pretty boy with not much real acting skills. But once again, I was wrong. Chris Evans is not Johnny (The Human) Torch. Chris Evans is Captain America. If you've seen Fantastic Four and its sequel, forget they ever even happened. Don't make the same mistake I did and think Evans is going to be the same as he was in his role in the two movies I just mentioned. He may not be the best actor out there, but I think he fit the Captain perfectly. Mature and serious for the matter, determined, courageous, good-hearted. Chris Evans pulled off a magnificent job. Evans became his truer self (I've seen some of his interviews and he's a pretty serious dude, but before that, I thought he was kind of a jerk based on his previous film roles). That's probably why he did this role better than he's ever done before. This is definitely his performance which will lead to him being called "Captain America" by little kids who see him on the streets.

The movie itself was a bit serious, a bit darker than I imagined, and not very cheesy at all (thank God, that was one of my other fears). It has its funny moments, and its depressing moments. But you will enjoy it, at least I hope you will, just as I did. Most of the film's cast performed very good. Hayley Atwell was great as Peggy Carter, the rather badass British, and I enjoyed Dominic Cooper's performance as the smooth and intelligent Howard Stark (yes, Tony's dad). Tommy Lee Jones, as was expected, was great in his role as Colonel Chester Phillips, and Hugo Weaving was sinister as the nefarious Red Skull. Another excellent performer was Stanley Tucci as the almost fatherly Dr. Abraham Erskine. But I think Chris Evans did the best, maybe because I didn't expect that from him.

The film has great effects, none extremely extraordinary, but they do their job perfectly. Based during the time of World War II, the movie adopted a sort of old-fashioned, 20th century style. And it works greatly. And the plot goes along just well with all of this. Somewhere in the middle, I did seem to think the movie was rushing a little too fast, but that's understandable due to length; it's longer than I thought it would be, 2 hours and 5 minutes. The film has its fair share of badass moments, moments where everything happens exactly the way you could possibly hope for them to happen. And moments where the film grabs you and makes you feel emotional, attached to the characters, especially Steve Rogers, who you stick out with from the start till the end. The hero marks the spirit of America, and has the power to inspire everyone throughout the world to be a hero, because as this movie teaches, anyone physically weak or strong can be one as long as they have a good heart.

And if you've read this entire review, I sincerely thank you greatly. But don't just take my word for it. Go watch it for yourself. Gather your opinions. And don't expect this to be the absolute best of the best because it isn't. But I'm sure if you give it a chance, you'll enjoy the experience as I did.

Retro Blast

[TourettesPersonal · 8/10 · 29 July 2011]

Captain America: The First Avenger is a pretty decent film by its own merits. Showing the good old retro style and production design, since this film is directed by Joe Johnson who is capable of portraying the old times perfectly. Chris Evans did a great job as Captain America. Some of the action scenes are disappointingly unexciting but at least the CGI effects are eye candy. The movie ends with true patriotic heroism and full of heart. Definitely not new but it's still enjoyable.

The trope of Captain America: The First Avenger has been reused by so many superhero movies. A good guy who is a weakling became powerful then eventually saves the day. It's definitely not innovating even for the people who've never read the comics but it's a relic. Well made production design & the old fashion score. Most battle scenes are montages. The action scenes are large. It can be watchable but some of them are pretty bland and poorly directed.

The joys and the thrills mostly goes to the performances. Nothing goes wrong with Chris Evans. He did a decent job as Steve Rogers/Captain America. Hugo Weaving is fun to watch by his campiness and menace for the Red Skull. Tommy Lee Jones is the comic relief here. The special effects are everywhere. Skinny Chris Evans and the background of the 1940s. Well, they are good enough for this film.

Plenty of things worked in the end. Captain America: The First Avenger is a relic in its old fashion style but a little messy when it comes to the editing of the action scenes, but it's still enjoyable. Patriotic heroism, full of heart, Chris Evans, and decent production design. Marvel Studios and Joe Johnston really beats the awful 1990s version. The action could have been better but their flaws can be ignored. It's fun enough as a superhero movie.