Author Topic: Captain America: The Winter Soldier  (Read 5680 times)

shuabert

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Re: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
« Reply #30 on: April 15, 2014, 04:20:00 PM »
verbALs, if you're asking if I think this movie is as good as Star Wars, then the answer is no. But I think it borrows many of the best elements of Star Wars, and is very good in its own right. I can't sell you on it if you didn't react the same way (nor do I care to), but I do think this is as good if not better than any standard action movie of the past decade, because it takes the formula and builds some real stakes into it. That's all you can do with a genre picture unless you're actively attempting to subvert it (a la The Cabin in the Woods) at the same time. 

Why should the ending of an action movie not be "loud?" And I still fail to see how it's stupid.

verbALs

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Re: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
« Reply #31 on: April 16, 2014, 01:32:28 AM »
Quote
Why should the ending of an action movie not be "loud?" And I still fail to see how it's stupid.

I think it's clear that there's a valid argument for more intelligence in the endings. Since that's all I am arguing, it seems quite straightforward. I'm not struggling to see why people seem happy with loud endings, and there's nothing difficult in understanding the alternative option of more intelligence. I would argue that one of the salient points people give for not liking these films is the loud, predictable ending. I've also explained why there should be room for more invention, since these are bulletproof money making machines, and examples of more intelligent action movie endings abound.

....and I'll probably go see Spiderman 2 later; having missed the first film. It looks like there might be some intelligent writing, I like Dane deHaan a lot and I can't see giant bits of metal falling out the sky in this one. I still love these films, as long I can see some thinking going on somewhere.
« Last Edit: April 16, 2014, 01:50:04 AM by verbALs »
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1SO

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Re: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
« Reply #32 on: April 20, 2014, 11:45:05 PM »
"I do what he does... only slower."

I haven't ranked the Marvel Universe yet, but this one is at the top. The Empire Strikes Back/Order of the Phoenix of this franchise. 70s paranoia thriller with 80s action set-pieces and the smartest Marvel script to date. (That's still iffy compared to the intelligence of other films, but this has a lot less reaches and squeaking through logic hoops.) The "don't trust anyone" aspect holds real weight when you know Joss Whedon has his hands in the story. I was ready to be double crossed by Nick Fury or Black Widow. Kind of disappointing that the bad guys end up being exactly you would originally suspect. Not sure how the story will do on re-watches since it just mixes "everyone you trust is evil" with "your best friend is your main enemy." The execution of these elements is so strong, however, I was totally on board.

Then there's the action, which looks more real than blockbusters have in a long time. Computer imagery usually provides a shortcut for stunts and effects and are as damaging to the genre as the overused shaky camera. Here it's done with real skill, so to appear minimal until the finale. There's a scene where Cap takes out a fighter jet and it's more exciting and less cartoonish than a similar moment from Live Free or Die Hard, and that film was almost completely practical.

 It cost a lot of money to make this, but for once it looks like the lion's share didn't go to the digital effects department. The urban warfare scenes took a page from the great freeway fight in M:I III and went big from there. Big without spilling into overblown. The scenes don't completely avoid moments where the camera is too close to the action, but it's a hell of a lot better than I'm used to seeing. (Such a step up from the first Captain America which has the worst action of the Marvel franchise.) Also, the first reveal of The Winter Soldier is a great shot.

Chris Evans deserves a lot of credit for what he's able to do with the blandest of Marvel heroes. There's a humility to Steve Rogers. That boy scout earnestness is still there. Evans isn't too cool to play the square, someone who's a soldier first. It's a tough role to take seriously, especially with that costume, and not something he's going to get much credit for. It's tough letting everyone else have all the good lines and showy gadgets, but Evans holds the center. Okay, he does have that awesome shield and I love how retrieving it is always worked into the fight choreography.

Scarlett Johansson has already started phoning it in. She's good with a funny line, but that smart, tough quality to Black Widow is largely absent. More than a few scenes, she was so relaxed I didn't see any character at all. Just ScarJo checking through information. Also, not connected to her acting but very interesting that she only wears the leather outfit in the opening action. Hayley Atwell's cameo scene should've been cut. Nothing in that scene we don't already know. Marvel's getting better at putting into those references to other characters.
RATING: * * * 1/2
« Last Edit: December 19, 2014, 11:15:56 PM by 1SO »

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Re: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
« Reply #33 on: April 24, 2014, 09:10:04 PM »

bona fide

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Re: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
« Reply #34 on: April 25, 2014, 08:47:50 PM »
I give it a thumbs up.  Pleasantly surprised that the women and minorities didn't feel like just checking a box.  And to have at least three strong women, when one would have filled the quota, was nice.  And Nick Fury is so not a token black man who just steps back to let the main man shine.  All around, for an action film, I thought the secondary characters showed good depth.  I thought the action scenes were superior to the other Marvel films.

So, problems?  First, I thought it was just way to coincidental that Captain American be-friends someone who turns out to have had special training with the wingy-thing.  I will suspend my belief for some things, but that was not statistically possible.  My second problem is that when Cap gets on the intercom and rallies the troops, it feels really tagged-on.  Up until this point there was no recognition that groups, not just individuals, have to fight for justice in order for justice to succeed and thrive.   It felt as though the writers were sitting around and one of them said "oh shit, we have to put something in there about how it takes all of us, even the little nerdy guy, to fight for what is right." 

Last, the civilian death count is just too much.  Can't ignore it.  Buses were getting blown up.  It felt a lot like the last Star Trek movie.  You can't portray that much devastation in an urban setting without the implication that innocent people are dying by the dozens.

« Last Edit: April 25, 2014, 09:13:31 PM by bona fide »

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Re: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
« Reply #35 on: April 25, 2014, 09:54:38 PM »
Last, the civilian death count is just too much.  Can't ignore it.  Buses were getting blown up.  It felt a lot like the last Star Trek movie.  You can't portray that much devastation in an urban setting without the implication that innocent people are dying by the dozens.

I was happy to see the film acknowledge this. Cap is blasted into a bus which tips over and he doesn't just get back up leaving everyone behind. You see emergency vehicles helping the wounded off.

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Re: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
« Reply #36 on: May 13, 2014, 02:17:16 PM »
Don't know why I didn't think to check in at Filmspotting for a discussion of this, but by far the biggest plot howler is the assassination attempt on Nick Fury- by apparently fake DC police.   I don't care how good your information lock down is at NSA or SHIELD or whatever, a broad daylight running firefight will draw all kinds of attention, particularly with everyone dressed as police officers.  And if you are planning something like that as an inside job, you'd think they wouldn't seem so surprised with the capabilities of Fury's vehicle.  Pretty silly.

I give it a thumbs up.  Pleasantly surprised that the women and minorities didn't feel like just checking a box.  And to have at least three strong women, when one would have filled the quota, was nice.  And Nick Fury is so not a token black man who just steps back to let the main man shine.  All around, for an action film, I thought the secondary characters showed good depth.  I thought the action scenes were superior to the other Marvel films.

So, problems?  First, I thought it was just way to coincidental that Captain American be-friends someone who turns out to have had special training with the wingy-thing.  I will suspend my belief for some things, but that was not statistically possible.  My second problem is that when Cap gets on the intercom and rallies the troops, it feels really tagged-on.  Up until this point there was no recognition that groups, not just individuals, have to fight for justice in order for justice to succeed and thrive.   It felt as though the writers were sitting around and one of them said "oh shit, we have to put something in there about how it takes all of us, even the little nerdy guy, to fight for what is right." 

Last, the civilian death count is just too much.  Can't ignore it.  Buses were getting blown up.  It felt a lot like the last Star Trek movie.  You can't portray that much devastation in an urban setting without the implication that innocent people are dying by the dozens.

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
« Reply #37 on: May 13, 2014, 02:37:16 PM »
Yea, and having a super-secret assassin that some people don't even believe exists start gunfights in heavily trafficked streets kinda goes against the whole super-secret assassin thing.

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Re: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
« Reply #38 on: June 09, 2014, 04:48:04 PM »
Loved the Easter Egg on Nick Fury's tombstone.
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Re: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
« Reply #39 on: June 09, 2014, 07:29:34 PM »
As did I, that was a great touch.
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