"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