Also I feel like I should mention the death of Stan Lee. Stan Lee made the Marvel Comics universe what it is today. He also cocreated ton of characters we all know now. Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Black Panther and many others. Without him I wouldn't be talking about these films, I wouldn't be myself without his characters. All the thanks for him, I hope he's in better place now//
Back in 2011 trailer for Captain America: The First Avenger got me so excited I decided to do my MCU homework and went to see Thor and started to prepare for The Avengers.
The World War II superhero film looked so much fun for me. Sure I had my prejudices against a hero who dresses like the flag of U.S.A. but it looked fun and colorful enough to look past that.
I really liked the movie first seeing it. It was pretty much the period piece superhero action I wanted to see. Through the years my love for the film has only grown. Steve Rogers, Captain America has become one of my favorite characters in comics and film.
Captain America: The First Avenger
Directed by: Joe Johnston
Screenplay by: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Produced by: Kevin Feige
Starring: Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Dominic Cooper, Neal McDonough, Derek Luke and Stanley Tucci
Based on a character created by: Joe Simon and Jack Kirby
Captain America: The First Avenger is the fifth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's the first period piece in the MCU, with film taking place during the second World War almost entirely. In the film, Steve Rogers, physically weak and little man with a heart of gold joins the army and through experiment becomes Captain America, world's first superhero. In the WWII Steve goes against Nazi science division Hydra and it's leader Johann Schmidt a.k.a. The Red Skull.
For most people the first Captain America seems to be the necessary Captain America -movie Marvel had to make before The Avengers. Many also felt disappointed and felt like everything "cool" happened in a montage. Personally I don't see it that way. The First Avengers does a great job introducing the great character that is Steve Rogers. The film gives the world of MCU more history. It has really nice style and great soundtrack. Action is fun too.
The Boy Scout
Character of Captain America is often seen as too perfect to be relatable. For me the film challenges this view in a great way. It spends a quite a lot time with Steve Rogers before he gets injected with super soldier serum. During these times we see a character whose physically weak, but still wants to do his part in helping others. We see his kindness, his bravery and his compassion. Everybody who wants to help and be a good person should be able to relate to the experiences Steve is going through.
When Steve finally does get his super powers and sweet body of Chris Evans, we are happy for him and can admire how he still is able to stay good and not let the powers change him. Steve Rogers is different from other characters, for he doesn't change that much in the course of this film or the others. He's a character who always tries to do the right thing, despite what it might cause for him. I think that's why we need characters like him.
Helping the character come to life, is the actor Chris Evans. He does a really great job portraying what character is going through. His awkwardness when talking to his crush, his confidence and determination when going into a battle, and his sadness at the end of the movie. His performance isn't as "fun" as Robert Downey Jr's as Tony Stark, it's more calm and subtle compared to his fellow Avenger-star. I think it's especially the fun part that often makes people dismiss Evans when comparing the two.
Historical Figures
Captain America: The First Avenger has a ton of side characters helping or going against Steve Rogers. Most of them are left on the side, but few stand out.
Hayley Atwell playis Agent Peggy Carter. She's a British spy and a member of Strategic Scientific Reserve (S.S.R.), group behind the super soldier initiative. Agent Carter helps train the soldiers in program and becomes the love interest for Steve.
Atwell does great job portraying the tough female spy who doesn't give a shit about your sexist attitudes. She also works really well in the more emotional scenes and chemistry between her and Evans is great. It's no wonder she's one of the most popular characters in this film.
The villain Johann Schmidt a.k.a. Red Skull is played by Hugo Weaving. He does also pretty good job, especially considering how much make up is on him in his Red Skull form. Weaving is strong in his performance but not necessarily mind blowing. I think the film could've made the character a bit more menacing, Red Skull is one of the most evil characters in the comics. I mean he is pretty much a Nazi (even though he does distance himself from the actual Nazi's in the film.)
In the film Steve Rogers gets support from "Howling Commandos", a diverse group of soldiers he rescued from a Hydra base. They do a good job portraying the different people fighting in World War II against the Nazis, but they are there mostly for Steve not to be alone in the action scenes and make it feel more like a war movie. I would've liked to see more of them. Especially Steve's best friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) could've used more screen time, considering his importance in the future MCU films.
Captain America and his Howling Commandos. Howling Commandos were led by Sergeant Nick Fury, who later became the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
The Good Old Times
Captain America: The First Avenger does a really great job presenting the 1940s of the MCU. While I'm not an expert on the subject, everything looks like it should for the forties. The way people dress, the cars, weapons, uniforms all make you feel like you're watching a film about the past.
Film also does a really good job bringing more fantastical elements of a superhero film to the period. The final suit of Captain America fits the scenes and so do the magically powered weapons the Hydra agents use. In the blu-ray extras I also learned to appreciate things like the vehicle design. The submarine in the beginning, Red Skull's big ass car and the plane where the final battle takes place all bring some fantasy to the film without looking like they don't belong.
Another part that really does it for me, is the music in the film. Composer Alan Silvestri did a really good job setting the heroic and nostalgic mood for the film. I find myself humming the themes of Captain America all the time and the propaganda song used in a scene that introduces Captain America -character to the world is just a blast.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer
Blu-ray of the film comes with another "Marvel One-Shot" short film called A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer. Directed by Leythum and written by Eric Pearson, the short film tell's, well, about a funny thing that happened when Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) was on his way to Thor's hammer during Iron Man 2 and Thor.
The film is basically just Coulson stopping to fill up the gas tank of his car and buying some donuts. Few robbers try to rob the gas station and Coulson beats them up. It's a simple but kind of fun scene that shows the audience that the friendly faced Agent Coulson can actually take care of shit. It's a fun little extra, though maybe not super necessary.
Universe building
Captain America: The First Avenger is the first period piece in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It does a great job giving some history to that world by asking the question "what did WWII with superheroes look like?" Sure Captain America is the only superhero in the movie but with that comes the super villain and the fantastical weapons and technologies. It makes the MCU feel bigger and more real. A world with it's own actual history.
The movie connects strongly to previous films in the MCU as well. The object that gives Hydra weapons their power, Tesseract, is said to be of Odin's collection and it was shown in the post-credits scene of Thor -film. Also father of Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man, Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) has an important role in the film as a person who gives Steve Rogers the iconic shield of his.
In later films we found out that the S.S.R. introduced in this movie later became the spy organization S.H.I.E.L.D. founded by Howard Stark and Agent Peggy Carter. Speaking of S.H.I.E.L.D, there is of course cameo by the Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) at the end as the film jumps back to 21st century.
All of these cameos and connections work really well for the film. None of them feel forced or weight down the movie. They are fun things for people who watch more MCU films and for people just watching this film they all feel like they belong.
Post-credits scene of Captain America: The First Avenger is actually just a teaser for The Avengers film. It was one to see that one time in the theater, but has lost it's meaning. Now it's just an add.
In the comics...
The first issue of Captain America Comics was released in the United States in 1940, a year before U.S. entered the second World War. The cover had hero dressed in the colors of the American flag punching Adolf Hitler like a Nazi bastard deserves to be punched. It's interesting that while the comic was great success, it did have lot of people opposing it. The political views (saying that massmurdering racist maniacs are bad) of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby resulted the pair getting death threads and needing to hire security for themselves. I bring this up because it's interesting how people complain how comics have become lately political, when they have been that for at least 70 years.
I read the origin story of Steve Rogers that was reprinted on one of the Captain America comics I own. It only included the part about Steve becoming Captain America. The First Avenger is pretty faithful to that story having the same small guy taking part in an army experiment. Nazis intervene and a new super hero is born. There are small differences like the doctor who did the experiment and the lack of Agent Carter in the comic book. Some of those elements were introduced later in the comic books.
Big difference between original comics and film is the character of Bucky Barnes. In the comics he originally was Captain Amerca's kid sidekick, Robin to his Batman. In the film Bucky, played by Sebastian Stan, is same age as Steve Rogers, his best friend before the war and a fellow soldier. This was due to the fact that in modern times showing a kid running around the war is kind of horrible idea. Comics too later changed history of Bucky. He was no longer just a kid sidekick, but a teenager who was trained to become Captain America's partner. He's job was to do the dirty work, like the assassinations and sabotages flag wearing character couldn't.
I haven't read much of the early Captain America comics, but I really like the character. I own around 30 Captain America trade paper backs including works of Ed Brubaker, Rick Remender and Nick Spencer. The character who's always there for people to look up to, defending those who can't defend themselves really appeals to me. This is present in the comics very often, showing Steve Rogers who does what he needs to but knows compassion and has polite, wise manner to him.
Nazi punching good times
Captain America: The First Avengers is still one of my favorite films in the MCU's "Phase 1", meaning the films from 2008 to 2012. The idea of an good man who gets and chance to help people and actually does it really speaks to me. The character of Steve Rogers is the kind I think we need more of and should really look up to. Also in these dark times we're living in, it's always good to see a Nazi getting punched (even if you could debate whether Hydra actually are Nazis or not).
Next time I'll be tackling the last film in MCU's Phase 1, The Avengers (2012)
Have fun. Love and respect each other.
- O.K.
Captain America: The First Avenger
Directed by: Joe Johnston
Screenplay by: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Produced by: Kevin Feige
Starring: Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Dominic Cooper, Neal McDonough, Derek Luke and Stanley Tucci
Based on a character created by: Joe Simon and Jack Kirby
Captain America: The First Avenger is the fifth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's the first period piece in the MCU, with film taking place during the second World War almost entirely. In the film, Steve Rogers, physically weak and little man with a heart of gold joins the army and through experiment becomes Captain America, world's first superhero. In the WWII Steve goes against Nazi science division Hydra and it's leader Johann Schmidt a.k.a. The Red Skull.
For most people the first Captain America seems to be the necessary Captain America -movie Marvel had to make before The Avengers. Many also felt disappointed and felt like everything "cool" happened in a montage. Personally I don't see it that way. The First Avengers does a great job introducing the great character that is Steve Rogers. The film gives the world of MCU more history. It has really nice style and great soundtrack. Action is fun too.
The Boy Scout
Character of Captain America is often seen as too perfect to be relatable. For me the film challenges this view in a great way. It spends a quite a lot time with Steve Rogers before he gets injected with super soldier serum. During these times we see a character whose physically weak, but still wants to do his part in helping others. We see his kindness, his bravery and his compassion. Everybody who wants to help and be a good person should be able to relate to the experiences Steve is going through.
"I don't like bullies." This scene shows really well what I so love about this movie.
When Steve finally does get his super powers and sweet body of Chris Evans, we are happy for him and can admire how he still is able to stay good and not let the powers change him. Steve Rogers is different from other characters, for he doesn't change that much in the course of this film or the others. He's a character who always tries to do the right thing, despite what it might cause for him. I think that's why we need characters like him.
Helping the character come to life, is the actor Chris Evans. He does a really great job portraying what character is going through. His awkwardness when talking to his crush, his confidence and determination when going into a battle, and his sadness at the end of the movie. His performance isn't as "fun" as Robert Downey Jr's as Tony Stark, it's more calm and subtle compared to his fellow Avenger-star. I think it's especially the fun part that often makes people dismiss Evans when comparing the two.
Historical Figures
Captain America: The First Avenger has a ton of side characters helping or going against Steve Rogers. Most of them are left on the side, but few stand out.
Hayley Atwell playis Agent Peggy Carter. She's a British spy and a member of Strategic Scientific Reserve (S.S.R.), group behind the super soldier initiative. Agent Carter helps train the soldiers in program and becomes the love interest for Steve.
Atwell does great job portraying the tough female spy who doesn't give a shit about your sexist attitudes. She also works really well in the more emotional scenes and chemistry between her and Evans is great. It's no wonder she's one of the most popular characters in this film.
Hayley Atwell would later reprise her role as Agent Peggy Carter in other MCU film as well as the MCU tv-show Agent Carter that ran for two seasons. Both seasons of Agent Carter can be found on Finnish Netflix.
The villain Johann Schmidt a.k.a. Red Skull is played by Hugo Weaving. He does also pretty good job, especially considering how much make up is on him in his Red Skull form. Weaving is strong in his performance but not necessarily mind blowing. I think the film could've made the character a bit more menacing, Red Skull is one of the most evil characters in the comics. I mean he is pretty much a Nazi (even though he does distance himself from the actual Nazi's in the film.)
In the film Steve Rogers gets support from "Howling Commandos", a diverse group of soldiers he rescued from a Hydra base. They do a good job portraying the different people fighting in World War II against the Nazis, but they are there mostly for Steve not to be alone in the action scenes and make it feel more like a war movie. I would've liked to see more of them. Especially Steve's best friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) could've used more screen time, considering his importance in the future MCU films.
The Good Old Times
Captain America: The First Avenger does a really great job presenting the 1940s of the MCU. While I'm not an expert on the subject, everything looks like it should for the forties. The way people dress, the cars, weapons, uniforms all make you feel like you're watching a film about the past.
Film also does a really good job bringing more fantastical elements of a superhero film to the period. The final suit of Captain America fits the scenes and so do the magically powered weapons the Hydra agents use. In the blu-ray extras I also learned to appreciate things like the vehicle design. The submarine in the beginning, Red Skull's big ass car and the plane where the final battle takes place all bring some fantasy to the film without looking like they don't belong.
Another part that really does it for me, is the music in the film. Composer Alan Silvestri did a really good job setting the heroic and nostalgic mood for the film. I find myself humming the themes of Captain America all the time and the propaganda song used in a scene that introduces Captain America -character to the world is just a blast.
During the song the film also does a homage to Cap's comic book suit and the cover of Captain America Comics #1
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer
Blu-ray of the film comes with another "Marvel One-Shot" short film called A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer. Directed by Leythum and written by Eric Pearson, the short film tell's, well, about a funny thing that happened when Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) was on his way to Thor's hammer during Iron Man 2 and Thor.
The film is basically just Coulson stopping to fill up the gas tank of his car and buying some donuts. Few robbers try to rob the gas station and Coulson beats them up. It's a simple but kind of fun scene that shows the audience that the friendly faced Agent Coulson can actually take care of shit. It's a fun little extra, though maybe not super necessary.
Universe building
Captain America: The First Avenger is the first period piece in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It does a great job giving some history to that world by asking the question "what did WWII with superheroes look like?" Sure Captain America is the only superhero in the movie but with that comes the super villain and the fantastical weapons and technologies. It makes the MCU feel bigger and more real. A world with it's own actual history.
The movie connects strongly to previous films in the MCU as well. The object that gives Hydra weapons their power, Tesseract, is said to be of Odin's collection and it was shown in the post-credits scene of Thor -film. Also father of Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man, Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) has an important role in the film as a person who gives Steve Rogers the iconic shield of his.
In later films we found out that the S.S.R. introduced in this movie later became the spy organization S.H.I.E.L.D. founded by Howard Stark and Agent Peggy Carter. Speaking of S.H.I.E.L.D, there is of course cameo by the Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) at the end as the film jumps back to 21st century.
All of these cameos and connections work really well for the film. None of them feel forced or weight down the movie. They are fun things for people who watch more MCU films and for people just watching this film they all feel like they belong.
Post-credits scene of Captain America: The First Avenger is actually just a teaser for The Avengers film. It was one to see that one time in the theater, but has lost it's meaning. Now it's just an add.
In the comics...
The first issue of Captain America Comics was released in the United States in 1940, a year before U.S. entered the second World War. The cover had hero dressed in the colors of the American flag punching Adolf Hitler like a Nazi bastard deserves to be punched. It's interesting that while the comic was great success, it did have lot of people opposing it. The political views (saying that massmurdering racist maniacs are bad) of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby resulted the pair getting death threads and needing to hire security for themselves. I bring this up because it's interesting how people complain how comics have become lately political, when they have been that for at least 70 years.
I read the origin story of Steve Rogers that was reprinted on one of the Captain America comics I own. It only included the part about Steve becoming Captain America. The First Avenger is pretty faithful to that story having the same small guy taking part in an army experiment. Nazis intervene and a new super hero is born. There are small differences like the doctor who did the experiment and the lack of Agent Carter in the comic book. Some of those elements were introduced later in the comic books.
 |
| Captain America showing how to greet a Nazi. |
Big difference between original comics and film is the character of Bucky Barnes. In the comics he originally was Captain Amerca's kid sidekick, Robin to his Batman. In the film Bucky, played by Sebastian Stan, is same age as Steve Rogers, his best friend before the war and a fellow soldier. This was due to the fact that in modern times showing a kid running around the war is kind of horrible idea. Comics too later changed history of Bucky. He was no longer just a kid sidekick, but a teenager who was trained to become Captain America's partner. He's job was to do the dirty work, like the assassinations and sabotages flag wearing character couldn't.
I haven't read much of the early Captain America comics, but I really like the character. I own around 30 Captain America trade paper backs including works of Ed Brubaker, Rick Remender and Nick Spencer. The character who's always there for people to look up to, defending those who can't defend themselves really appeals to me. This is present in the comics very often, showing Steve Rogers who does what he needs to but knows compassion and has polite, wise manner to him.
From Captain America #695 by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee
Nazi punching good times
Captain America: The First Avengers is still one of my favorite films in the MCU's "Phase 1", meaning the films from 2008 to 2012. The idea of an good man who gets and chance to help people and actually does it really speaks to me. The character of Steve Rogers is the kind I think we need more of and should really look up to. Also in these dark times we're living in, it's always good to see a Nazi getting punched (even if you could debate whether Hydra actually are Nazis or not).
Next time I'll be tackling the last film in MCU's Phase 1, The Avengers (2012)
Have fun. Love and respect each other.
- O.K.
