Captain America: The First Avenger

Rating:

The early 1940’s represents tough times. A horrible war is being fought, and Colonel Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones) strongly believes that sweet victory will be embraced by the side that places more confidence in men than in weapons.

The United States of America needs the best soldiers they can find, and in comes a young man with an unparalleled desire to serve his country. His name is Steve Rogers. He is an asthmatic and weighs less than a hundred pounds. If he’s also missing half a toenail, then he’d remind me of myself five years ago. At home, he is constantly bullied, bad-mouthed, and beaten up.

Steve may not have the muscles that are required for the ideal soldier, but he has the heart. Thankfully, Doctor Erskine (Stanley Tucci) sees the goodwill in Steve and offers him an opportunity no 90-pound asthmatic could resist. You see, the military has developed a special technology that, once inserted in the body, could permanently alter human cells and make you much meatier without having to go to the gym. Sounds like super steroids to me, but what the heck. Let’s continue.

Steve is buckled inside this chamber where the transformation is to take place. Teams of scientists operate it while military officers observe from a safe distance. One of them is the pretty Peggy Carter, someone who may have romantic feelings for Steve, and vice versa. Buttons are pushed, levers are pulled, and knobs are turned. The chamber is opened and out comes the new Steve Rogers. Why, he now looks exactly like Chris Evans! All of Steve has gotten bigger. This includes his pants because this movie is rated PG-13.

While Steve adjusts to his changes, Johann Schmidt, a Nazi officer, works on his evil schemes. We know he’s badass because he’s trying to outdo Hitler. His success is dependent upon a puzzling cube that possesses unlimited energy. Because of its immense powers, my guess is that it isn’t man-made, which is supported when Schmidt says that the item is “the prize of Odin’s treasure room”. And though that line of dialogue actually complicates the item’s identity even more, there’s a later sign that it will further be explained in connected films.

“Captain America: The First Avenger” is one of many comic book movies in 2011 that tells the origin of its heroes. This is the one that got it right the most. It is highly disciplined in how Director Joe Johnston was not distracted by the movie’s potential for action sequences. He shows great interest in the story. All of the characters are necessary for the plot’s advancement, unlike most of the young mutants in “X-Men: First Class”. The hero, Steve Rogers, has moments of sincere emotions, unlike Thor, who will be remembered more as an action figure. “Captain America: The First Avenger” strongly believes that sweet victory will be embraced by movies that place more confidence in story than in special effects.

Note: It’s rather frustrating how I missed around three minutes of the movie’s dialogue because the theater I was in had a defective sound system. I write this so you don’t have to experience such an unnecessary nuisance. The bad theater can be found in one of the SM Supermalls. The SM Supermalls can be found in the Philippines. (U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!)