Captain America: The Winter Soldier

UK Release Date: 26 March 2014

Certification: 12A

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Cast: Chris Evans, Frank Grillo, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, Robert Redford, Sebastian Stan

Rating: 97%

"On your left"

Review:

The perfect action movie. The Russo's introduction to the MCU is their finest and also the series' best. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the perfect example of how to do a sequel right - It has so many iconic action scenes and lines whilst applying it's trade in the spy genre and introduces many fan favourites for the first time. 

Captain America's last appearance in Avengers Assemble was heavily criticised by fans because they felt he was too goofy compared to his comic counterpart. However, the Russo Brothers do a great job at making Steve Rogers grounded, grittier and sufficiently more serious superhero that is fit to lead till the very end. This is also partly down to Chris Evans who incredibly makes Captain America feel real, immersing himself into the role.  

The rest of the cast are all at the top of their game. Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson, playing Black Widow and Nick Fury respectively, are brought into Cap's story after their roles in Avengers Assemble. Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson are brilliant whilst on the run together bringing charisma whilst on the run. Anthony Mackie is introduced as the Falcon showing the beginning of Steve and Sam's friendship which is explored further as the trilogy goes on. I'd read the comics before so I saw the twist of Bucky being Winter Soldier coming a long way before it happened but I still feel it was executed very well. Sebastian Stan is ominous and mysterious as the villain making for an admirable adversary for Steve. 

The risks Marvel took with Captain America: The Winter Soldier sometimes go under the radar. Placing it in a genre separate from any other MCU movie, which worked extremely well with the concept of a government crumbling from within. Bringing back a character who was thought dead, perhaps taking away the severity of the first outing. And plucking two directors who had previously only had experience in the TV industry but every single one paid off and made the movie even better. 

The action scenes are all superbly choreographed, It's probably some of my favourite hand to hand combat in the MCU. The opening scene memorable, the car chase memorable, the final battle memorable and the elevator scene may well be my favourite ever action scene in any movie. 

I remember walking out of the cinema when I was nine-years-old after watching the movie and pretending to be Captain America jumping over chairs, rolling on the floor and using a pillow as a shield. To me that epitomises what the MCU is about. It immerses you in it's world, which for me has heightened the cinema experience as it's all connected. And Captain America: The Winter Soldier was the first movie that really made me realise that I'm inspired by these characters, making it in my opinion the best and most complete movie in the MCU.