Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

The movie is decent enough—I’d give it a 6.5 out of 10. It’s a pretty well-constructed story, all things considered. As far as the 3D goes, RealD is actually surprisingly solid compared to the standard stuff; honestly, I think it even beats IMAX.
And besides the fancy hair, they're also offering a limited edition FM radio receiver here with an iTunes dock... 😉
OVER HERE IN THE States
But man, those trivia questions are a total pain. They really demand a deep dive into the film and the characters if you want to keep up. 🙂

The movie is alright, I suppose. I made a point to catch it on my very first day in theaters here in the States. It wasn't anything to write home about, though—I honestly expected more, especially since the trailer actually managed to get me somewhat hyped. In two days, 🙂
Cowboys & Aliens is hitting streaming services right on schedule, which I'm actually looking forward to; the concept seems a bit more original, at least.

Captain America: The First Avenger—some scattered thoughts

-Hugo Weaving is just brilliant as a villain—actually, he’s even better when playing a Nazi. Let’s be honest, Nazis make for the best villains of all time; they had the best-designed uniforms and weaponry in history, period.

-The US is arguably the most militant country ever. Half the movies out there just worship the military in this overwhelming way that feels off to anyone with a European sensibility—sort of like how people might miss the satire in Starship Troopers. Captain America isn't an exception here; it actually leans into it quite hard, but you can swallow it more easily because it all feels so sincere and naive.

-The whole Captain America story hits the bullseye for every boy under 15. I mean, perfectly. And it's because there’s still a bit of that kid alive in some of us—this specific way of approaching the theme is spot on. It’s all genuine. There’s none of that forced "seriousness," cynicism, gloom, or ironic detachment.

-There's a moment where Steve Rogers, as Captain America, becomes a mascot—appearing at these cheesy propaganda shows meant to drum up war funds—while feeling totally frustrated inside because, even though he achieved his dream of becoming a soldier, he isn't *really* a soldier. I thought that could have been an incredible standalone film. Honestly, that part is handled so well that it feels like a character like this actually existed back in the 40s, like something you'd see in an old black-and-white newsreel.

-But anyway, he’s a real superhero, and then the action kicks in. The first action sequence immediately reminded me of the game Return to Castle Wolfenstein, which was great, and it reinforced my point that there simply aren't better villains than Nazis.

-Also, it really confirms that Hugo Weaving was born to play a Nazi. When it turns out he’s actually wearing a mask of Hugo Weaving's face, and he actually looks like Skeletor painted red, it’s a bit of a letdown—he looks kind of ridiculous, like a caricature. The real Weaving looked 100% more menacing.

-Then comes action, action, action—very varied and fun.

-Stan Lee has a cameo, of course. Did you even doubt it?

-There's a little romance subplot that, unfortunately, doesn't really go anywhere. The emotional situation at the end of the movie shows how this could have easily been the Titanic of superhero films if they had decided to head in that direction.

SPOILER

-But wait, there's more! The second ending, where Rogers wakes up in a hospital room and escapes only to realize everything around him is fake and reality is different, is also brilliant.

-Then Samuel L. Jackson shows up and ruins the mood, because he reminds us that this isn't some nostalgic fantasy, but just a gear in a franchise machine, which effectively yanks us right out of the emotional moment.

END SPOILER

-How is the 3D? The end credits are genius. That animation of old 1940s propaganda posters—unlike the live scenes where the 3D barely works (3D is best when things fly out at you), the animation is where you see the true brilliance and potential of the format. You can actually see the separate layers of color on those illustrated posters! It makes me wonder what it would be like if that Russian, Alexander Petrov, who does glass painting, made an animated short in 3D.

-After those great credits, you get this endless roll of names involved in the film that feels like it lasts for hours, all just to reach the... Avengers teaser trailer. The very idea of the "Avengers" sounds like someone serving you five different kinds of food on one single plate—just a total mishmash. The trailer isn't worth the wait, though; nothing concrete or interesting happens in it, other than seeing action and characters dressed like they're at a BDSM session, helicopters flying, lasers shooting, some threat looming (that you don't even see in the trailer), etc.

In my estimation, it is certainly worth one's time to view 😁 oh goodness, I simply cannot wait!!

So, I'm planning on catching this in 3D in just a few days... I was wondering if anyone here has seen it yet—do you think the 3D actually feels more realistic than Avatar's 3D?

This movie is an absolute train wreck, especially if you're into stuff like Transformers or the actual comics. It’s pathetic and naive, with zero traces of realism—and just because a movie is Sci-Fi doesn't mean you can abandon logic entirely. The first part actually holds your interest, setting up a story that just falls apart immediately.
Sieg hail deserves 🤦x10. Honestly, having characters speak English with a German accent felt stupid, especially since they nailed it in the new X-Men (even with some pronunciation flaws, it was way better than Schwarzenegger's English.). To make things even more absurd, after the Norwegians speak Norwegian, the SS shows up and starts talking English like characters out of some cheap sitcom.

On the bright side, the gorgeous Hayley Atwell looks phenomenal, and the 3D isn't a total disaster, though I have no idea what its purpose is other than making you pay $3.25 more for a ticket. Hugo Weaving is great, and they did a solid job with Evans' look before he transforms into Captain America.
I went in expecting this to be bad, but it actually managed to surprise me. A total blockbuster through and through.

Just got back from the theater after catching Captain America: The First Avenger. Honestly, what can I say? It was such an uplifting experience, whether you’re looking at the action sequences, that sweet retro aesthetic, or just the bits of humor sprinkled throughout. That said, the 3D was definitely a bit of a letdown for me. There were a few standout scenes where it worked, but overall, it just didn't hit the mark—unlike that Conan trailer, which looks absolutely killer.

Chris Evans is basically born to play Captain America, and so is Hugo Weaving as Red Skull. Speaking of Red Skull, I totally agree with the sentiment that Weaving is way more impactful when you see his actual face; when he's in character as Red Skull, he actually reminds me a little bit of Schwarzenegger. 😁

Oh, and a quick word of advice: whatever you do, don't eat watermelon for lunch if you're planning on hitting the movies afterward. Halfway through the film, I was seriously contemplating bolting for the restroom because I had to pee so bad. 😁 Luckily, I managed to power through until the end, though I didn't stick around for the end credits scene—that teaser for the Avengers. 😢 😁

I’m actually pleasantly surprised... I was expecting it to be a dud like Thor, but this movie actually makes sense. It’s fun, breezy, and charming without overcomplicating things or drowning in hour-long action sequences—you know, that typical bloat you see in most "modern" action flicks. Sadly, I didn't stick around for the Avengers trailer. Does anyone know where I can find the full thing online?

Decent enough, though it doesn't quite reach the heights of X-Men.

William Lee34 said:Decent enough, though it doesn't quite reach the heights of X-Men.

I actually prefer it to the recent X-Men films. It has fewer plot holes and actually manages to be funny.

There’s even a little nod to Indiana Jones in there—you know, when Hugo Weaving mentions how Hitler is wasting his time scouring the Middle East for mystical relics while the real deal is sitting right under his nose. 🙂
Honestly, there is so much to love about this movie. It just feels authentic. 👍

bluebison8 said:I actually prefer it to the recent X-Men films. It has fewer plot holes and actually manages to be funny.

I wouldn't go that far. To me, the movie really highlights how much Americans seemingly can't stomach the idea of being outmatched by Nazis during the World War. In this film, it’s practically one American soldier taking down twenty Nazis, whereas in the actual war, the ratio was closer to thirty Americans for every one Nazi. That was my only real gripe—it feels like Hollywood always tries to flip the script when depicting real conflicts where they didn't come out on top, almost as if it's driven by some sort of collective frustration. The whole point of the story felt lost to me once I realized the entire thing just revolved around tallying up how many Nazis an American soldier could kill on screen; the narrative essentially devolved into a cheap scoreboard. It felt rather pointless.

It honestly tanked the quality of the film for me. I felt more of this sense of American resentment and obsession than any connection to the comic or the artistry of filmmaking itself. Sometimes, regardless of how great an American movie might be, you can tell it's just radiating desperation. You see the same thing today with modern war-themed PC games.

I honestly expected two hours of pure American mindless action and cheap sentimentality, but it actually turned out to be a pretty light watch that was easy to digest. It would’ve been wild if the director was someone like Bay or Emmerich 😁 I was hoping for something more intense, but nope 😁http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcmuPc8_SWQ

brightbadger54 said:I wouldn't go that far. To me, the movie really highlights how much Americans seemingly can't stomach the idea of being outmatched by Nazis during the World War. In this film, it’s practically one American soldier taking down twenty Nazis, whereas in the actual war, the ratio was closer to thirty Americans for every one Nazi. That was my only real gripe—it feels like Hollywood always tries to flip the script when depicting real conflicts where they didn't come out on top, almost as if it's driven by some sort of collective frustration. The whole point of the story felt lost to me once I realized the entire thing just revolved around tallying up how many Nazis an American soldier could kill on screen; the narrative essentially devolved into a cheap scoreboard. It felt rather pointless.

It honestly tanked the quality of the film for me. I felt more of this sense of American resentment and obsession than any connection to the comic or the artistry of filmmaking itself. Sometimes, regardless of how great an American movie might be, you can tell it's just radiating desperation. You see the same thing today with modern war-themed PC games.

Schwarzenegger basically fixed those kinds of numbers for Americans in his movies—he just went around taking out whoever he felt like.

Well, I suppose it’s my turn to weigh in on this one... Personally, I thought the movie was solid—actually, it was VERY GOOD. I’d give it a solid 7.5 out of 10. In my book, this stands as one of the premier Marvel's adaptations within the Captain America franchise, easily holding its own against the Iron Man films and even Spider-Man 2 (which, if you ask me, was a fantastic ride).

The pacing is spot on—it has that tight, cohesive structure you want from a superhero flick—and I wasn't bored for a single second. There were actually two moments where I genuinely felt a chill run down my spine, which is always a litmus test for a successful film 😁 take, for instance, that specific scene where Tommy Lee Jones tosses that grenade—everyone else scatters, but he just lunges toward it, thin and determined 🙂 Anyway... it's a very strong film, at least from my perspective.

wiredraven82 said:Schwarzenegger basically fixed those kinds of numbers for Americans in his movies—he just went around taking out whoever he felt like.

🤣
I suppose I agree, I really do. But still—the Nazi resistance in that film was practically non-existent. You have these starving prisoners breaking them like toothpicks, yet they’re carrying plasma guns and somehow barely hitting any Americans? Then, once the heroes finally get their hands on that tech, they suddenly wipe out ten different nations with a single shot. It's a bit much, I guess. 😁

Personally... I find X-Men more engaging. And as for the sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger, the movie feels somewhat purposeless.

brightbadger54 said:🤣
I suppose I agree, I really do. But still—the Nazi resistance in that film was practically non-existent. You have these starving prisoners breaking them like toothpicks, yet they’re carrying plasma guns and somehow barely hitting any Americans? Then, once the heroes finally get their hands on that tech, they suddenly wipe out ten different nations with a single shot. It's a bit much, I guess. 😁

Personally... I find X-Men more engaging. And as for the sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger, the movie feels somewhat purposeless.

Man, you clearly haven't even heard of the Avengers, let alone sat through the end credits scene. ☕

Frank Moore4 said:Man, you clearly haven't even heard of the Avengers, let alone sat through the end credits scene. ☕

Oh, please—spare me the condescension regarding who knows what. I’m quite well-versed in Marvel's lore and the comics—you know, the actual stories—and I was playing most of the games based on them back when we were still using Commodore 64s or playing Terminator on old PCs. I didn't watch the credits, sure, but that was simply because I wasn't interested. 🤣. 😉

brightbadger54 said:Oh, please—spare me the condescension regarding who knows what. I’m quite well-versed in Marvel's lore and the comics—you know, the actual stories—and I was playing most of the games based on them back when we were still using Commodore 64s or playing Terminator on old PCs. I didn't watch the credits, sure, but that was simply because I wasn't interested. 🤣. 😉

Look, I'm not talking about video games or comic books here. I'm talking about The Avengers movie coming out next year. And no, it's not about "thanks"—it's about the teaser for The Avengers, acting like the typical end-credits scene you see in all of Marvel's films.

brightbadger54 said:🤣
I suppose I agree, I really do. But still—the Nazi resistance in that film was practically non-existent. You have these starving prisoners breaking them like toothpicks, yet they’re carrying plasma guns and somehow barely hitting any Americans? Then, once the heroes finally get their hands on that tech, they suddenly wipe out ten different nations with a single shot. It's a bit much, I guess. 😁

Personally... I find X-Men more engaging. And as for the sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger, the movie feels somewhat purposeless.

Look, you already know how Americans are—we can actually overlook that over-the-top, "buffed-up" propaganda patriotism in Captain America because, at the end of the day, we're talking about a superhero literally named Captain America. 🙂 I remember reading him in the comics when I was a kid... He wasn't some powerhouse with god-like abilities like the other guys in the Avengers; even when he teamed up with Spider-Man and the rest of the crew to take down villains, he was always the brains of the operation. He was the symbol—the leader. That's what CAPTAIN AMERICA is all about. 👍