Nothing gets a fan excited for a new film like a movie trailer. The three-minute teasers of potential cinematic high points pump our adrenaline and prepare our wallets to lose a few dollars. But trailers are a double-edged sword. Many trailers expose too much of the plot, give away all of the big jokes, or showcase too much of the action.
The trailers for Captain America: The Winter Soldier made many fans reasonably fearful. The film looked too good to be true, with previews promising an action epic with a thrilling political spin and a critical look at the security state. Too many movies that have not lived up to their trailers have made audiences wary, leaving some filmgoers to cautiously anticipate nothing but a popcorn adventure flick. But with Captain America 2, Marvel Studios delivered, as they always do. Despite its runtime of two hours and 15 minutes, the second Cap never slows down, never bores, and never fails to deliver on all of the hype.
It’s easy to look at its trailers and assume that Winter Soldier is just a summer blockbuster — action porn for the short attention span. And if the movie was only about action, it would still be worth the price of admission or the cost of the Blu-ray, being released Tuesday
But Winter Soldier is so much more. The first scene of the flick establishes that comedy will never be far from a Marvel Studios production. Cap and Black Widow have tremendous dialogue, playing off of the characters’ obvious differences. Both are shown to be so good at what they do that they continue to discuss seemingly petty topics during very dangerous situations. The jokes about Steve Rogers’ advanced age are priceless and show how good-natured the man can be about his life’s great tragedy.
And the Russo brothers direct the compelling narrative about that tragedy. Cap spends the movie adjusting to the changes that occurred in the 70 years since World War II, and while he can be light-hearted about it, he is also confounded by the shades of grey in which the world now operates. There are no mustache-twirling Nazis expounding on their villainous plans — the bad guys have been passing off as heroes for decades, and the real heroes lie to Cap constantly.
Rogers misses the life he lost. Throughout the movie, Cap remembers his fallen comrades and spends time with his former love, Peggy Carter — now in her 90s and seemingly on her deathbed. Captain America realizes, however, that he cannot be defined by his tragedy. Cap is a symbol and a tremendous man: relatable, despite his exceptionalism. Winter Soldier is the story of Rogers realizing his place in this new world, finding new friends and fighting new threats.
When Rogers first meets Sam Wilson, soon to be called The Falcon, they quickly bond. Wilson is a veteran of recent American conflicts, and Cap is able to relate to the man and the horrors he’s suffered. It’s a moment of tremendous symbolism that links America’s current struggles in the Middle East to its long martial history.
Cap and Falcon form a strong friendship, but Rogers finds himself questioning everyone else around him. S.H.I.E.L.D. has been infiltrated by an old enemy, and Cap is unable to tell whom he can trust. We see early on that Black Widow and Fury practice their spy tactics even with their supposed friends. Rogers, a military man who understands the value of trust and its necessity in situations of war, is unable to adapt to the world of spies and surveillance.
The Winter Soldier makes the viewer question the motives of everyone in the movie, especially those who follow the Marvel Cinematic Universe closely. Some S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who are in on the Hydra conspiracy appear in multiple episodes of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. television show, and the plot to the movie is directly linked to the show’s entire first season. This is an added bonus to the movie, as it stands alone as a great piece of cinema that is only enriched by knowledge of The First Avenger, The Avengers, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Of course, while the Hydra conspiracy sets up a great plot, it is the mystery of Cap’s rival, the Winter Soldier himself, that intrigued viewers of Captain America 2’s trailers. The combat between the two warriors appeals to anyone who enjoys a good martial arts film. But added to the great fights is the element of mystery. Who is this skilled man?
The Winter Soldier is a mysterious assassin who was formerly associated with the Soviet Union. His history has taken the form of a legend, with sightings of the man dating back decades. Many agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. have dismissed the sightings as rumor, and Cap even calls the tales a ghost story. But the actions taken against Fury prove that the assassin is real. Cap and Black Widow seek the man out for a confrontation, which proves to be anything but disappointing.
The fight scenes are great, the big screen action is incomparable, and the conspiracy involved makes you question everything you know about the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But most importantly, Winter Soldier asks the difficult questions about American ideals and the role of security in the post-9/11 world. Captain America and Fury’s conflicting philosophies regarding national security set the stage for the debate that every American should have for himself.
Casual fans who have only seen a few of Marvel’s movies in the last six years need to check this one out. Winter Soldier is easily the biggest, best, and most important of Marvel’s Phase Two movies, all of which are great. It is Captain America 2, more than any of the other Phase Two works, that alters the world in which the heroes live and sets the stage for the next set of Marvel stories.