In the Marvel-inspired world of films, the newest addition is “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” The story follows Steve Rogers (Chris Evans, “Fantastic Four”), also known as Captain America, who is struggling to deal with his abrupt awakening in modern times after having lived in the era of WWII. In the midst of his confusion comes the revelation that SHIELD, the government agency to which Rogers has been devoting his time, is ripe with conspiracy and betrayal. As the organization of lies moves to increase its control over privacy and advanced weaponry, Rogers must learn to put his life in others’ hands in order to save millions.
“The Winter Soldier,” sequel to the first “Captain America,” film brings back a slew of familiar faces: SHIELD Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson, “Pulp Fiction”), assassin Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson, “Lost in Translation”) also known as Black Widow and SHIELD Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders, “How I Met Your Mother”). Additionally, Rogers’ childhood best friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan, “Black Swan”) returns from the dead, yet has no memory of his past with Rogers and has spent the majority of the last century working as a for-hire killer. Though the film does not give much history of his surprising survival and later crimes, there seems to be foreshadowing of more facts to come.
All the returning characters supplement the story well, especially Romanoff and Hill, who, it could be argued, are the unsung heroes of the story. Rogers spends the majority of the film brooding and fighting, sometimes simultaneously, as the women use their superior technological skills, advantageous fighting styles and classic flair to take down a decent amount of baddies. There is also the newly important character Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie, “The Hurt Locker”), a modern veteran who provides Rogers with an understanding of the world Rogers was abruptly thrown into, as well as much-needed friendship.
What truly makes “The Winter Soldier” a better movie than the others in the Marvel-verse is the many interesting aspects of character development that are actively pursued in this film. Wilson, for example, heads a support group for soldiers experiencing PTSD, as it seems that this is something with which he himself has struggled. Romanoff and Rogers’ friendship is another aspect that is fabulously shaped: The best part of the movie is an interrogation of a suspect between the two. Rogers threatens to throw the perpetrator off of a roof, but backs off, claiming that such an action is more Romanoff’s style—she obliges by kicking the man off the roof, much to the delight of the audience. And as all Marvel movies do, the constant references to other characters in the fictional universe (like Tony Stark and Bruce Banner) provide the audience with a sense of continuity and connection.
As interesting as the storyline is for fans, it seems to be needlessly complex; the audience will spend a good part of the movie attempting to figure out why Fury is repeatedly being shot at and who the villain actually is. In a surprising reveal, it turns out that someone Rogers has faced before has infiltrated SHIELD, in addition to other government institutions, and is working tirelessly to destroy what is left of freedom through ending millions of lives.The real victory of the film seems to be the discovery of the infiltrator, who will probably need to be vanquished completely in the upcoming “Avengers” sequel.
Any Marvel fan worth his or her salt knows that there are always interesting tidbits after the credits; “The Winter Soldier” does not disappoint. The short scene at the end does raise some questions though. The next sequence of events in the Marvel universe seems to hold strong relation to the “X-Men” saga—which is surprising, as “X-Men: Days of Future Past” comes out this summer, so the interesting “Avengers” spin cannot be quantified as a remake. It seems only time will tell what twists and turns the team will be facing next.
All previous viewers of the Marvel films will enjoy “The Winter Soldier” as it proves interesting and thoughtful, with fun and hilarious allusions to previous films; the story is also fleshed out enough that even those new to the franchise will be easily able to understand the necessary background. Though the film is phenomenally interesting, the audience will be left stewing over the last scene post-credits.
