Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) – Review

Review: Captain America: The First Avenger (hereby known as Captain America) is a lot of fun. Playing off the WWII era, its best attributes come from embracing the period – the war bonds, the bandstand music – it was an era of heroes and just works well with the Captain America story of a measly but tough guy who just wanted to do his part and becomes America’s greatest soldier. However, all that being said, director Joe Johnston (and Marvel Studios) decided not to stay within the period, instead allowing for advanced technology to make for (supposedly) cooler or more exciting action sequences, but the film lost a little of its power, emotion and era-appeal when its characters are running around shooting at each other with tech we do not even have today (and sure the source of the power is otherworldly and the tanks and planes and so on were scaled back to still somewhat fit the period, but it still hurt the vibe). But at the same time, maybe this tech was needed to make HYDRA and Red Skull the super villain it and he appears to be (I do feel stronger writing could have circumvented this however). Another issue is with the characters. While Steve Rogers is given a good amount of background and character work, all the other characters are very shallowly drawn, relying on cinema stereotypes and caricatures to inform the viewer on who these characters are, without any real emotional connection, which makes many of the dramatic moments weak. Even Johann Schmidt (Red Skull) is not given much, making their showdown sort of meaningless, relying purely on the spectacle to carry the scenes. Marvel Studios has done a good job of mandating that their productions be not only entertaining due to good action but also funny. Captain America is no different. There are a lot of great comedic moments that really (along with the Steve Rogers character) make this film work better than it otherwise should. Comedy, action and a fast moving tight narrative can often cure character and bigger narrative issues, and this is very much the case for this film. Johnston’s directing is good and bad. He gets enough right for the film to be entertaining, but some of the scenes just have a clumsy (if not goofy) feel and do not work very well. Johnston seems to try to stuff in too much (for example, I would have liked to have seen more of Captain America’s team, but there just was not time for that), only to keep the film rapidly moving forward (something many directors do, but only a few like J.J. Abrams can still get the character moments right). The lack of meaningful characters and character relationships is probably the films biggest flaw. The audience is watching the film, due to this, to partake in the spectacle and not as a part of the character(s)’s journey(ies). However, Captain America is still entertaining and enjoyable for the most part (just not great – it seems like every Marvel Studios film has a glaring flaw keeping it from being on the same level as stuff like Spider-Man 2 and X-Men: First Class, which are both dramatically engaging while still mostly keeping it light and fun).

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Joe Johnston has made one of his better films with Captain America. Like with The Wolfman, he gets the look and atmosphere right (for the most part, but again I wish it were more committed to being period) and yet he again does not give enough attention to the characters, which is the most important aspect of a film. He is more concerned with the action, look and pacing (given, pacing is very important as well) and the film as a whole (and really all his films) is ultimately negatively encumbered as the result. Alan Silvestri’s score is good, but really the best music work on the film comes from Disney composer Alan Menken (the Marvel-Disney partnership paying off), whose song is great fun. Cinematographer Shelly Johnson shoots just about everything Joe Johnston does, providing really good photography to his films. Captain America is no different. Production designer Rick Heinrichs (also working with Johnston again) does good work as well, but if only the design could have been more grounded in the period. The cast, mostly given little to work with, is quite good considering. Sebastian Stan, Stanley Tucci and Hugo Weaving give good enough performances to help shape Steve Rogers, but as principal parts in his life it is a shame their characters were not developed more. Dominic Cooper and Tommy Lee Jones are both wonderful and funny, while Hayley Atwell does a fine job portraying Steve Roger’s love interest and a strong female character. Chris Evans is the best part of the film however. He commands the screen and captures the character very well.

Summary & score: The film moves so briskly and without much depth, I just wish we had more time with Steve Rogers et al in the WWII period, but what we got was a fun and entertaining. 7/10

At the Movies – July 2011 – Part 3: This Month’s Best Films

Must See of the Month:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (David Yates) – Adventure – Jul 15

Summary: The film is the conclusion to the Harry Potter series. We find Harry, Hermione and Ron where we left them in Deathly Hallows: Part 1 – things not looking good and a huge showdown looming. The gang also still needs to find and destroy three remaining Horcruxes. Filmmakers: Everyone is back for Part 2, which was shot in conjunction with Part 1 – they include: director David Yates, screenwriter Steve Kloves, composer Alexandre Desplat (the hardest working man in Hollywood), cinematographer Eduardo Serra (who did brilliant work on Part 1), and production designer Stuart Craig (whose work on the series is immeasurably wonderful). Cast: Just about everyone in the Potterverse is making an appearance, with stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint and principal supporting actors Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman, Evanna Lynch, Helena Bonham Carter, Jason Isaacs, Tom Felton, Bonnie Wright, David Thewlis, and Robbie Coltrane (and many more). New to the series are Kelly Macdonald and Ciaran Hinds. Expectations: Part 1 was one of my two favorite films from last year (with Inception), and thus Part 2 is by far the film I am most anticipating and looking forward to in 2011 (put it this way, if I could only see one film in theatres this year, no question this is it). Yates promises it is going to be amazing, and from what I have seen it certainly looks like it is going to be. And if the quality and build-up of Part 1 are any indication, Part 2 is going to be probably the best film of the series (and it is a series that includes astonishing films like Prisoner of Azkaban). The series has been an absolute treat to follow over the years and I have really enjoyed watching the younger cast members grow-up and develop their craft through the films. Not to mention that these films showcase some of the greatest British actors of all-time. Part of me is sad to see the series end, but I am even more excited to watch the finale. Check out the trailer. Review.

Worth Checking Out:

Captain America: The First Avenger (Joe Johnston) – Action/Adventure – Jul 22

Summary: The film is about Steve Rodgers, a man who desperately wants to join the army to serve during WWII but is too small and deemed unfit. He joins a top secret research project and is chosen to be the first super-soldier. He becomes Captain America (the film is also a prequel to all the other Avenger films, like Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk and Thor). Filmmakers: The film is directed by Joe Johnston (who would have ever thought I would have a Joe Johnston film be among the projected best of the month, not me) who has done some ok stuff in the past, but feels like a good choice for this film (I cannot believe I just wrote that…but after seeing the trailers and talking to my friend at IGN that visited the set, the film looks really great). It also helps that Joss Whedon went through the script before shooting began. Johnston has a great crew on the film with composer Alan Silvestri (who has done some fantastic scores, like Back to the Future and Who Framed Roger Rabbit?), cinematographer Shelly Johnson and production designer Rick Heinrichs (who both did great work on Johnston’s last film The Wolfman). Cast: Chris Evans stars (and I think he is a great choice for the role) and Hugo Weaving co-stars, but the supporting cast is amazing as it features: Natalie Dormer, Stanley Tucci, Tommy Lee Jones, Richard Armitage, Hayley Atwell, Dominic Cooper, Sebastian Stan, Toby Jones, Neal McDonough, Derek Luke, JJ Feild, and Kenneth Choi. Expectations: Initially when I heard about the movie and that Joe Johnston was doing it, I was not expecting much more than something entertaining but nothing special. However, everything I have seen, heard and read sounds and looks awesome (I mean just watch the new trailer). It also helps that I generally love films about or during the WWII period. Will it be the best superhero film of the year, maybe (though X-Men: First Class was really good). Will I see it opening weekend, yes. Check out the trailer. Review.

Attack the Block (Joe Cornish) – Sci-Fi – Jul 29 [limited]

Summary: The film is about a gang of teens in South London who defend their block from an alien invasion. Filmmakers: The film has a great creative team with writer-director Joe Cornish and executive producer Edgar Wright (the team that is also working on the upcoming films The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn and Ant-Man). The crew on the film is mostly filled with past collaborators on Wright’s films with composer Steven Price (who worked on Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), cinematographer Tom Townend (making his feature debut, but worked as a camera operator on a few very good films from a cinematography perspective like Pride & Prejudice), production designer Marcus Rowland (who has worked on pretty much everything Wright has done), and editor Jonathan Amos (one of the fantastic editors on Scott Pilgrim). Cast: The film stars a bunch of actors that are not well known, especially in the States (though a few will recognize Jodie Whittaker and Luke Treadaway), and Nick Frost (another Wright alumni). Expectations: The film played to rave reviews during its run in the UK and is touted as a very entertaining action-comedy/sci-fi-adventure. From what I have seen of the film, it looks like great fun. Plus, it should be interesting to see what American audiences think of the South London teen gang culture (or the British youth pop-culture in general, at least those that have not already seen things like the brilliant Skins or Fish Tank). For fans of sci-fi comedies and Wright’s typical work, this is a must see. Check out the trailer.

The Wolfman (2010) – Review

The Wolfman is both good and bad, rather has both good and bad elements summing to decent overall experience. The film has a wonderful gothic atmosphere to it. The look, the sound, the ambiance of the world is perfect. Danny Elfman’s score will surely be among the best of the year. Shelly Johnson’s cinematography and Rick Heinrichs’ production design create beautiful looking (in terms of the tone of the film) Blackmoore (aka gloomy English countryside) and London sets that fit the mood of the piece and utterly, along with the score, enhance the overall fun of the experience for the audience. The principal cast is also very good. Benicio Del Toro and Emily Blunt are superb. Del Toro’s performance captures the agony of the curse that surrounds his family – he sincerely appears to be in anguish in the face of the damnation that has fallen upon him, which works quite well in juxtaposition to his father’s, Anthony Hopkins, bravado. Blunt is able to play the tragic nature of her plight, she is fabulous in the final scenes of the film, and along with Del Toro is able to emote honest emotion amongst all the special effects. The audience feels her heartbreak. This is where The Wolfman succeeds – fine acting, and astonishingly pitch perfect atmosphere. But the film falters in other places, holding it back from being a great film. Director Joe Johnston does a suitable job throughout, but in certain places trades narrative integrity (or at least opportunities for a better narrative, a more potent emotional connection) for seemly Hollywood thrills. For example, one of the main story elements is the conflict between father and son, Johnston resolves this in the Hollywood way of a werewolf versus werewolf fight, when the true conflict is between the men, thus a more effective resolution, which would resonate with the audience, would have been to have the son kill the father in human form. Also, the film, rather than being generally scary through the use of tension, takes the easy road of quick impact cuts and loud noises to make the audience jump. The CGI in the film is also not as good as it could have been at times, but this is more of a minor complaint. It is the narrative choices that hold the film back the most. All in all, The Wolfman is a fun horror movie, and a worthy addition to the classic movie monster stable of films. 7/10