When it comes to Superheroes it has always felt that the likes of Batman, Superman and Spiderman have been the characters with the universal appeal why Captain America was limited to a mostly American audience. It is for that reason that one can be excused for viewing this film with some trepidation. Would the film be so American that it is inaccessible to the rest of the world? Lucky thanks to some good script-writing that isn’t the case and while Captain America isn’t as good as the recently released Thor is a worthy part of the Avengers series of films.
Steve Rogers (Chris Evans – Puncture, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) has always been an easy target for bullies. His small size makes him the perfect victim and also prevents him from doing the one thing he really wants to do and that is go to war against the Nazis. However he is soon thrown a lifeline from Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci – Margin Call, Burlesque), Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell – TV’S Any Human Heart, The Pillars Of The Earth) and the reluctant Colonel Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones – The Sunset Limited, The Company Men). With technology developed by Dr. Erskine and Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper – The Devil’s Double, Tamara Drewe) Rogers is transformed into a super soldier who is first used as a symbol for America before being sent after the evil, Johann Schmidt/Red Skull (Hugo Weaving – Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, The Key Man) who has plans of world domination.
Like the rest of the films in the Avengers series the screenwriters are right on the ball providing director, Joe Johnston (The Wolfman, Hidalgo) with the perfect film to bring to the big screen. Any thoughts of this film not having universal appeal is quickly put to bed when you realise the filmmakers have used the universal problem of bullying as the film’s main theme. By showing how badly Rogers is bullied you can’t help but feel for him and soon you are barracking for him to win the war and the girl.
The script also captures the mood of wartime America as well as what period style dramas like Pearl Harbour did while even the sideline characters are made 3-dimensional…which guarantees that Captain America doesn’t fall into the same hole that the recent Transformers films have (take note Mr. Michael Bay). The only thing that felt wrong with the film was that some of the action scenes seemed to be rushed (and some even brushed over with a quick ‘highlights’ montage’), although you can understand that that would have had to have been done to keep the running time of the film at a decent length.
While it may seem surprising Chris Evans is the perfect choice for Captain America. He has the body (now he just has to keep it in shape for all The Avengers movies) for the role and is no meathead when it comes to scenes where he actually has to act. Hayley Atwell is also a breath of fresh air (thank goodness for a beautiful female lead that actually has some acting ability) but the scene is certainly stolen by Hugo Weaving who relishes being able to play a bad guy that isn’t a one-dimensional cardboard cut-out.
As far as superhero movies go there have been plenty of ones worse than Captain America, now we must all wait patiently for The Avengers film… but for now Captain America will certainly leave you fulfilled.
DIRECTOR: Joe Johnston
STARS: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell
CLASSIFICATION: M
RUNTIME: 124mins
BUZZ RATING: 
Available on DVD from 1st Dec, 2011