A Film Review
BY EMILY LUCIA
In his first post The Avengers appearance, Captain America certainly returned with a punch. With twists and turns you will not expect, the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings “The Winter Soldier” comic books alive in true Marvel fashion.
Steve Rogers, A.K.A Captain America (Chris Evans) is still adjusting to life in the modern world. He keeps busy by working with the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D.) on various missions under the orders of Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and a mission here and there alongside Black Widow, A.K.A. Natasha Romanoff (Scarlet Johansson). In his spare time, Rogers can be found exercising, often running along the streets of Washington, D.C. where S.H.I.E.L.D.’s main headquarters is located.
“On your left,” Steve states as he laps Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) an ex-military paratrooper. The pair properly meets shortly after their run. Later in the film, we find out that Wilson works with fellow veterans, But more about Sam Wilson later.
Romanoff meets up with Cap and tells him they have a mission. Their objective? To take a group of S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives to save a group of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who’s ship was boarded by French pirates. Though things are not exactly as they seem. The mission pretty much goes as planned, only at one point, just as the agents are being rescued by Cap and his team, Romanoff goes missing. Cap finds her in the ship’s control room downloading key S.H.I.E.L.D. information to a flash drive. Moments later, the room blows up and Cap, Romanoff, their team and the rescued agents are on their way back to D.C.
After the mission, Cap is still focused on the flash drive incident. Apparently Romanoff had been instructed by Fury to collect the data and had no clue what was on it.
Back in his office, flash drive in his possession, Nick Fury tries to access the data on the flash drive only to find that his ability to access such information has been mysteriously revoked. This rightfully alarms Fury, which leads to a high speed car chase through the streets of D.C. as he attempts to go off the grid. Long story short, Director Fury ends up in Cap’s apartment only to give him the flash drive. He tells Cap that S.H.I.E.L.D. has been infiltrated by an unknown organization and to trust no one. As Fury stands, a shot is fired through the window by a sniper. Cap chases the mysterious sniper across the rooftops, he throws his vibranium shield at the marksman who avoids it by turning his head. Captain America then catches the shield without blinking. Enter The Winter Soldier.
For the remainder of the film, it is up to Captain America alongside Black Widow to stop The Winter Soldier and the infiltrators from accessing the flash drive. Eventually, the pair is joined by Sam Wilson’s alter ego Falcon who turns out to be a pretty awesome character!
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a brilliant piece of film work, from the spot-on acting to the fantastic script and phenomenal special effects. It will keep you on the edge of your seat the only way a Marvel superhero film could.
Be on the lookout for Stan Lee’s cameo, and do not forget about the mid and after credit scenes. The mid-credit scene holds key information to the next Avengers movie The Age of Ultron.
Can’t get enough of Marvel Superheroes? Keep an eye out for The Amazing Spiderman 2 (May 2nd), X-Men: Days of Future Past (May 23rd) and Guardians of the Galaxy (August 1st). Also be sure to check out the television series Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. because the events from Captain America: The Winter Soldier as well as Thor: The Dark World cross over in unique ways.
