Crap Pun Review: This Cap Ain’t No 90lbs Weakling!
The summer of 2011 brought us Thor, X-Men: First Class, The Green Lantern and last but not least, Captain America: The First Avenger. In all honesty, I was only really interested in X-Men and Cap. I really wasn’t planning on seeing all four. I had high hopes for Cap when I first eyed the trailer and speaking truthfully, I wasn’t disappointed by the end results.
This is the last solo Avengers flick before the big Assembling (pun intended) next year. Here’s hoping Mr. Joss Whedon doesn’t fuck it up. But honestly, everything he touches turns into fried gold. I shouldn’t worry, really.
I digress.
For those who don’t know Cap’s origin story: Steve Rogers was a skinny weakling who gets turned into a Super Soldier. He goes overseas to punch Hitler in the jaw. Red, white and blue, etc. The end. Sit back and enjoy the ride.
The movie was a lot more fun than I anticipated. If you haven’t seen it already, it’s definitely worth a go at the theatres.
Just promise me this: Promise me that you won’t see it in 3D. Pinky swear! No, seriously.
I’ll hunt you down. I’ll know.
What I liked:
- Red Skull’s wheels (It looks like Captain Nemo’s car from League of Extraordinary Gentlemen)
- Tommy Lee Jones and Stanley Tucci’s performances. Jones brought the gruffs laughs, Tucci brought the drinks and the German accent.
- Chris Evans’ performance. He got the goody goody and the heroics juuuuuust right.
- Skinnified Steve Rogers SFX was pretty well done
- They decided to stick to the WWII era instead of trying to modernize it and send him to Iraq or something
- Actually getting an English actress to play a brit!
- Working Cap’s original costume into the story (and it STILL looked better than the costume they had from the 1990 movie)
- Giant-ass missiles that were clearly labeled for their intended targets
- Tommy Lee Jones eating steak…*nom nom nom*
- Captain America’s old timey theme song when he’s selling bonds
- Didn’t try to crowbar a love interest for Steve Rogers. Well, sorta.
- Chris Evans topless. *phwar*
What I loathed:
- Not enough Chris Evans toplessness
- Most of Cap’s action sequences was just one giant montage
- The climactic action set piece was in the middle of the movie instead of the end
- Yet another anti-climactic climax
- The disassociation of the Red Skull had with real Nazis and making him and HYDRA “badder than Hitler”
- Generic orchestral music. Come on, Alan Silvestri, you wrote music for Back to the Future!!!
What I’m Not Sure About:
- Hugo Weaving’s acting, which gets WAY cartoony once he peels off his face
- Lt. Hawk (Neal McDonough) from Star Trek: First Contact as Dum Dum Dugan (He used alright looking?! Now he’s an old dude in a bowler!)
In short: Go watch Chris Evans sling a shield into your face!
One for the road.
