I am not the kid who grew up reading comic books. In fact, I don't believe that I have ever read an actual comic book from cover to cover (with the exclusion of Archie and the gang). I do, however, really like the comic book movies. Maybe it has something to do with going to school with thousands of boys who did grow up reading these stories, and are now seeing them come to life. I think that is more likely stems from the fact that the stories providing plot to these movies are just really good. There is always a cute love story, a lot of drama and a bit of adventure. A little something for everyone, if you will.
The latest installation in the comic book franchise is about Captain America. This one particularly appealed to me because of the army aspect. I love a good story about soldiers going above and beyond for their country and for their compatriots. Captain America is the tale of a scrawny kid, Steve Rogers, from Brooklyn, he is a young adult during the second world war and wants nothing more than to enlist and fight for his country. It hearkens to a time when the entire country was behind the soldiers. There was no greater honor than to serve your country, the movies didn't show previews, they showed you how to help with the war effort. Steve is continually turned down for enlistment due to his health and his size. He tries again and again changing his name and his hometown and he is finally spotted by a doctor who is looking for a soldier to use in an experiment. The experiment turns scrawny, short Steve Rogers into ripped, tall and incredibly hot.
I don't want to give away to much plot, but Steve is turned into Captain America - a symbol to promote war bonds. On a morale trip overseas he finally gets his chance to fight for his country, and fight he does. The action scenes are intense and fun. The real greatness from this movie, though, comes through the characters that are developed. Chris Evans does a great job playing both the scrawny and buff version of Steve. He manages to convey his sense of duty and honor without being over the top or showy. Stanly Tucci, always a favorite of mine, does a wonderful job as the German doctor/scientist who invented the process that "creates" Captain America. His accent is subtle yet quite good. Hugo Weaving plays red skull, the evil German scientist who develops evil weapons and is bent on destroying the world. Hugo has proven his acting chops to the world in The Matrix and V for Vendetta, and he does not fail his fans here.
This is definitely a movie to go see in the theaters. The action sequences play well on the big screen, and ladies you do not want to miss a chance to see all 30 feet of Chris Evans. The PG-13 rating comes from the violence of the fighting, so I would say that even younger boys could go see this movie without their parents feeling like the exposed them to something they shouldn't have. I also felt, that in the current political climate, it was nice to escape to a time where we were united as a country. The sense of loyalty to his country that Steve shows is something that we could all take a lesson on. I liked the story as well because our hero was picked because of who he was, not what he could do or some kind of accident. There was nothing special about Steve before the experiment, at least nothing physically or mentally special. His value came from his heart, his desire to do what was right, his passion to serve his country, and his determination to never give up. He truly is a hero before he ever attains his physical attributes.
Happy viewing!
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