Captain America: The Winter Soldier

[redfiona99]

Because opera142's post reminded me that I still hadn't posted my thoughts.

Possibly because I didn't think much of it.

There was nothing wrong with it that better writers and directors couldn't fix, and except for one glaring person, none of the actors were at fault.



The only glaring bad acting performance was by Robert Redford. I mean, I'm assuming they put in a second twist because every knew who the Winter Solider was. Only it fell pretty flat, because it was screamingly obvious from Redford's body language that he was up to something. L that I saw the film with said that it could be pre-existing bias on my part re: government surveillance. But he also liked the film a lot more than me so he could be spinning it. The reason I'm sort of blaming it on the director is I know that Robert Redford is da man but surely someone should have taken him to one side and gone "tone it down".

I'm also not pleased with the writing, inbetween introducing the wider world to the concept of Marvel dead (just because we have a funny name for it does not mean we approve of it, Marvel) with Nick Fury's bit and the hamfistedness of the politics.

The plotting was a bit off too, particularly at the end, because 1 - why wouldn't Alexander Pierce have wiped all of Fury's codes and 2 - why don't Fury and Natasha tie Pierce up so he can't electrocute the rest of the World Security Council, or whatever they're called. He doesn't need his hands to use his eyes. Heck, since Fury is normally all about getting the job done, Pierce doesn't need to be conscious to work the eye security.

I didn't like the way they intercut the various strands at the end either, because I wanted that scene where the Winter Soldier suddenly goes, "I still have no idea who he is, but I know I must save him" but with his face. And I didn't get that. It's sort of the reverse of the credits scene in The Wolverine, which gave me the exact scene I wanted.

I also had issues with the shade of foundation that they used for Scarlett Johannson. She's beautiful, and has legendarily pale skin. Why use an orange-based foundation? I'm going to assume ScarJo had the same problem as one of my friends and ended up horrible spotty when she fell pregnant, but that doesn't explain the colour issue. The make-up for the aged Peggy was pretty lousy too, and I didn't much like them giving her the one-two of what was probably supposed to be lung cancer and dementia just to give Steve more angst. He doesn't need more angst. Also, also, why did Natasha's past with the Winter Soldier just get thrown out. I want to see that damn Black Widow film I am never going to get.

On to the stuff I did like:

the fight choreographer can choreograph all the fights. All of them. Very nice stuff, very clean, crisp and precise. Neat and without flash. He can stay. (He was also the Winter Soldier stunt double, which may explain why the Winter Soldier really did look like implacable Death.)

Steve. Who is wonderful. Because he's kind and considerate and is trying to do the right thing. <3 Steve. He also totally passes the hero test because he's willing to do something that will hurt him emotionally (killing Bucky) for the greater good.

The scene after Cap and the Winter Soldier meet, and Steve is busily going "why is Bucky the Winter Soldier" and the Winter Soldier is busily going "who am I?" and Alexander Pierce gives him the 'good man' speech and it doesn't work so he orders another round of brainwashing, and the look on Bucky's face of "bring it on, because then everything will make sense again" and that broke my heart.

Yay for most of SHIELD going "fuck that noise" when HYDRA try to take over. Although Marvel's on-going mission to cast every actor ever caused me great confusion because I recognised Brock Rumelow and couldn't place him. Ditto the Chris Sabin looking dude. I also approved of Zola's 'I am a Swiss maniac'.

The fight scene on the boat where Batroc just goes "fine, I'm going to lose but I want to fight Captain America like a man first". I'm not supposed to find mysteriously Algerian (fuck off Hollyweird, make him French-french or Quebecois) mercenaries admirable, am I? Also, friend L was most amused when I couldn't identify George St Pierre. It turns out that I have spent large periods of time confusing GSP and Anderson Silva.

Sam Wilson/The Falcon has all my heart. All of it.




When the Avengers was over, I said that, while I enjoyed it, it created a problem in that for future films, they'd have to explain why the Avengers weren't getting involved when one of their number was having a disaster. Now Thor is easy, he's off world (presuming that Thor 2 is actually set after Cap 2), and Bruce can't get involved due to green rage beast issues, but what do you think Tony Stark is doing after he hears that SHIELD have just made Steve Rogers public enemy number 1? I mean after telling Bruce to run for it, because some bad shit is going down. And where is Hawkeye who is actually a SHIELD agent. I mean, I know they can't fit everyone in, because it's a Cap movie and not an Avengers flick but at the same time ... And I know that's what we have fanfic for, but I shouldn't have to rely on fanfic.




EEEEEEEE!! Although damn it, the franchise I care less about has stolen the Quicksilver I wanted. But twinses.

I also find it deeply amusing that when Baron Stucker appeared, my first thought (because I couldn't quite place the actor) was that it was either a US actor doing the worst German accent ever or a German actor from the former East.

It turns out Thomas Kretshmann is from Dessau which is right on the Polish border.


I feel I am being unfair because there was quite a bit I liked, but at the same time, it could easily have been so much better.