CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

US, 2014, 137 minutes, Colour.
Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L.Jackson, Robert Redford, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Emily Van Camp, Frank Grillo, Toby Jones, Jenny Agutter.
Directed by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo.

Captain America: the Winter Soldier is the second in the series of Marvel comics on Steve Rogers, Captain America. Audiences were introduced to Captain America in the initial film of 2012, the story of Steve Rogers, a small weedy character who was transformed into Captain America. Captain America had been wounded in World War II but frozen until he was needed, thawing in the 21st century. Captain America has been popular – but the way that he is written, the all-time good guy, always doing the right thing, means that he is a less complex character and lacks the charisma of other characters, for instance, of Anthony Mackie as his friend, Sam.

In this film, Captain America is getting up-to-date with the 21st century, especially the Internet and technology. He is called to a mission where pirates have captured a ship and taken hostages, including some officials of SHIELD. His partner in this enterprise is the former KGB agent, the Black Widow, Natasha, played by Scarlett Johansson, obviously relishing the opportunity to get into the action. They are under the control of Nick Fury, played as in the other films by Samuel L. Jackson. He is now subordinate to the official, the Secretary, played by Robert Redford. Audiences will be surmising that Redford will turn out to be the villain and, of course, this is the case. It is interesting to see Redford agreeing to be in one of these blockbusters. And his villain is very urbane, quite phlegmatic, even in the face of defeat and death. He is not one of those ranting and raving villains.

The film begins with conversation and then moves to bam-bam-bam. This is the pattern of the whole film, conversations, then fights, conversations, then fights… There are car chases through the city, there are fights in space vehicles and on the them - all building up to a final split-second climax.

Harking back to the first film and the establishment of Hydra during World War II and its continuance into the 21st century (even to Gary Shandling having a walk-on role as a rogue Senator), the principal issue is fascism, a belief that there is a superior ruling class and all the rest of the populace should be subservient, that those in authority know best, that they can destroy what they consider weak in order to control, allegedly for the common good. At a time when there are wars in very many parts of the world as well as extremist governments, the message of Captain America is worth exploring.

For those who’ve seen the original film, there is an interesting unexpected twist which brings some drama to the whole proceedings and some complexity for Steve Rogers.

Fans will enjoy this particular episode, but it lacks something of the oomph of such films as for Thor and, especially, the Iron Man films.


1. The popularity of Marvel comics, characters, plots, good versus evil?

2. Captain America, the first film, establishing his background, World War II, the confrontation with Hydra, action capacities, frozen, his thawing? His personality? Insertion into the 21st century?

3. The title? The irony of it referring to Bucky? His role in the past? Friendhsip with Steve? His death, his wife, the transformation, working for Hydra, working for Pierce? His becoming Winter Soldier? To confront Captain America?

4. The contribution of action, stunts, special effects, fights, flying, his shield and defence, the technology?

5. SHIELD as being infiltrated? Hydra and its history? The pirate attack? Nick Fury and his, plan, the call to Steve Rogers and Natasha? The secrecy? Secretary Pearce? The plane, Rogers diving without a parachute? Arrival on the ship? The fights? Natasha arriving? Taking control? The hostages? The mystery?

6. The opening, Steve and Sam, running, the introduction, Sam later sheltering Nick Fury, the invitation to join in the mission, his own equipment flying, battles? Commitment to the future?

7. Nick Fury, his command in SHIELDED, his participation in other Marvel stories? Samuel L. Jackson and his style, the chase, his being caught, his relationships with Pierce, his being blocked out of all communication? His being sheltered by Sam? The pursuit, his seeming death, in hospital, secret, his emerging, the confrontation with Pierce?

8. Natasha, her background as the Black Widow? Her work with SHIELD, picking up Steve, going to the ship, her personality, her being discovered by Arnim Zola? The warehouse in New Jersey and her finding it? The explosion? With Nick Fury? The plan, working with Steve? The disguise as the member of the Council, fighting, her being poisoned, giving the poison to Pierce?

9. Pierce, Robert Redford as villain, urbane, phlegmatic, credible, control, the encounters with Nick Fury? With the Council? At home, with the Winter Soldier, shooting the maid? The plan, his motivation, confronting the Council, fascist, control of the world, his death?

10. Pierce’s henchman, seemingly with Captain America, against him, leading the pursuit, the antagonism, the fight in the vehicle? His death? The group of those loyal to Pierce?

11. The agent, guarding Fury, at his home, at the office, the rebellion against the Hydra forces?

12. The pursuit, Steve taken, in the ambulance, the agent and her control? Helping with the escape? Her controlling the communications with Steve at the countdown? Steve getting his uniform from the museum?

13. The climax, the time running, fights, the vehicles in the sky, the weapons fired against them, Steve and his changing the files? His falls? Success at the last minute?

14. Bucky, his seeming to recognise Steve, programmed by Hydra, Pierce and his control, the fight with Steve, Steve rescuing him?

15. The trailers during the final credits? Anticipating the future and the sequel?