Sam Salama Cohén" />
Psycho Drive-In logo
Search
  • PDI Press
    Featured
    • BETTY WHITE VS THE STUPID WORLD: The Movie

      Sam Salama Cohén
      January 17, 2022
      Fiction, PDI Press, PDI Press Writers
    Recent
    • BETTY WHITE VS THE STUPID WORLD: The Movie

      John E. Meredith
      January 17, 2022
    • Betty White Vs the Stupid World (Chapter Seven)

      John E. Meredith
      January 16, 2022
    • Betty White Vs the Stupid World (Chapter Six)

      John E. Meredith
      January 15, 2022
    • PDI Press Catalog
    • PDI Press Writers
      • Fiction
  • Columns A-D
    • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
    • ABCs of Horror
    • All Binge… No Purge
    • Anything Joes
    • Beautiful Creatures
    • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
    • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
    • Cahiers du Horror
    • Dispatches From the Field
    • Drive-In Saturday
    • Dungeons & D-Listers
  • Columns F-P
    • The Final Girl
    • First Looks… Second Thoughts
    • The Flesh is Weak
    • Innocence and Experience
    • Lost in Translation
    • Page to Screen
    • Popcorn Cinema
    • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
  • Columns S-Z
    • Schlock & Awe
    • Shakespeare on Film
    • Shot for Shot
    • Sick Flix
    • Unnatural Selections
    • Versus
    • Video Word Made Flesh
    • We Got Lists
    • Women in Horror
    • The Xeno File
    • Zombies 101
  • Reviews
    Featured
    • X (2022)

      Sam Salama Cohén
      April 22, 2022
      Movies, Reviews
    Recent
    • X (2022)

      Nate Zoebl
      April 22, 2022
    • Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

      Nate Zoebl
      April 15, 2022
    • The Adam Project (2022)

      Nate Zoebl
      March 16, 2022
    • Books
    • Comics
    • DVD/Blu-ray
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Series
  • Interviews
    Featured
    • Interview with Indie Horror Master, Chris Bickel

      Sam Salama Cohén
      July 13, 2018
      Interviews
    Recent
    • Interview with Indie Horror Master, Chris Bickel

      The Final Girl
      July 13, 2018
    • David Black: Carnies, Carnage, and the Creative Chaos of Darkness Visible

      Dan Lee
      March 7, 2017
    • Jaiden Kaine joins the Marvel Universe as new Luke Cage baddie, Zip

      Andre Lamar
      September 29, 2016
    • SDCC 2016 Interviews: The Cast and Creators of Batman: The Killing Joke

      Jason Sacks
      July 28, 2016
    • SDCC 2016 Interviews: The Cast and Creators of Syfy’s Van Helsing

      Dave Hearn, Paul Brian McCoy
      July 27, 2016
    • Wondercon Interview: The Cast of Damien

      Gary Richardson, Laura Akers
      April 16, 2016
  • News
    Featured
    • John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum arrives on Digital 8/23 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand 9/10

      Sam Salama Cohén
      July 30, 2019
      DVD/Blu-ray, News
    Recent
    • John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum arrives on Digital 8/23 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand 9/10

      psychodr
      July 30, 2019
    • X-Men: Dark Phoenix arrives on Digital 9/3 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD 9/17

      Paul Brian McCoy
      July 16, 2019
    • Avengers: Endgame arrives on Digital 7/30 and Blu-ray 8/13

      psychodr
      July 16, 2019
    • Trailers
  • Psychos
  • Merchandise
Breaking
  • X (2022)
  • Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)
  • The Adam Project (2022)
  • The Batman (2022)
  • Entropy (2022)
  • Killer Sofa (2019)
  • RSS
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Who We Be
  • Contact
  • PDI Press
    • PDI Press Catalog
    • PDI Press Writers
      • Fiction
  • Columns A-D
    • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
    • ABCs of Horror
    • All Binge… No Purge
    • Anything Joes
    • Beautiful Creatures
    • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
    • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
    • Cahiers du Horror
    • Dispatches From the Field
    • Drive-In Saturday
    • Dungeons & D-Listers
  • Columns F-P
    • The Final Girl
    • First Looks… Second Thoughts
    • The Flesh is Weak
    • Innocence and Experience
    • Lost in Translation
    • Page to Screen
    • Popcorn Cinema
    • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
  • Columns S-Z
    • Schlock & Awe
    • Shakespeare on Film
    • Shot for Shot
    • Sick Flix
    • Unnatural Selections
    • Versus
    • Video Word Made Flesh
    • We Got Lists
    • Women in Horror
    • The Xeno File
    • Zombies 101
  • Reviews
    • Books
    • Comics
    • DVD/Blu-ray
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Series
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Trailers
  • Psychos
  • Merchandise
Home
Movies

Advance Review: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Sam Salama Cohén
April 2, 2014
Movies, Reviews

It’s after watching a movie such as Captain America: Winter Soldier, that Marvel fans, both new and old, realize how great a potential the Publisher’s rich stable of characters has, and the endless possibilities that come when some of them are blended in a really good mix.

And this particular Marvel fan was pleasantly surprised by the consistently good character development this movie offered, along with the introduction of more core Marvel elements to form an original story that in many instances is part Steranko and part Brubaker. And those are good news, as those creators have respectively defined and redefined the Captain America mythos, along with the spy games that seem to hunt poor Steve Rogers wherever he goes.

captain-america-the-winter-soldier-1

As I tend to do with long-awaited movies, I had been watching all the Captain America: Winter Soldier trailers that Marvel Studios threw at us over the past few months, and I have got to admit that they had gotten me really excited about this new chapter in the Captain America saga and the overall Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Having such high hopes is usually a double-edged sword, as even if the final result is satisfactory – good plot, good characters, good acting, great action sequences – there can be a bittersweet taste, because “we were expecting more.”

Let me tell you something: That did not happen this time around. Grab a coke and your popcorn and then prepare to gasp ten or twenty times throughout the whole thing. Because, baby, this movie is that good.

Cap-and-Widow

This is the Captain America that fans of the comic-book will love to see: One that knows where he comes from but is no longer that character we saw fighting the Nazis in WWII on his first solo movie. This is Cap spectacularly fighting Batroc, the Leaper, the Winter Soldier and, hell, practically everyone, to prove his point; to prove that even in a world full of greys where nothing is what it seems, there is a moral and ethical line that cannot be violated, else we risk losing everything that we believe in.

This movie accomplishes many things: It gives us a Captain America who is now a born leader, one who reacts to every threat and twist that appears along the way. The Cap we are given is a pissed off Cap; someone that as the movie goes on, feels betrayed by almost everyone and has to run for his life. That Cap was amazing to see; each scene more thrilling than the previous one.

Cap-and-Widow-2

Here, action is the word of the day. Action, action and more action, and not just with the spectacular climax, but all throughout the movie, giving viewers many non-barriers, top-level badass fast and chaotic fight scenes. Believe me, it will not be easy to catch your breath in the more than two hours of movie Anthony & Joe Russo have given us this time around.

It was surprisingly satisfying to see a level of action and special effects that until now, from all of Marvel’s movies, could only be compared to the amazing display of The Avengers. This is one of the more powerful reasons why this movie stands as not only the best from Marvel’s Phase Two, but also as one of Marvel’s best solo movies to date.

The other powerful reason why Captain America: Winter Soldier is so good? Solid, in-character acting. All the characters appearing in the movie feel real to the viewer, and each one of them has their own agenda and their own stance on grave issues such as security, freedom, fear and the cost that comes when one of these is sacrificed to ensure the other.

falcon

Unlike the first time we saw him, in the first Captain America movie, Chris Evans excellently portrays a grown Steve Rogers. One that is managing to fit into this world full of SHIELD agents and with almost nobody from his old days – a classic Captain America theme that is touched on this time around with elegance and subtlety, in a conscious effort to make Cap more accessible to young audiences.

But Cap in this modern age, just like in the comics, needs help from his friends; and both the old ones – an always superb Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury – and the new ones – badass Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill, who even if not given much screen time, manages to steal some great scenes; Scarlett Johansson with an intensely exciting performance as the returning and mysterious Black Widow, whose way of looking at the world gets turned upside down; and the surprise of the movie, a roaring and soaring Falcon, which Anthony Mackie completely nails. Believe me, you are just going to fall in love with the way this long-time Cap partner is portrayed.

They all are forced to bring in their A-game to take down the different enemies that come crashing at them, though there is one that rises above the rest.

Guess-the-Bucky-reveal

From the ashes of the old age comes crashing into this new world the Winter Soldier, a character created by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting on 2005, in one of the duo’s best arcs on the title.

Sebastian Stan brilliantly brings the Winter Soldier to life. A dramatic and over-the-top violent character which you can feel suffering through the whole movie, especially during the climax, when what he is and what he is expected to be crash against one another. The fact that the Winter Soldier is full of layers and has the viewer wondering whether he should be hated or pitied is a testament to Stan’s great acting and the Russos’ direction.

Movie legend Robert Redford delights us with a powerful and full of twists portrayal as Alexander Pierce, one of Nick Fury’s oldest and closest friends and a top chief at SHIELD who is also a member of the World Council that Fury had to address in previous movies.

robert redford

Redford’s dramatic weight is present throughout the movie, even in the scenes he doesn’t appear. His time on-scene with Samuel L. Jackson alone elevates this movie to a different scale; and is another great example of Marvel’s great policy of recruiting renowned actors to tackle key roles on their films, such as Sir Anthony Hopkins as Odin in the Thor movies or Michael Douglas as Hank Pym in the in-development Ant-Man.

All of the acting, all of the character development and hell, all of the outstanding action sequences would not have mean that much if it weren’t because of a very solid script full of twists and turns – courtesy of Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely – which has the viewer watching a movie that’s a mash-up of spy/political intrigue/super-hero genres. That’s not an easy task, and is also  an elegant choice, paying homage to many of the themes that have been present in the Captain America title for most of its long run.

captain-america-the-winter-soldier-official-trailer-01

Finally, this movie feels heavy and more important than others on the Marvel stable because things do get ugly. Everything that SHIELD’s been up to, all its secrets and lies, come to a head; and neither the UN Peacekeeping Force nor each and every one of the character’s lives will remain the same.

Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Nick Fury, Sam Wilson, Sharon Carter, Maria Hill, Brock Rumlow, Jasper Sitwell…they are all affected and changed, with bold moves that both surprised and satisfied this viewer, as they lay the groundwork for many exciting things to come in Marvel’s future movies.

Not long ago, I read about something called “super-hero movie fatigue” and I could relate to that, as I believe that eventually there must come one of Marvel’s movies from this Phase Two I don’t feel comfortable with.

Cap-Cycle

However, let me tell you something: If the films that Marvel currently have in production rise to the level of Captain America: Winter Soldier, there’s nothing but joy in store. Hell, it even has two very relevant scenes after the movie is over! Please Avengers fans, stay on your seats, because there’s a mid-credits scene that’s a big nerd-gasm.

Yes, it is a good time to be a Captain America fan. A great time indeed.

(Visited 154 times, 1 visits today)
Advance Review: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
5.0Overall Score

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Anthony MackieCaptain AmericaCaptain America: The Winter SoldierChris EvansMarvelMarvel StudiosSam Salama CohenSamuel L. JacksonScarlett JohanssonSebastian Stan

Arrow: Suicide Squad is on my TV!
The Walking Dead 4.16 “A” SEASON FINALE

About The Author

monsterid
Sam Salama Cohén
Honest Man / Thunder God

Sam is a passionate comic lover, who since an early age, found himself into the grasp of Marvel titles such as Conan the Barbarian, Captain America, Spider-Man, and, of course, his true love (after his wife Natalia, that is), the Avengers. When he was very little he created his own comic, which thanks to having relatives on the US and other countries, travelled all over the world. Now he is a happy reader. Though looking at his Resume one would think he is the serious kind of guy-Economics degree, Auditor for several years-fun and rhythm flow through his veins, and have been that way since he can remember. Spanish and currently living in Madrid, he loves travelling around the world-and getting comics wherever he goes!!! He has experience managing comic-book related online communities, and during his time on both www.AvengersForever.org and the great, unique www.ComicsBulletin.com he has had the chance to work as reviewer/columnist/interviewer, learning the ropes as he went along. As Comics Bulletin’s Social Media Manager, he devoted a lot of his time to managing and improving the site’s presence on social networks, and on building an active and interesting Community. You can find him as @SamSalama on Twitter, and as Samuel Salama on Facebook.

Daily Top Ten

  • Page to Screen: The Boys Season OnePage to Screen: The Boys Season One by Paul Brian McCoy
  • The Blacklist 1.06 "Gina Zanetakos"The Blacklist 1.06 “Gina Zanetakos” by Natalie Amato
  • Adventure Time 6.06 “Breezy”Adventure Time 6.06 “Breezy” by Dave Hearn
  • Lost in Translation 373: Neuromancer, the Radio DramaLost in Translation 373: Neuromancer, the Radio Drama by Scott Delahunt
  • Interview of the 50 Foot Cheerleaders!Interview of the 50 Foot Cheerleaders! by Jason Sacks
  • POPCORN CINEMA 23: THEY CALLED HER ONE EYE (aka, THRILLER: A Cruel Picture)POPCORN CINEMA 23: THEY CALLED HER ONE EYE (aka,… by John E. Meredith
  • Women in Horror: I Spit on Your Grave (2010)Women in Horror: I Spit on Your Grave (2010) by The Final Girl
  • Polar (2019)Polar (2019) by Nate Zoebl
  • Gender, Transformation and Mr. Angel: A Chat with Buck Angel and His Wife Elayne AngelGender, Transformation and Mr. Angel: A Chat with… by Nate Abernethy
  • EZMM Day 7.1: Night of the Living Dead (1990)EZMM Day 7.1: Night of the Living Dead (1990) by Paul Brian McCoy
400x400 GI Joe Funko Banner

Weekly Top Ten

  • Page to Screen: The Boys Season OnePage to Screen: The Boys Season One by Paul Brian McCoy
  • Women in Horror: I Spit on Your Grave (2010)Women in Horror: I Spit on Your Grave (2010) by The Final Girl
  • Adventure Time 6.06 “Breezy”Adventure Time 6.06 “Breezy” by Dave Hearn
  • Advance Review: The Legend of Tarzan (2016) Blu-rayAdvance Review: The Legend of Tarzan (2016) Blu-ray by Paul Brian McCoy
  • The Hills Have Eyes (1977) vs The Hills Have Eyes (2006)The Hills Have Eyes (1977) vs The Hills Have Eyes (2006) by Corin Totin
  • Drive-In Saturday: Heavy Metal 2000 (2000)Drive-In Saturday: Heavy Metal 2000 (2000) by Alex Wolfe
  • Sick Flix: Guinea Pig 2 – Flower of Flesh and Blood (1985)Sick Flix: Guinea Pig 2 – Flower of Flesh and Blood (1985) by Corin Totin
  • The Final Girl: I Spit on Your Grave (2010)The Final Girl: I Spit on Your Grave (2010) by The Final Girl
  • Superman II (1980)Superman II (1980) by John Clark
  • Adventure Time 6.20 “Jake the Brick”Adventure Time 6.20 “Jake the Brick” by Dave Hearn
400x400 UA Affiliate Banner

FACEBOOK

FACEBOOK

Latest Reviews

  • X (2022)

    Nate Zoebl
    April 22, 2022
  • Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

    Nate Zoebl
    April 15, 2022
  • The Adam Project (2022)

    Nate Zoebl
    March 16, 2022

psychodrivein

Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: Unboxing Kotobukiya's Dawn Moreno (Snake Eyes II) & Mighty Jaxx's Off Werk Snake Eyes Vinyl!

Greg takes a quick look at two new releases in the world of GI Joe statues and collectibles!
---
Watch Greg at the link in our profile!

#GIJoe #AnythingJoes @AnythingJoesPod #DawnMorano #SnakeEyes2 #SnakeEyes #Kotobukiya #MightyJaxx #OffWerk
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation 414: I Love You, Colonel Sanders! (2019)

The game has a heart, and that heart is Colonel Sanders.
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#ColonelSanders #KFC #LostInTranslation #ILoveYouColonelSanders
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation 413: Cloak & Dagger (2018)

Cloak & Dagger is a coming-of-age story with superheroes, a teen drama with superheroes, and works as such.
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#LostInTranslation #MarvelComics #MarvelTelevision #CloakAndDagger #AubreyJoseph #OliviaHolt
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Popcorn Cinema Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Popcorn Cinema 48: THE MULTIVERSE IS MADNESS

POPCORN raises his hands, putting them together in front of his face. He then pushes his face slowly through them as if he's giving birth to himself. 
---
Read more of John's reviews at the link in our profile!

#DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness #EverythingEverywhereAllAtOnce #SamRaimi #Daniels #BenedictCumberbatch #MichelleYeoh #ElizabethOlsen #JamesHong #JamieLeeCurtis #KeHuyQuan #StephanieHsu
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: S01E37 - G.I. Joe #12 / Three Strikes For Snake-Eyes!

It's the start of one of the most iconic Joe stories in it's entire history, and it includes the return of two pivotal characters from the past! Join Greg and Jaren as they venture into Rio Lindo to root out Cobra's next devious plot!
---
Watch Greg and Jaren at the link in our profile!

#AnythingJoes @anythingjoespod #GIJoe #MarvelComics #SnakeEyes
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation 412: Good Omens (2014 BBC Radio Dramatisation)

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch was first published in 1990 and was a comedy about Revelations and Armageddon.
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#LostInTranslation #GoodOmens #NeilGaiman #TerryPratchett #BBC #MarkHeap #PeterSerafinowicz #JimNorton #AdamThomasWright #JosieLawrence #Charlotterichie #ColinMorgan #CliveRussell #JuliaDeakin #BBCRadio
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: S01E36 - Lexington Comic & Toy Convention 2022

Greg & Jaren recount their experience meeting Larry Hama at the Lexington Comic & Toy Convention 2022. Plus, the latest news, recent acquisitions, and listener mail!
---
Listen to Greg and Jaren's podcast at the link in our profile!

@anythingjoespod #AnythingJoes #GIJoe #Mezco #LarryHama
Today at https://psychodrivein.com X (2022) Ti W Today at https://psychodrivein.com

X (2022)

Ti West is a director I haven’t fully enjoyed, though I would say X is his most accomplished film to date for me. 
---
Read more of Nate's review at the link in our profile!

#X #TiWest #MiaGoth #Slasher
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation 411: The Secret of Marvel's Success

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been dominating the box office since the release of Iron Man.
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#LostInTranslation #Marvel #MarvelStudios #MarvelCinematicUniverse #MCU #IronMan #Avengers #MoonKnight #WandaVision #Hawkeye #RobertDowneyJr
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Latest Columns

  • Anything Joes: S01E38 – Greg And Joel’s Favorite Modern Figures, Part 1

    Greg Engle
    June 24, 2022
  • Lost in Translation 415: Remaking Gilligan’s Island

    Scott Delahunt
    June 24, 2022
  • Anything Joes: Unboxing Kotobukiya’s Dawn Moreno (Snake Eyes II) & Mighty Jaxx’s Off Werk Snake Eyes Vinyl!

    Greg Engle
    June 15, 2022

TWITTER

My Tweets

Look Who's Talking

Oliver Ghingold
Oliver Ghingold - 2/18/2022
Muppet Madness: You’re the Director
Do you still have these tapes? I've been looking everywhere for them! I loved the Interactive Vision...
white swan
white swan - 12/22/2021
The Hills Have Eyes (1977) vs The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
I enjoyed the article though I would never call brutality gorgeous.
Shawn EH
Shawn EH - 10/26/2021
13 Days of Halloween Day 12: Halloween Kills (2021)
Very disappointing, it's true. And very mean-spirited murders of nobodies. And I don't even see how...
RSSTwitterFacebookinstagramtumblr

Archives

Large_rectangle_336X280
All work on this site is Copyright © each individual writer.
  • PDI Press
    • PDI Press Catalog
    • PDI Press Writers
      • Fiction
  • Columns A-D
    • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
    • ABCs of Horror
    • All Binge… No Purge
    • Anything Joes
    • Beautiful Creatures
    • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
    • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
    • Cahiers du Horror
    • Dispatches From the Field
    • Drive-In Saturday
    • Dungeons & D-Listers
  • Columns F-P
    • The Final Girl
    • First Looks… Second Thoughts
    • The Flesh is Weak
    • Innocence and Experience
    • Lost in Translation
    • Page to Screen
    • Popcorn Cinema
    • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
  • Columns S-Z
    • Schlock & Awe
    • Shakespeare on Film
    • Shot for Shot
    • Sick Flix
    • Unnatural Selections
    • Versus
    • Video Word Made Flesh
    • We Got Lists
    • Women in Horror
    • The Xeno File
    • Zombies 101
  • Reviews
    • Books
    • Comics
    • DVD/Blu-ray
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Series
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Trailers
  • Psychos
  • Merchandise
%d bloggers like this: