Movie Review: Captain America: The First Avenger

Captain America: The First Avenger
Director: Joe Johnston
Cast: Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Dominic Cooper, Neal McDonough, Derek Luke and Stanley Tucci
Runtime: 124 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Released: July 22nd 2011

Plot: (from IMDb) After being deemed unfit for military service, Steve Rogers volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, a superhero dedicated to defending America's ideals.

I was a bit afraid going in to the theater on Friday to see Captain America. Seeing the previews and trailers, we knew it was centered around the time of Hitler's reign. Why did it worry me, because they would have to make the movie go back in time and look authentic. These movies that go back into the past and replay certain wars or depression sometimes come short. I'm glad to tell you that Captain America did not. The depiction of the 1940's was very well thought out and mastered on the film. 

The most impressive part of the whole film is how they made Captain America (Chris Evans) look like a very small man, almost sickly. We know in real life Chris is a very fit and tall man. If you have never heard of Chris Evans and see this film, you would never know that that's not his really body being used in the beginning before the transformation. Now the transformation is the Chris Evans we all know. Picking him as Captain America was a perfect choice. I read he turned it down a few times and then finally accepted the role, well I'm glad he did. 

What is Captain America? It's the story of Steve Rogers. Steve (Chris Evans) wants to enlist to fight in the war. The thing is that Steve is not made to be on the battle field. He is a very small man and has a few medical conditions such as Asthma. Every time he tries to enlist by falsifying his paperwork he gets rejected. Then one day he tries one more time and a DR takes notice of him. Dr. Erskine reveals to Steve that he knows he has been lying when he goes to apply and what is his real hometown and name. So Steve finally confesses and that's when he reveals why he wants to enlist. The DR takes note and realizes he wold be the perfect candidate for his experiment because of his heart. So he approves Steve to enlist and beginning training. Well all the training couldn't have gotten Steve ready for the experiment he would be the 1st to be tested in. He would be injected with this serum to make him the super soldier. 

Now yes the experiment works but a spy bombs the facility and also the DR is killed so only Steve becomes the super soldier. He shows immediate strength by capturing the spy which then kills himself. No instead of sending Steve off to war, they convert him into a show and he earns the name Captain America. He travels all over the world doing a show with dancers in a suit. Until the one day he finds out the platoon with his friend got hit by Red Skull. He sets off to find the missing soldiers and bring them back to base without getting help from anyone. Does he accomplish this all on his own and finally earn himself credit? Maybe he does and once he does having Howard Stark (Iron Man's dad) on board might just be the glue that bonds the team.

Go out and see Captain America today to find out if he succeeds against Red Skull. Make sure after the movie is over stay for the closing credits and watch a clip of next years movie The Avengers. This is a movie you can see with the whole family. I think I enjoyed it more than my husband did. Might be the Chris Evans in his Red, White and Blue suit.