Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), a determined yet physically frail young man from Brooklyn, possesses unwavering resolve despite his slender build. Yearning to enlist and confront the aggressors in war-torn Europe, his physical limitations prevent him from realizing his aspirations. Fate intervenes when Dr. Erskine (Stanly Tucci) recognizes Steve’s potential and selects him as the subject for his super-soldier serum. This marks the genesis of Captain America, the first Avenger.
Director Joe Johnston, known for his expertise in crafting period superhero films, exemplified by the underrated Rocketeer, masterfully utilizes the historical setting in Captain America – The First Avenger. The seamless integration of the World War II backdrop with the superhero narrative is particularly effective. Arguably, exploring Captain America’s exploits within the historical context through additional films, prior to his entombment in ice, could have enriched the narrative. This expanded timeframe could have afforded the supervillain Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) greater depth and development, addressing his current underutilization.
Captain America – The First Avenger features several compelling action sequences and is underpinned by a strong emotional core. Hayley Atwell delivers a pitch-perfect performance as Peggy Carter, with her scenes alongside Chris Evans exhibiting remarkable chemistry. The consistently impressive Stanley Tucci also shines. As noted in the Captain America: Civil War review, the film regrettably struggles to cultivate audience investment in Bucky Barnes (portrayed by Sebastian Stan) within Captain America: The first Avenger, hindering his character arc. Strategically, Marvel could have developed “Cap” through multiple period films, allowing for a more profound connection with Bucky Barnes and a more compelling narrative trajectory. Instead, this remains a comparative weakness within the MCU.
While the “dressed-in-the-flag-colors-nonsense” of Captain America’s superhero persona might initially seem contrived, the film provides a justifiable rationale for his attire, effectively mitigating any potential for absurdity.
The Ultra HD edition presents a well-calibrated visual experience, characterized by robust black levels and impressive depth. The color palette exhibits a degree of restraint, aligning with the film’s photographic style. The absence of jitter, a previously observed artifact in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, is noteworthy. The Dolby Atmos sound design is generally competent, offering adequate bass response and immersive surround effects. However, similar to Captain Marvel, the overall audio levels are lower than typically encountered, necessitating an increase of approximately 8db to achieve comparable levels to other Dolby Atmos-encoded films.
The supplementary material appears substantial at first glance. However, closer examination reveals a collection of familiar, brief promotional features akin to those found on other Marvel films. A bygone era existed where discs boasted genuinely insightful extra content, offering substantive value beyond mere advertisement for the primary feature. This is a feature that is sorely missed.
In conclusion, Captain America: The First Avenger delivers an engaging cinematic experience. The origin story is well-crafted and maintains a consistent pace. As previously stated, expanding upon Captain America’s historical adventures through additional films would have been a welcome addition, even if such a thing might not actually be possible.
