At the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame, Captain America (Chris Evans) passes the shield to his ally, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), also known as The Falcon. In the premiere episode of the Disney+ series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Sam relinquishes the shield, deeming himself unworthy. The subsequent six episodes unfold, leading to an event that feels both inevitable and somewhat delayed… Are you following the narrative progression?
Following my initial impressions of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, I held a cautiously optimistic view, hoping it would reach the creative heights of WandaVision. My expectations, however, proved inaccurate.
From the outset, certain elements detracted from the viewing experience. For example, the portrayal of skydivers operating outside the bounds of realistic physics. In another instance, The Falcon infiltrates a truck by landing in its trailer. While this is plausible, the adjacent truck, belonging to the antagonists, makes no attempt to intervene or even report the intrusion. This contrived maneuver serves only to facilitate The Falcon’s subsequent capture. Furthermore, a character briefly employs a high-tech disguise, only to remove it, stating that “no one recognizes me here anyway…”. The necessity of the disguise is questionable. The super-serum responsible for creating Captain America in the first movie is now presented in convenient syringes, yielding instantaneous results without apparent side effects, regardless of the recipient. Characters are seemingly permitted to engage in nefarious activities with little consequence, as forgiveness appears readily granted. The catalog of inconsistencies extends considerably.
The initial episode revisits The Winter Soldier, who is grappling with the memories of murders committed during his brainwashed state. These memories seemingly contradict established lore from previous installments, which indicated a lack of recall from that period. This plot point, initially perceived as having potential for significant development, culminates in the sixth and final episode as an anticlimactic resolution. As a result, the final battle in Wonder Woman 1984 is no longer the biggest disappointment.
The fundamental issue with The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is its lack of meaningful progress across six episodes. The concluding information largely mirrors that presented at the end of Avenger: Endgame. While a minor plot point emerges, the core narrative could have been effectively condensed into a two-episode arc or a longer television film, resulting in a more engaging and focused series.
One notable aspect is the performance of Kurt Russell’s son, Wyatt Russell (whom I, by the way, first saw playing his father as a young man in the Paul W.S. Anderson film Soldier and most recently in Overlord). His interpretation of Captain America offers a refreshingly nuanced and somewhat unsettling portrayal. Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan deliver commendable performances in their respective leading roles; however, the script’s shortcomings significantly impact the overall quality of the series.
In summary, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier presents itself as a disorganized narrative, often lacking subtlety. Key themes are presented didactically, leaving little room for nuanced interpretation. While the topics addressed possess intrinsic importance, their execution falls short of potential. The series suffers from pacing issues and ultimately feels somewhat dispensable. The final assessment avoids a complete failure, as certain sequences offer entertainment, and the interplay between Mackie and Stan provides enjoyable moments. Unfortunately, these highlights are overshadowed by an abundance of less compelling material.
