Review: Captain America, The Sqaure-est Of The Square-Jawed Heroes

Rated PG-13

The original comic character, Captain America came along in 1942, when patriotism was at its height and cynicism almost unheard of. The line between good and evil was a mile wide and absolutely definitive. Uncle Sam and Hitler? How much more stark contrast could you imagine.

And now, in a year that’s been flooded with super heroes and saturated with less than Marvel-ous movies, comes the squarest of the square-jawed heroes. Does he fit into 2011 the way he did in 1942? I’m not so sure.

The new movie is, in fact, the “origin story” and so it takes us back to World War II, where a pigeon-chested, 98lbs weakling named Steve Rogers is trying his best to enlist in the army, but can’t pass the physical. A kindly and wise German scientist, working for the American military, spots Rogers as the perfect specimen for a military experiment: Find a guy with bravery and a big heart, which can only exist organically, and give him a special serum to add pounds and pounds of muscle, agility and speed to such a candidate. The result: the perfect soldier/hero.

Those sequences are interesting, and the montage showing this new “Captain America” being used as a showman to lift morale and sell U.S. Bonds is kinda funny, but the pacing is too slow and the eventual showdown between the Captain and his nemesis, Red Skull ( a chop-licking Nazi played by Hugo Weaving) is anti-climactic.

What is cool is the innocence and sincerity on display by Chris Evans and the old fashioned back-lot chases, meant to look like Brooklyn. It’s a mixed bag. Call it 2 ½ stars—or a C+.

But don’t leave early. The last five minutes of the film are the best of the whole film. You’ll be surprised!