Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Theatrical Release Date: 2014 04 04 (USA - 3D) / 2014 04 04 (USA)

UPC: 786936842173

Studio: Walt Disney

Summary: Steve Rogers continues his journey as the super-powered American soldier who's grasping to find his place in a modern world after being frozen in ice since WWII with this Marvel Studios sequel. Chris Evans returns to star, with Community director/producers Joe and Anthony Russo helming. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Category: Action

Awards: Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Release Date: 09/09/2014

Jason Buchanan

DC Comics should watch its back, because as the creative minds behind the currently untitled Superman vs. Batman movie scramble with rewrites even as it begins shooting in Michigan, Marvel Entertainment continues their successful run on the big screen with Captain America: The Winter Soldier -- a superior sequel that, at the very least, stands shoulder-to-shoulder with its whizbang predecessor.

As Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) struggles to adjust to life in the modern world, a dangerous rescue mission on a ship in the Indian Ocean leaves him convinced that Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and S.H.I.E.L.D. may be compromising the organization's integrity with a new initiative known as Project Insight. A clandestine endeavor conceived by politically connected World Security Council head Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford), Project Insight involves the use of three enormous, heavily armed, satellite-connected "helicarriers" to preserve world peace. Convinced that peace can never be achieved under the threat of violence, Rogers begins to question his allegiance to S.H.I.E.L.D. and his fellow agent Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and forms a casual friendship with haunted veteran Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie). Rogers is soon thrust back into the fray, however, when a grievously injured Fury entrusts him with a hard drive containing sensitive information retrieved during that initial rescue mission, which leads to Captain America being branded as a fugitive by S.H.I.E.L.D. Now on the run from the very organization he once vowed to fight for, Cap must keep his guard up and figure out whom he can trust to thwart a diabolical plot with direct ties to Hydra -- the mystical arm of the Nazi regime that he nearly gave his life to defeat. Meanwhile, a mysterious, superpowered assassin known as the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) is closing in fast, and he's got Captain America locked in his sights.

In Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), writers Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus aimed to give the character a compelling origin story, and director Joe Johnston delivered sweeping action set pieces with eye-popping retro style. Flash forward three years, and siblings Joe and Anthony Russo have taken the reigns from Johnston while McFeely and Markus have returned to shape the screenplay. Though in some ways it's sad to see Johnston go (it's always nice when a director is rewarded for his success), the truth is that the story this time around is a very modern one, and the behind-the-scenes change serves it quite well. In contrast to Johnston's almost steampunk visual approach in the first installment, the Russo brothers give this sequel a hi-tech sheen that feels similar to such other, modern-set Marvel efforts as the Iron Man films and The Avengers. Perhaps the only drawback regarding the change of directors is that, although the Russo brothers seem well-attuned to the character motivations and the finer nuances of the screenplay, their lack of experience in big-budget action (they came up through indie comedies and TV sitcoms) occasionally shows when the movie kicks into high gear.

Even so, any comic-book fan will tell you that there's much more to these stories than explosions and spectacle, and perhaps the greatest strength of Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the fact that Steve Rogers' struggle is made very believable here -- thanks to not only the writing, but Evans' ability to appear vulnerable despite his formidable physique and fighting skills. In particular, Cap's relationships with Fury and Romanoff get to the heart of this vulnerability early in the film, and later, once we discover the identity of the Winter Soldier (a foe who could give even the Terminator a fair fight), the movie's themes of trust and friendship are reinforced in a way that genuinely resonates. Likewise, by tying the story directly to the events of the first picture, and shaking the very foundations of S.H.I.E.L.D. to the core, McFeely and Markus succeed at making this installment an integral component of the Marvel film franchise. Admittedly, the writers are attempting to accomplish quite a bit here, but to their credit the screenplay never feels compromised for the sake of casual fans. And with the exciting introductions of Falcon and the enigmatic Agent 13 (Emily VanCamp), as well as the growing involvement of Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), the scribes do a commendable job of expanding an already rich universe without making it feel convoluted. While it's difficult to discuss Redford's character without revealing too much, it can be said that he brings some valued gravity to the proceedings.

When you start to consider all of the elements that factor into a great superhero film, it quickly becomes obvious why most fail -- an overreliance on action can quickly compromise characterization, while a lesser villain can make the conflict feel trite. With their two Captain America movies, McFeely and Markus have displayed an acute understanding of comic-book mechanics and a keen talent for getting them to run smoothly. If Captain America: The Winter Soldier isn't the best of Marvel's ambitious film franchise, it's certainly near the top of the list, and that's still a fairly impressive feat. Like the first installment, it may be a bit too violent for younger viewers, and the lack of levity in comparison to the Thor and Iron Man films may strike some as slightly dour, but for its smart balance of story and action, Captain America: The Winter Soldier hits all the right beats. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Michael Grillo  Executive Producer 
Stan Lee  Executive Producer 
Louis D'Esposito  Executive Producer 
Joe Russo  Director 
Anthony Russo  Director 
Kevin Feige  Producer 
Victoria Alonso  Executive Producer 
Michael Coldewey  Executive Producer 
Alan Fine  Executive Producer 
Christopher Markus  Screenwriter 
Stephen McFeely  Screenwriter 
Henry Jackman  Composer (Music Score) 
Joel Mendias  Executive Producer 
Ted McEnaney  Producer 
Kevin Batten  Executive Producer 
Chris Evans  Actor 
Anthony Mackie  Actor 
Sebastian Stan  Actor 
Samuel L. Jackson  Actor 
Scarlett Johansson  Actor 
Frank Grillo  Actor 
Robert Redford  Actor 
Cobie Smulders  Actor 
Georges St-Pierre  Actor 
Hayley Atwell  Actor 
Toby Jones  Actor 
Emily VanCamp  Actor 
Maximiliano Hernandez  Actor 
Stan Lee  Actor 
Callan Mulvey  Actor 
Jenny Agutter  Actor 
Bernard White  Actor 
Alan Dale  Actor 
Chin Han  Actor 
Garry Shandling  Actor 
Salvator Xuereb  Actor 
Brian Duffy  Actor 
Zack Duhame  Actor 
Adetokumboh M'Cormack  Actor 
Christopher George Sarris  Actor 
Aaron Himelstein  Actor 
Allan Chanes  Actor 
Gozie Agbo  Actor 
Christopher Markus  Actor 
Stephen McFeely  Actor 
Pat Healy  Actor 
Ed Brubaker  Actor 
D.C. Pierson  Actor 
Danny Pudi  Actor 
Bernard Zilinskas  Actor 
Branka Katic  Actor 
Angela Russo-Otstot  Actor 
Jon Sklaroff  Actor 
Chad Todhunter  Actor 
Abigail Marlowe  Actor 
Jeremy Maxwell  Actor 
Emerson Brooks  Actor 
Evan Parke  Actor 
Ricardo Chacon  Actor 
Griffin M. Allen  Actor 
Ann Russo  Actor 
Joe Rosalina  Actor 
Jody Hart  Actor 
Steven Culp  Actor 
Derek Hughes  Actor 
Wendy Hoopes  Actor 
Ethan Rains  Actor 
Dominic Rains  Actor 
Charles Wittman  Actor 
Andy Martinez Jr.  Actor 
Michael DeGeus  Actor 
Terence O'Rourke  Actor 
Anne Grimenstein  Actor 
Dante Rosalina  Actor 
Robert Clotworthy  Actor 
June Christopher  Actor 
Gary Sinise  Actor 

Country: USA