Movie Review: Captain America The Winter Soldier - Marvel's solid run continues...

I was fortunate enough to get tickets to one of the Regional Premières of 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' - a week before its UK release, and a whole two weeks before it's out in the US.  (Thanks to ShowFilmFirst.com for the tickets!)  So can I count this review as an EXCLUSIVE?  Probably not, but I will anyway - getting in to an advance screening of any film is a bit of a scoop for a lowly cinema goer like me!  Bearing in mind it could be a week or two before most people get to see this film, I'll keep this review as spoiler free as possible.

Anyway, if you've read any of my previous reviews and articles, you'll already be aware that as far as Marvel Studios movies goes, I'm already completely sold.  I've really enjoyed the previous films, absolutely loved Avengers Assemble, and have increasingly geeked-out over the shared 'cineverse' that they're building with each release.  So, first and foremost, I have to be honest and admit that I've approached this new Captain America as a fan; which means that my expectations have been high, and in a few ways quite different to those when I watch most other movies.  I'll admit that it does mean I can be willing to overlook short-fallings in plot, script and characterisations, so long as overall the film is entertaining and as some great comic inspired moments.

Anthony Mackie as Sam 'The Falcon' Wilson makes a very welcome addition to the series - hopefully we'll see some more of him in future Marvel movies...

With that in mind, starting from the viewpoint as a fan of Marvel Studios' movies, I found Captain America: The Winter Soldier to be an immensely satisfying and entertaining - and at times surprisingly thoughtful - ultimately it is a very strong entry in to the cannon of Marvel movies, and in some ways is one of the better films they've released.  During production, Producer Kevin Feige and the Directors, brothers Joe & Anthony Russo, spoke about how this film was intended as a political thriller in the vein of paranoid conspiracy movies from the 1970's.  Well, there's certainly conspiracy, and some great thriller elements, but the political threads don't really come across.  There's some elements which seem to chime with surveillance and the extent of this in a post-War on Terror world, and occasionally some interesting thoughts on the balance between the need for freedom and democracy between the need for order to sustain peace - and what that can cost.  In this respect this film has possibly the most mature themes of Marvel Studios' films so far.

But these ideas aren't really at the fore when the plot thrusts along at a consistently high pace.  After a low-key opening with a one or two scenes which maybe don't quite have the impact they could have, once the main narrative gets going the film begins to lift off.  The first act is like the best bits of one of the better series of 24, only minus pointless daughter-based sub-plots and scenes of torture, but with super-powers and super-science gadgetry instead - it truly hits the conspiracy/thriller marks the makers were aiming for.  Then the narrative takes a slight turn and opens up in a way which in some respects might seem silly for a conspiracy thriller - but bearing in mind we're in the Marvel Cineverse here, it is one which can be excused (then again, depending on how much you subscribe to Marvel's setting).  At this point the thriller/conspiracy elements don't come across as strongly, but the focus shifts to pretty relentless action.

And I must say, the action scenes and set pieces in this film are pretty damned solid, and considering the Russo Brothers have never directed a film on this scale before (they're better known for their TV work), it is handled masterfully.  Initially I was worried about how they were directing the action, as one early scene employs the cardinal sin of on-screen punch-ups: shaky cam, which is always annoying when you're trying to follow one or more fast moving characters and enjoy the physical poetry of their martial prowess!  Fortunately this is dropped after one scene.  Another bugbear raises its ugly head early on - lens flare, so beloved of JJ Abrams to the point it is now officially distracting.  Again, thankfully this is only in a couple of scenes early on and doesn't become distracting.

Captain Steve Rogers finds out he can't trust anyone.  Good job he's more than  capable of handling himself...

Script-wise, the film is efficient if not spectacular, but serves the characters well, and gives moments of that Marvel wit which is familiar throughout their movies.  Some new characters are served better than others, but the key ones, especially newcomer Sam 'Falcon' Wilson, whose burgeoning friendship with Cap himself is handled very well, are done sufficient justice.  Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson as Captain America and Black Widow respectively are fully at ease in their roles, and suggest there is more going on under the surface than sometimes the script allows them to show.  On the other-hand, despite being the titular nemesis, The Winter Soldier doesn't quite show up enough to make as much of an impact as the character fully deserves; when he does he's a more than formidable foe, but there are little flashes that suggest there is going to be more to this character in later films (and if you know the comics, you'll know that this is emphatically the case).

The titular villain - The Winter Soldier himself; expect more from this character in future films.  A lot more, potentially...

All said and done, Captain America: The Winter Soldier moves along at such a pace, moving seamlessly from one impressive set-piece to the next that there's not time to dwell on the films few short-comings; this is another great entry in the Marvel Franchise.  It is a solid action-thriller, and shows that there is a lot more depth and potential to the Steve Rogers character than as a flag-waving relic of mid-20th Century propaganda.  Once again, choosing a story that explores different aspects of the character(s) by putting them in a situation which puts them at the forefront, rather than overshadowing them with maguffins, villains or showy effects, proves a success for Marvel.  Sony, Fox and Warners/DC would do well to take note..!  If I was asked to place this in order of quality with the rest of the Marvel Studios films so far, I would put it firmly in Fourth - behind Avengers Assemble, Iron Man 3, and the first Iron Man (in that order).

Finally, and here be very, very minor spoilers for this film and next year's 'Avengers: Age of Ultron', but if you've been paying attention to recent casting and shooting announcements, you've probably already put two and two together: this film has one or two ideas, shall we say, which are likely planting seeds for some of the things which are going to happen in Age of Ultron.  As per all the other Marvel movies, there are easter-eggs and references which will make comic book fans and geeks (like me!) squeal with excitement ever-so-slightly...  Then you come to the mid-credits stinger: all I'll say is my geeky brain was somewhat blown by this, as it really confirms some of what I'd read about Age of Ultron, characters in it and what I'd speculated would be the way they'd be portrayed.  It made me wish I had the super-power to skip the next year so it was next May already (with a pause for Guardians of the Galaxy this summer) - and cut out the wait for the Avengers sequel.  It is shaping up to be pretty spectacular indeed...

Movie Review: The Grand Budapest Hotel - this way for your dose of quirkiness...

If you feel like you are experiencing a distinct lack of 'quirk' in your life at the moment, then Wes Anderson's 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' will most likely give you enough quirkiness to last you until the end of the year (most probably).  It's a film which is delivered with no certain amount of earnestness from some of its key players, whilst at the same time delivered with a very deadpan humour in others.  Add to that the way the film is delivered as a recounting of a story within a recounting of a story, then it's clear this isn't a film that should be taken entirely seriously.  And that's before you get to the use of models/paper cut-outs and an anachronistic representation of fictional East European countries (it's almost like a portmanteau of how Americans might perceive Europe during the first half of the 20th Century)...

The film begins with a young woman offering a key ring at the memorial to a writer, before sitting down to read his novel (which shares it's title with the film) - who is then introduced, almost 30 years previously (played by Tom Wilkinson), describing how he came to recount the story of the titular Hotel's owner.  This is interrupted by the author's grandson shooting him with a potato gun.  Yes, I told you it was quirky.  The account then jumps back almost 20 years to 1969, where the author continues the account - but as his younger self, played by Jude Law.

Before I say anything else about this film, I should point out that, yes, this is a Wes Anderson film.  If you've ever seen Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums (which I love, by the way), Fantastic Mr Fox, or anything from the rest of his oeuvre you'll be familiar with his fascination with slightly eccentric characters, the rapid fire delivery of quite verbose exposition, and unusual shenanigans.  Well, if those are the director's hallmarks, then this is a Wes Anderson film to the Nth degree.  Some are absent - petty rivalries and child prodigies, but you'll find the rest of Anderson's hallmarks here.  Calling on a pretty spectacular cast (including many cameos) from his most noted collaborators, the film is a highly unconventional crime/whodunit adventure tale at its core, centred on Zero Mustafa (who, played by F Murray Abraham as an older man, recounting his story to Jude Law's author) and M. Gustave, played by Ralph Fiennes.  There is a dark heart to this story, taking in murder, greed and betrayal - and set against suggestions of an escalating war and rising fascism.  However, it is all played out with such quirkiness, and even relatively straight performances carry an undercurrent of a knowing deadpan humour to them.  The stand out in this is Fiennes himself, in his first collaboration with Anderson - indeed, in a rare 'comedic' role for him - but he settles in to the director's world naturally.  His character is at once pompous, compassionate, self-serving, honourable, charming - yes, there is a heightened sense of reality with this character, yet between Fiennes' delivery and the plot Anderson has given him, there is something recognisably human about him.

Ralph Fiennes (right) as M. Gustav: Concierge, man of honour, romancer of octogenarians.  Yes, that is Tilda Swinton (definitely not an Octogenarian) under those prosthetics...

This isn't a film which is going to appeal to, or be enjoyed, by everyone.  For a lot of people the director's whimsical style - incorporating a lot of models and anachronistic pastel colouring, as well as the vagueness of the film's setting - will bemuse if not annoy them.  And as with Anderson's other films, deadpan performances will conceal the absurdity and humour from some viewers.  That aside, much about the film curiously doesn't really stick in the memory for long afterwards, apart from a few of particularly great lines ("she was shaking like a dog having a shit") and some scenes which really amp up, yes, the quirkiness, including a museum set murder (which has no real reason to be in a museum, but offers a couple of amusing sight gags) and a ski & sledge chase filmed using models & paper cut-outs.  I don't think this film hits the heights of the directors previous films, especially 'Tenenbaums' - however it certainly cements him as quite the auteur, and is probably the film people will point to as defining his style.

Ultimately, if you can go with the quirkiness and slightly whimsical touches, then this film is no small amount of fun.  Now, if you excuse me, I need to find my L'Air de Panache, and read some obscure romantic poetry...