Captain America: The First Avenger
(2011)Action-adventure adaptation of the Marvel comic series, set in 1942, directed by Joe Johnson (The Rocketeer, The Wolfman).... More
After being deemed unfit for military service in WWII, a scrawny Steve Rogers (Chris Evans from Fantastic Four) volunteers for a top secret science project that turns him into Captain America, a super-soldier dedicated to defending justice and democracy against the Nazis.
The Captain's strength, endurance, agility, speed, reflexes, durability and healing are at the highest limits of natural human potential. The WWII confrontations lead to the ultimate foe in Red Skull (Hugo Weaving, The Matrix), Hitler's treacherous head of advanced weaponry, whose own plan for world domination involves a magical object known as The Tesseract.Hide
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Directed by Joe Johnston
Starring Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Tommy Lee Jones, Toby Jones, Richard Armitage, Stanley Tucci, Samuel L. Jackson, Dominic Cooper, Neal McDonough
Written by Christopher Markus, Joss Whedon, Stephen McFeely (based on the Marvel comic)
On Demand, DVD & Blu-Ray
Available from 5 providers
Flicks Review
BY Andrew Hedley Flicks Writer
Like with Fox’s X-Men: First Class, there’s a buzz from seeing a superhero flick play out in a period setting. Marvel’s Captain America: The First Avenger reaches back to the early ‘40s, pitting the Captain against the Nazis. It’s all very Indiana Jones and director Joe Johnston reaches back to his days working on both Jones and 1991’s The Rocketeer to envisage bright, vivid retro-futurist design.... More
There are tie-ins to other Marvel properties, naturally. The Cosmic Cube links to Thor, while Iron Man’s dad, Howard Stark (a Downey Jr-ish Dominic Cooper), has plenty to do as an inventor/designer on the payroll of the US government. The film’s climax is, unfortunately a bit of a whimper, saving any loose ends for The Avengers film next year, where all established heroes will finally get to fight alongside each other.
It’s the unique moments in Captain America that leave an impression. A highlight is a sequence where the Captain, with nothing better to do, is suited up and sent around the country performing a song-and-dance routine in a stage show. It’s a meta-moment; kids are shown reading Captain America comic books as the man becomes a propaganda figurehead for the war effort.
It would have been ideal to have more moments like these in what is otherwise a fairly standard origin tale. Nonetheless, flawless effects – including making a pre-captain Chris Evans look like a twig – plus top performances from the likes of Stanley Tucci, Hugo Weaving and Tommy Lee Jones, ensure an old-fashioned quality to this appealing matinee-style adventure.Hide
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Captain America: The First Avenger
BY thorinoak superstar
One of the best of the Marvel bunch. Reminiscent a bit of Indiana Jones; a period set film of a normal man with 'superman' abilities. Fantastic
BY adamatdramatrain superstar
BY steveisatree superstar
I had high hopes for this superhero flick. However the plot was dull. The character Captain America had about as much depth as Superman. If I had 5 hands, it would only get 2 thumbs up.
BY morgana1972 superstar
WWII one of the Darkest Chapters in Human History, We needed Heroes then like we need Heroes now. APPLY within.
BY Whitney lister
This movie was a great adaptation of the Captain America comic series!! I thoroughly enjoyed it! Very true to the comic and would probably be quite a good movie for people who are not Marvel fans especially with the big budget effects and great acting! Excellent movie, I can't wait for The Avengers to come out now after seeing this!!
Showing 5 of 17 reviews. See all reviews
The Press Reviews
79%
of critics recommend.
Rotten Tomatoes Score. More reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
For the most part, it manages to balance laughs, genuinely rousing moments, and a fully packed agenda into something fleet enough to keep running under the weight of its rich ambitions. Full Review
It goes without saying it's preposterous. But it has the texture and takes the care to be a full-blown film. Full Review
If you like your comicbook action pulpy and sweetly old-fashioned (our hero has never been kissed so don't expect much raunch) this may keep you entertained until the next superhero flick rolls along. Which should be any second now. Full Review
Charming, handsome and full of pep – all 70 year-old Cap lacks is a knockout blow. Still, Johnston should be saluted for old-fashioned heart in a cynical age, while Marvel should be confined to barracks for cynical marketing. Full Review
Sticking to its simplistic, patriotic origins, where a muscular red, white and blue GI slugging Adolf Hitler in the jaw is all that's required, Captain America trafficks in red-blooded heroes, dastardly villains, classy dames and war-weary military officers. Full Review
Has a winningly pulpy, jaunty, earnest spirit. Full Review
Mission accomplished, fairly enjoyably yes, but that's about it. Full Review
The final piece of the Avengers jigsaw falls efficiently into place: decent acting, decent action, a few too many “we’re all heroes inside” platitudes. But it’s no star-spangled sick-maker, either. Full Review
As Marvel heroes go, Captain America must be the most vanilla of the lot. Full Review
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