It's solid, certainly up there with the better Marvel films, but I feel it's somehow overhyped. It's a great action flick, and a very enjoyable movie experience. But does it really go up there with the 1st Iron Man movie or the Avengers? The answer is no, but it comes close. It's way better than the 1st Cap movie, that's for sure. Unfortunately he doesn't punch Hitler in this one, but I was disappointed that he only punched a fake Hitler in the first one, so, meh.
The story is partly about Cap trying to adapt to modern life and partly about a shadowy organization infiltrating SHIELD and using them to TAKE OVER THE WORLD (of course). The themes is who do we trust to watch us, and whether it's good that certain organiztions have the right to spy on us and keep everything they do sectret. The whole Assange- Snowden thingy. Of course the SHIELD director Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson as usual) is quite okay with all this as long as he's the one in charge of the whole deal. And in the deal there is a doomsday weapon, thought to be used against terrorists, but of course will be used to TAKE OVER THE WORLD instead. So Cap, Fury, Scarlett Johanson, that Chick that Follow Fury around and Token Black Guy with Wings have to stop the organization called HYDRA lead by evil Robert Redford. Then there's also that Winter Soldier dude who tried to kill them and turn out to be someone from Cap's past.
I think the interaction between the characters worked fine, but one thing this movie lacked was a Great Villain. It has several villains: Redford, the evil SHIELD agent dude, the Winter Soldier, an evil AI, but none felt like a person who really could stand up to Cap and his crew. And that's one of the few small problems. I think that's why Loki rules in the Thor movies, he feels like the strong super villain of the Avengers Universe. I also somehow thought Emily van Camp's character was under used. Now I asked her entire purpose in the movie. If she had been in more scenes I could have got behind the idea of her character a bit more. Perhaps she will play a more important role in a sequel. Because I'm quite sure there will be a Captain America 3 movie at some point after Avengers 2.
We also had a French Pirate as a minor villain in the beginning and I was through the entire movie wondering where he disappeared, since he just didn't become relevant again. Perhaps he will turn up in future Marvel movies, or in Agents of SHIELD. Anyway, the movie is solid, the action good, and the threat believable. What more can you ask for? This is a good addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and makes at least me eagerly waiting for Avengers 2.
