Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Not quite as fun or droll as Kenneth Branagh's Thor but a lot better than the woeful Green Lantern, Captain America is a middling Marvel adaptation, which starts nicely but flags (the lengthy action scenes mainly) half-way through.
Chris Evans plays puny Steve Rogers, a "little guy" with a big heart who is desperate the join the war effort (it's 1941) but he is rejected because of his various ailments. So he volunteers for a top-secret military research project, run by Stanley Tucci's shadowy German scientist and Tommy Lee Jones's gruff Colonel Chester ("You don't win wars with niceness, doctor"). Even though Steve is physically weak he proves to be more courageous than his fellow competitors, and is selected for the dubious honour of being a US "super soldier". Captain America is born.
First, humiliatingly, he is asked to entertain the troops with some cabaret before he embarks, without permission, on a derring-do mission to crack Nazi skulls and free captured US soldiers. Toby Jones and Hugo Weaving (always a great villain) play a deranged scientist and a henchman, respectively, and both of these fine actors are strictly from the Allo' Allo' school of naughty Nazis. They're hammy and comical but never dull.
Other things of note include Hayley Atwell's sweet British agent, an exquisite 1940s setting and a terrific last sequence and last line. However, ultimately, Captain America is a rather forgettable superhero yarn.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments