Film should give 'Harry Potter' a run for its money this weekend.
By Josh Wigler
Chris Evans in "Captain America: The First Avenger"
Photo: Paramount Pictures
The summer of superheroes rages on this weekend with the theatrical release of "Captain America: The First Avenger." It's the final building block audiences need before the full picture of Joss Whedon's "The Avengers" comes into focus this summer, and by all accounts, the movie does not disappoint. Sporting a fresh rating at review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes, both comic book fans and casual moviegoers alike are feeling the patriotic splendor that Cap has to offer, so "Harry Potter" better watch out: Steve Rogers' mighty shield could very will split the Boy Who Lived's wand in half this weekend!
Read on for a selection of the "Cap" reviews currently rocking the Web, and check out our own "Captain America" review on Splash Page. And if the star-spangled superhero spirit moves you, give us your own reviews in the comments section below.
The Story
"It was a pleasure to realize, once 'Captain America: The First Avenger' got under way, that hey, here is a real movie, not a noisy assembly of incomprehensible special effects. Of course it's loaded with CGI. It goes without saying it's preposterous. But it has the texture and takes the care to be a full-blown film. You know, like with a hero we care about and who has some dimension. And with weight to the story. As we plunge ahead into a limitless future of comic-book movies, let this be an inspiration rather than Thor or Green Lantern. " — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
The Hero
"As the titular comic book character, Chris Evans has an appealing, earnest quality, whether he's playing the digitally enhanced (reduced?) scrawny Steve Rogers or the well-muscled super-soldier dubbed Captain America. Evans provides just the right human anchor to the flash and dazzle of director Joe Johnston's production. The movie wouldn't work without Evans' likability and the sense of integrity he projects, as well as his all-American good looks." — Claudia Puig, USA Today
The Villain
"Then there's Hugo Weaving as Captain America's nemesis, Red Skull — a role that requires delivering a genuine performance from behind grotesque crimson prosthetics, which Weaving accomplishes with admirable dexterity. In fact, everyone hits their marks with energy and finesse in 'Captain America,' which with its clean, Art Deco lines and sprightly spirit exemplifies why comic book movies are such reliable fodder for Hollywood. They come pre-storyboarded, after all; their gadgets, dinguses and doo-dads are a production artist's dream, just as those tights, capes and masks must provide fetishistic frissons for the most on-trend costume designer." — Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post
The Action
"A chase and shoot-out in a 'Dick Tracy' version of New York is one of the most thrilling scenes of the summer movie season, yet this generous film keeps the popcorn popping for two full hours. It's got musical numbers, as Rogers is costumed as Captain America and sent on a war-bonds tour; it's got a prison break, as the touring celebrity frees some multicultural P.O.W.s from the Nazis, and it's got a mythic smackdown, as Captain America squares off against Germanic evil genius Johann Schmidt (the hugely entertaining Hugo Weaving, mimicking documentarian Werner Herzog)." — Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The Setting
"Though it begins and ends with a scene or two in the present, as directed by Joe Johnston from a screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, 'Captain America' is first and foremost an origins story. Almost half of the film's running time elapses before Rogers gets any kind of power at all, and though its elements are awfully familiar, it's the most involving part of the film because it takes advantage of Evans' performance. These early-days sections are so old-fashioned that, if you take away the copious special effects, watching 'Captain America' feels akin to watching the venerable 1950s television version of 'Superman' starring George Reeves. Buttons are pushed, dials are turned, secret passwords are uttered and lights blink, just like they did way back when." — Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times Check out everything we've got on "Captain America: The First Avenger."
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