Captain America: The First Avenger - (July 22nd, 2011): PG-13
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $65,058,524
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $130,182,045
Gross Revenue: $206,914,532
Production Budget: $140 million
Director: Joe Johnston
First introduced in the 1940s as the ultimate symbol of patriotism, Captain America has been revered by comic book fans for generations, but he was never able to achieve the mainstream popularity of Spider-Man, Superman, or Batman. Lack of exposure outside of the comic book medium certainly didn’t help, as the character has been conspicuously absent from the big-screen; the closest he ever came was a direct-to-video project from 1990 that was completely trashed by critics and fans alike. Such a shortcoming wasn’t going to stop Marvel Studios from reintroducing the character, because the shared cinematic universe that has been building with Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, and Thor could not survive without Captain America: The First Avenger…had movie execs tried to make next summers team-up, The Avengers, without including Captain America, I’m pretty sure that comic book fanatics would have set fire to Hollywood. Chris Evans may have already been known to audiences as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch from the Fantastic Four films, but that overlap didn’t stop Marvel from signing him to a three-picture deal to play the patriotic powerhouse, and Paramount was going to put out all the stops to sell this potential summer tent-pole to audiences. Beyond the posters and the predictable screenings and panels at Comic-Con, I particularly enjoyed the creative merchandising utilized, whether it was the “Super Soldier Sundae” at Baskin Robbins, the Dunkin Donuts “Captain America Coolata”, or the Frisbees designed to look like the hero’s famous stars-and-stripes shield…leading up to July 22nd, everyone was talking about The First Avenger. Though initially skeptical because of the complicated subject material surrounding the character, I was nevertheless excited for this latest superhero film, which was only looking better and better with each new trailer.
Set in 1942, Captain America: The First Avenger introduces audiences to Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), who is repeatedly denied enlistment for World War II military duty because of his poor health and frail frame. After overhearing Roger’s selfless and patriotic pleas to serve his country, Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) decides to enlist him in the “super-soldier” program. Despite the skepticism of English scientific officer Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) and project supervisor Col. Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones), Rogers undergoes the procedure and is advanced to the peak of physical perfection, dramatically increasing his strength, speed, and endurance…he may not be able to lift a car, but be guaranteed that if he throws a punch, you’re not going to be getting back up. Unfortunately, as soon as the procedure is completed, Dr. Erskine is murdered by a Nazi spy who destroys the rest of the “super-soldier serum,” making Rogers the first and only soldier to be augmented. Realizing that the program is in shambles and the effect its destruction would have on morale, politicians decide to pull Rogers from combat and instead use him for political propaganda, touring around the states peddling war bonds as the newly re-branded “Captain America.” Dissatisfied with his role and still desiring to serve his country, Rogers jumps into action to save his best friend, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), who has been captured behind enemy lines and is being held by the notorious Nazi advanced-science division, HYDRA and its fanatical leader, Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving), who is also known as “The Red Skull.” Realizing the threat that Schmidt poses and impressed by Rogers’ fighting skill, Col. Phillips decides to grant Captain America his own special unit of soldiers and has government weapons contractor Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper, playing Tony Stark/Iron Man’s future father) design him special armor and weapons. Armed with his iconic shield, Captain America is now set to fight against HYDRA and lead the Allied Forces to victory.
Considering the fact that Captain America himself originates and operates during World War II, director Joe Johnston had a distinct challenge of merging a superhero story with a war-time period piece, but he pulled it off in fantastic fashion, overwhelming the audience with a production design and story-telling tone that screams of the nostalgia and patriotism that saturates any true war film. Only adding to the distinct feel of the film is Chris Evans, who plays Steve Rogers with such an earnest and selfless purity that you cannot help but root for him when he is a weakling and cheer when he transforms into Captain America and kicks the crap out of Nazis in a gloriously brutal fashion. There is a certain hammy quality to the character that is only emphasized during the sequence of the film when Rogers is touring the country, but it is such an accurate testament to the comics’ actual history that the plot device comes off as brilliant. When the Captain America comic book was first introduced in the 1940s, it was as a tool of political propaganda designed to raise spirits during the war…the first issue saw our hero punching Adolf Hitler in the face! Other welcome additions to the cast only increase The First Avenger’s quality, as the chemistry between Hayley Atwell and Evans is truly romantic, Stanley Tucci humorously shines in his brief time on screen, and Tommy Lee Jones returns to audiences with the gruff, impatient persona that made him famous. Unfortunately, because The First Avenger is so character-driven, some of the less-than-stellar roles stand out and other plot elements weaken considerably.
Ask any true comic book fan about their expectations leading up to The First Avenger, and they will undoubtedly tell you that they were just as excited about seeing The Red Skull on the big screen as they were over the notion of seeing his patriotic nemesis. In the comics, The Red Skull is one of the most terrifying and evil villains in the Marvel Universe; so, after his work in the Matrix trilogy as the menacing Agent Smith, Hugo Weaving was a natural and obvious choice to bring the character to life. Unfortunately, something in this equation just didn’t balance, because even though Weaving tried his best, the character just didn’t come across as threatening, which is pretty surprising when one considers that he is supposed to be a genetically-enhanced and deformed Nazi. And, as I mentioned before, some story elements are glaringly weak, whether it is the explanation of The Red Skull’s plan, the science behind his weapons, or some of Captain America’s dialogue…you will roll your eyes more than once. The biggest gripe I have involves the film’s ending, because, as in the comics, Captain America must eventually be transported to the present date to fight alongside The Avengers team (Iron Man, The Hulk, and Thor), and though it happens a few different ways in comics continuity, in the film it happens so quickly and without sufficient explanation that it raises far more questions than it could ever hope to answer. In fact, the quick and unsatisfying ending echoes the weak ending of Thor, which I wrote about at the beginning of the summer, so strongly that it is hard to believe that Marvel would make the same mistake twice. Despite all this, the film’s positives still far outweigh the negatives and generate a truly fun adventure, and audiences seem to agree with this assertion.
I’ll be the first to admit it…I didn’t expect The First Avenger to take the top spot at the box office from Harry Potter in its opening weekend, but I don’t think anyone could anyone could have predicted the boy-wizard’s cringe-inducing week-to-week drop-off. Earning just over $65 million, Captain America hit audiences with a surprisingly strong debut, grossing enough to be the second strongest opening for a superhero film this summer…Thor barely edged out ticket sails to earn the title. Paramount’s marketing tactics clearly paid off, but it is worth noting that the film has boasted a strong overseas presence (distributors in a few international markets were granted the ability to drop “Captain America” from the title, thereby neutralizing any anti-American sentiment). Gross revenue of over $200 million in this short time more than covers the production budget, but it also boasts well for the expected performance of the superhero team-up (The Avengers) that will be dropping next summer. Chris Evans did justice to the iconic character in a film that is entirely and thoroughly enjoyable, and I look forward to seeing him wear the stars and stripes again…sit back and enjoy Captain America: The First Avenger, and be sure to stay after the credits for the first trailer for The Avengers. When Captain America, Iron Man, The Hulk, and Thor team up next summer alongside Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, and Jeremy Renner, the results will be epic!
Overall Recommendation: Very High
