Just for fun - Captain America

Captain America, USA, 2011

D: Joe Johnston

With: Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell

Seems that Hollywood did it again. Joe Johnston might be considered to be not much more than a popcorn-movie director, but in this case there are many people who deem that sitting in the front row to enjoy his work is worth it. It's an established fact that “the dream factory” has found another one of its biggest gold mines a few years ago.Marvel Comics’ creations have been filling the theaters in every single corner in the world and the “next generation’s” big blockbusters is now leaded by “The Avengers”, as it was before by “The X-Men”.

The viewer gets the first tip about Paramount’s intentions when Hulk - the second version, with Edward Norton as the main character, not the Eric Bana's one - and Iron Man started talking to an eye patched Samuel L. Jackson playing the role of Nick Fury.

Now, the apprentices of the comic book world find out how the original spirit of the avengers has emerged with rage and courage against the “universal enemy” before the allies’ victory in the World War II. The origin of this new saga is “Captain America”, the adventures of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans).

Somehow, the story manages to engage the spectator ever since the first moment, unwinding the tale of a poor Brookliner, whose only desire was to become a soldier. Rogers, symbolizing the old style patriotism, always present in American movies, had nothing to do with the classic heroes. Short, asthmatic and flimsy, but as brave as one can be, the young guy has turned into a real superhero as the result of an experiment. The science experiments designed to defeat Hitler was what the drawers had in mind when they imagined his character. A powerful man representing the values of goodness, peace, freedom and of course, dressed in stripes and stars.

Also notable are the special effects that somehow could convert an extremely brawny Evans into a wimpy boy that has neither a chance of conquering a girl nor beating his opponents in a physical confrontation. Good job, an amazing one, actually. So, if anyone is interested in this domain, should not miss the movie magazines - almost anyone who talks about this movie mentiones the amazing way that technology can make almost anything come true nowadays. By the way, back in the story of Captain America, Evans has the chance of displaying his perfect body somewhere after the first quarter of the movie. The first victim of this sight - very well highlighted by the director - is Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), that made obvious how important intimacy and private life is in a relationship, when she first took a look at Evans naked torso. As a member of the US Army, she and an always honest Tommy Lee Jones help Rogers to fight the evil Hydra organization, led by the villain Red Skull (Hugo Weaving), that gives a clue about his real identity ever since the early beginning of the film. The “bad guy” shows his real face quite at the end of the plot, giving a face to one of the most “popular” super villains comic characters ever created.

The result could have been much worse than it really is. Neither the cast not any other member of the staff – apart from the special effects group - should show off an artistic movie, but they should neither hide their heads as the ostrich does. Even if it has more to do with blockbusters than comics, this film is not a mistake. Definitely it fulfills its real mission: both entertaining the public and collecting dollars, which is more than one can say about many other trials made with similar resources. The fight will go on in the next years with “The Avengers”, which will continue to display a collection of “secret stash” stars, that will become a “bird call” not just for teenagers or comic lovers, but for the main audience as well. Nobody knows when the end of this “superhero movie” fashion is going to come, but the truth is that in the last years Wolverine, Superman, Spiderman or Thor have been able to make the audience leave their problems behind. Some people think that this and nothing else should be the aim of cinema.