Retro Rehash – Captain America: The First Avenger

“General Patton has said wars are fought with weapons but they are won by men. We are going to win this war because we have the best men… and because they are going to get better. Much better… Our goal is to create the best army in history but every army starts with one man. At the end of this week, we will choose that man. He will be the first in a new breed of super soldiers. They will personally escort Adolf Hitler to the gates of hell.” – Colonel Chester Phillips

When I talk to other people about this film, I am surprised to generally hear a lot of negative views about it. I absolutely loved watching this movie. I have thought about the reason others have thought otherwise. My theory is that Captain America is the opposite of Iron Man. It is no secret that Marvel’s Avengers films and Robert Downey Jr. has transformed Tony Stark/ Iron Man from a B class superhero into one of Marvel’s marquee characters. He is definitely most fans’ favorite Avenger and for good reasons. He is a billionaire playboy who men fantasize they could be. He is very entertaining because he is reckless, childish, and wise cracking. He is flawed and knows it. Nevertheless, he is still a good man at the core despite his outward appearances and has become a better man throughout the films. If there are something people like more than a bad boy, it is a reformed bad boy. On the other hand, Captain America contrasts Iron Man. It is definitely by design as the two men are very different and have butted heads in the comic book storylines over the years. Steve Rogers’s is the golden boy. While Stark is at times selfish and irresponsible, Rogers is unconditionally selfless and will always make the morale decisions regardless of the consequences to himself. In his origin story, he does not have the strength to stand up to bullies but does so anyway and gets completely beat up. While Stark tries to sleep with as many beautiful women as possible, Rogers just wants to be with one, “the right partner”. Steve Rogers’s only flaw is that he is small and lacks physical strength. However, that flaw is corrected once he takes the super soldier serum to become Captain America. At this point, he is Marvel’s idea of the perfect human being. On top of not being Iron Man, I believe this ideal image is another reason why I heard negative opinions about Captain America. People do not want to be told who they should be like or how to act. On the other hand, I like that Captain America is a symbol and leads by example. He represents old fashioned values. Obviously, they are not the only way to live but I do admire most of the traits he embodies.

From my perspective, Iron Man and Captain America are the best individual Avengers movies. I really like how Captain America: The First Avenger is done. While the super soldier serum gave Captain America his superior physical strength, the film does an excellent job emphasizing that the character of Steve Rogers is an even more important attribute that makes Captain America special. It stays very true to the story as Rogers is an average, if not below average, young man that wants only to serve his country but is denied because of his physical inadequacies. In this regard, he can relate to any person. He is unassuming and overlooked. However, his determination and will pushed him to become extraordinary when very few believed in him. Even after he takes the serum to transform into a super soldier, he is only looked at as a “lab rat” whose blood holds the only hint for replicating the serum or a “dancing monkey” for entertainment. Despite the physical abilities he gets from the serum, he does not become the heroic icon until others see his character and courage in action. Again, I like how the movie emphasizes the man over the muscles.  Chris Evans gives a fine performance as Steve Rogers/ Captain America. The supporting cast provides phenomenal performances. Stanley Tucci is great as Abraham Erskine, the scientist who created the super soldier serum. He is the first person to see greatness in Rogers and reminds him that his character is just as important as the physical strength the formula will give him.

In addition, Tommy Lee Jones is strong as Colonel Chester Phillips. As a military man, he cannot see past Rogers’s weak exterior and is still a skeptic of Rogers even after he becomes a super soldier. However, he realizes the greatness of Rogers as it unveils itself in his heroics. Phillips’s change in perception of Rogers parallels the transformation of Steve Rogers into Captain America and really adds to the story. Rogers’s love interest in the movie is Peggy Carter, who is played by Hayley Atwell. She is one of my favorite female characters in the Marvel cinematic universe. Of course, she is drop dead gorgeous. More importantly, she is a strong and determined woman. Even in a male dominated world during World War II, she is tough and does not take a back seat to anyone. She is an equal to and a match for Captain America. I really enjoy how the love story is done. It is fun enough to be part of an action movie. It is also sweet but not too sappy. Similar to Erskine, she also sees greatness in Rogers. Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) is another good character in the film. Of course, he is the future father of Tony Stark. It is very fun watching Stark be the cool, suave, and smooth talking genius that we know his son will turn out to be. Howard Stark made a quick cameo in Iron Man 2 as played by John Slattery but I enjoyed a much bigger role for Howard in this film. Another strong character is James “Bucky” Barnes (Sebastian Stan). He is Rogers’s best friend. He stands up for Rogers against bullies. As such, it is interesting when Rogers surpasses him as Captain America and the tables are turned. Nevertheless, they have a great friendship. Rather than feeling jealousy, Bucky supports Captain America unconditionally. The villain of the movie is Captain America’s greatest enemy from the comics, Johann Schmidt / Red Skull. Hugo Weaving always has presence on screen and does a good job playing the Red Skull. I wish the film did more to build up the epic rivalry between the two characters. Regardless, Weaving’s Red Skull is an acceptable movie villain. The Nazis in World War II are always a good choice for villains as they are a symbol of pure evil.

Abraham Erskine’s relationship with Steve Rogers really drives in the theme of the movie. At the beginning of the movie, Rogers is a very thin and small person with a plethora of ailments, such as asthma, that prevents him from being cleared to join the army. However, he is resilient and relentless as he keeps on falsifying his enlistment forms to try to enlist in different cities. There are many men laying down their lives for their country. Accordingly, he feels a personal responsibility to do the same instead of doing less. Eventually, his attempts get the attention of Erskine. He is trying to recruit men for the Strategic Scientific Reserve (“SSR”), an organization that is trying to help Erskine realize his super soldier serum. When Erskine sees that Rogers has attempted to enlist 5 times, he asks the question “Do you want to kill Nazis?” Rogers correctly replies “I don’t want to kill anyone. I don’t like bullies. I don’t care where they’re from.” Erskine is looking for qualities beyond the physical for the individual who takes his formula. Accordingly, he tells Rogers “There are already so many big men fighting this war. Maybe, what we need now is a little guy” and clears Rogers as a candidate. As such, Rogers joins the boot camp where one man will be chosen by the end of the week to undergo the super soldier procedure. He is scoffed and laughed at for his physical inadequacies by his peers and superiors. However, he does show some excellent qualities. For example, he has ingenuity and is crafty. During a squad run, the commander challenges the men to bring down a flag at the top of a flag pole, which is the midway point of the run, in exchange for a ride back to camp. None of the men come close as they try to climb up the pole. However, Rogers uses his mind and pulls the studs at the bottom of the flag pole so it falls to the ground and he can walk over to grab the flag.

Despite objections from Colonel Phillips, Erskine eventually gets his way and Rogers is chosen as the test case for the super soldier serum. In the night before the procedure, Erskine and Rogers has the best conversation of the movie as Rogers asks why he is chosen. Erskine explains, “The serum amplifies everything that is inside, so good becomes great; bad becomes worse. This is why you were chosen. Because the strong man who has known power all his life, may lose respect for that power, but a weak man knows the value of strength, and knows compassion.” Moreover, Erskine asks Rogers “Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing: That you will stay who you are, not a perfect soldier, but a good man.” They are the perfect lines to state that Erskine’s formula will give Rogers superhuman strength but it is a man’s character that makes him special. No serum can give Rogers what he already has. After the procedure is successful and Rogers becomes a super soldier, Erskine is assassinated by the Red Skull’s top assassin, Heinz Kruger (Richard Armitage). As we know, no one has since been able to replicate Erskine’s serum in the Marvel cinematic universe. Attempts have been made but failed.  For example, Bruce Banner’s try with gamma radiation went horribly wrong and transformed him into the Hulk. While Erskine’s formula is lost with his death, perhaps the super soldier procedure has only worked once because there is only one Steve Rogers to make it work. Again, I like how the scenes with Erskine prove that the man is worth much more than the formula.

On the other hand, Colonel Phillips is a skeptic of Steve Rogers. Tommy Lee Jones is excellent playing the character. He is the prototypical military man that shows very little emotion and is no nonsense. Nevertheless, he is very funny in the movie. Phillips argues vehemently with Erskine over the decision to select Rogers. Naturally, Phillips wants a strong soldier to be chosen. His points to Erskine are hilarious: 1) “When you brought a ninety-pound asthmatic onto my army base, I let it slide. I thought ‘What the hell, maybe he’d be useful to you like a gerbil.’ [I] never thought you’d pick him.” 2)  “Look at that [Rogers gasping for air as he tries to do jumping jacks]. He’s making me cry.” When Phillips proposes another candidate, Erskine objects as Phillips’s choice is a bully. However, Phillips replies “You don’t win wars with niceness, doctor. You win wars with guts.” before throwing a dummy grenade into the crowd. Rogers is the only man that jumps on top of the grenade to save the rest of the group while everyone ducks for cover to save their own lives. Although Phillips is still reluctant, he relents on Erskine’s decision to pick Rogers after the display of courage.

After the procedure is successful and Erskine is killed, Phillips is still dismissive of Rogers and does not want to include him in SSR’s mandate to engage Hydra on the battlefield. Although Rogers pleads to help, Phillips answers “I asked for an army and all I got was you. You are not enough.” Accordingly, he wants Rogers in a lab so scientists can try to study him to recreate Erskine’s formula to create an army of super soldiers. However, Senator Brandt (Michael Brandon) witnesses Rogers’s heroics in chasing down the assassin that killed Erskine. He has highly influential, political power and recruits Rogers to be part of the war effort. As inherent in a politician, he uses his skills to misrepresent to take advantage of Rogers. Instead of fighting in the war, Rogers is relegated to making personal appearances across the cities in the United States and appearing in films as Captain America to raise sales of war bonds to finance the war. As such, Phillips wants him to be a lab rat while Brandt uses him as a dancing monkey. Eventually, Phillips sees Rogers’s heroics in actions and the greatness Erskine saw. Accordingly, that change in perception is perfect for symbolizing the transformation of Steve Rogers into Captain America. It also shows how special Captain America is as he is able to turn one of his biggest detractors into a supporter.

Similar to Erskine, Agent Peggy Carter also recognizes something special in Rogers. Hayley Atwell is very strong as Agent Carter. As soon as she enters the screen, she shows she means business. When one of the candidates tries to demean her as a woman in the army and uses sexual innuendo, she asks him to step forward and punches him in the face knocking him to the ground. She immediately commands the respect of the men and the audience watching the movie. Her relationship with Rogers is very well done. They are together in the car that takes them to the site where Rogers will undergo the procedure to be a super soldier. During the ride, Rogers stumbles over his words as he has no experience talking to a beautiful woman. At first, Agent Carter is annoyed with Rogers. However, he recovers nicely when he admits his insecurities around women because of his lack of physical stature. When she states that he must have danced with a woman before, he discloses “how asking a woman to dance always seemed terrifying”. He also adds that “in the last few years, it didn’t matter as much. Figure I’d wait”. When she asks for what, he smoothly answers “the right partner”. It is a brilliant line that wins her affection. Of course, it helps that he gains the physique of a super soldier shortly afterwards.

Moreover, she believes in him even when he loses faith in himself. He feels especially useless during a stint near the battlefield to entertain the troops. While his skits are a hit in the mainland, they are a joke to soldiers who have faced the horrors of the war. Consequently, they throw debris at him to get him off the stage. As he feels dejected after the show and draws a dancing monkey that represents his perception of himself, Agent Carter pays him a visit to remind him that he is meant to be more. When she also mentions that Schmidt’s forces have either killed or captured most of the 107^th infantry, he realizes that his best friend Bucky is among that group. While Rogers pleads with Colonel Phillips to launch a rescue mission, Phillips knows that an attempt may cost him even more men. Moreover, Phillips is even more dismissive of Rogers as Phillips refers to him sarcastically as the “Star Spangled Man with a Plan”, a reference to his theme song during the skits. However, Agent Carter enlists the help of Howard Stark, who is a skilled civilian pilot, to fly Rogers behind enemy lines for a one man rescue mission. When Rogers is presumed to be dead afterwards, Phillips is very upset. In response, Agent Carter notes that she has no regrets in her actions. While Phillips accuses her of having a crush that costs lives, including the life of an American hero in Captain America; she suggests her actions are due to faith. As Rogers returns to base with the 400 men he rescued who includes is best friend Bucky, her faith is rewarded and she is vindicated.

Hayley Atwell is also a stunningly gorgeous woman. When everyone is celebrating the successful rescue, she appears in the bar in a mesmerizing red dress. Every man in the scene is held speechless by her beauty as she walks into the scene to talk to Rogers. It is definitely a jaw dropping moment. I remember watching the scene in the movie theaters for the first time and thinking that time stood still. As I stated above, their relationship is very well done. When she talks to Rogers, she mentions “I might even; when this is all over, go dancing.” Although Bucky asks her what she is waiting for, she does not even look in his direction and replies to Rogers “the right partner” thus acknowledging Rogers’s statement earlier and her interest in him. However, there are always bumps in every relationship. As Rogers is waiting for Agent Carter to bring him to Stark to get fitted for gear, an aggressive private Lorraine (Natalie Dormer, who also plays Margaery Tyrell and will be recognized by Game of Thrones fans) shows her appreciation, for all the wives and families of the men Captain America rescued, by giving him a kiss. Although he half heartedly resists, it is difficult to turn down a pretty girl when women have rarely taken interest in him before that moment. Naturally, Agent Carter walks in on him and is furious. Although she tries to maintain her composure, she is vividly disgusted and comments “finding the right partner wasn’t so hard after all”. However, he foolishly tries to argue with her and questions how he is supposed to know that Howard Stark and she are not involved. His assumption is due to a comment Stark made to Agent Carter about “midnight fondue”, which obviously upsets her even more. As Stark soon explains to Rogers, he is only referring to cheese and crackers. During the session with Stark, Rogers finds his famous shield. It is made from the rarest metal on Earth, vibranium. It is lighter than metal but nearly indestructible. When he asks for Agent Carter’s opinion, she picks up a handgun and unloads a clip at him which is deflected by the shield. She remarks sarcastically “Yes. I think it works” before giving him a death stare as she walks out of the room. Of course, he made one mistake and she eventually forgives him. Their dynamic is very entertaining to watch throughout the film.

Of course, I do not blame Rogers for being a little jealous of Stark. As the audience knows, Tony Stark will become a very successful playboy in the future. During the first time I watched the movie, I also assumed that Stark had a relationship with Agent Carter under the thought that the apple does not fall far from the tree. Similar to Tony, he is a smooth talking and cool billionaire. He is also brilliant and a defense manufacturer. On the other hand, Howard is a more serious individual. He can charm a room like Tony but he has less wisecracks. Howard’s mindset is in line with the time he lives in. He is in the middle of World War II and the fate of the world is on the brink of being decided. Despite his intelligence and status as United States’ top mechanical engineer and defense contractor, the Nazis’ deep science division Hydra, led by Johann Schmidt, has technology and weapons far beyond anything he has developed or can comprehend. He knows the threat presented by Hydra is dire. Howard is committed and focused on helping Captain America put a stop to Hydra’s plans. He is a very good supporting character and I enjoy the expanded role from the brief one in Iron Man 2.

Of course, any Captain America origin film is not true to the comics without his best friend Bucky Barnes. I really like how this story arc is developed. When Steve Rogers was weak and small, Bucky looked out for him. In the movie, Rogers is being beaten up by a bully in an alley. Bucky shows up and teaches the bully a lesson by giving him some of his own medicine. Bucky is a strong individual and a good man. He is accepted in the army and fighting with the 107^th infantry. While Rogers is envious of the opportunity to fight, Bucky tells Rogers that he is better off in the mainland where it is safe. Bucky is only looking out for Rogers’s well-being and knows his friend will certainly be killed in combat due to his physical limitations if allowed on the battlefield. Always trying to help his friend, Bucky even sets up a double date between Rogers, two women, and him. Nevertheless, Rogers is only concerned with enlisting in the army and does not embrace the kind gesture. The contrast between the two men at the beginning of the movie is very important. Bucky is the strong, confident soldier that Rogers wants to be. Bucky is a role model and an older brother figure for Rogers. When Rogers becomes Captain America, the tables are turned. As stated above, Rogers’s defining moment in the movie, when he gains the respect of the soldiers and Colonel Phillips, is when he goes behind enemy lines against orders to save the captured members of the 107^th. Of course, a significant part of Rogers’s motivation is to save Bucky. In a twist of fates, Rogers’s is now the stronger individual and is the friend doing the saving. In the scene I mentioned above, Agent Carter completely ignores Bucky when she goes to see Rogers at a bar. Afterwards, Bucky acknowledges the switching of roles in their friendship: “I’m invisible. I’m turning into you. It’s a horrible dream.”

Nevertheless, Bucky shows that he is a true friend as he is willing to play second fiddle in their relationship after being the lead man until then. Rogers asks Bucky whether he is “ready to follow Captain America into the jaws of death?” Bucky responds “Hell no. The little guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb not to run away from a fight, I’m following him”. I also like this quote because it reinforces the idea that the man, not the serum, makes Captain America a special hero. With Bucky at his side, Captain America forms a team to hunt Hydra. This squad includes some of the lesser Marvel characters. The most prominent member, after Bucky, is Timothy “Dum Dum” Dugan. He is played by Neal McDonough who grows the trademark mustache from the comics. The team is very successful in disrupting Hydra’s plans and destroying their bases. However, the film also features Bucky’s demise. Similar to the story arc from the comics, he presumably falls to his death during a mission. If you know the story from the comics and have seen the trailers for the upcoming sequel, you know Bucky will play a significant role in the next film. Naturally, Rogers is devastated by his friend’s death. Although he tries to drown his sorrows with alcohol, his super soldier physique gives him a superhuman metabolism that prevents him from ever being drunk. However, Agent Carter reassures Rogers that the tragedy is not his fault and that Bucky knew the risks but “damn well must have thought you [Rogers] were worth it”. Accordingly, Bucky’s death motivates Captain America to become even more determined to stop Schmidt and Hydra.

Johann Schmidt, better known as his alter ego the Red Skull, is Captain America’s greatest adversary in the Marvel universe. While the film does not live up to the epic enmity of the two rivals, it does provide an acceptable version of the Red Skull. I am always a fan of Hugo Weaving on screen. He has presence and does a good job with the villain. Johann Schmidt is the head of the Nazi deep science division, Hydra. They act like a cult that worships Schmidt like a god. The motto of Hydra is “Cut off head and two more shall take its place”. Rather than being captured and interrogated, each agent of Hydra is ready to end his life by biting on a cyanide capsule. Consequently, they have total dedication to the cause and Schmidt. The Red Skull is one of the villains in the Marvel universe that is pure evil with no redeeming qualities. It is consistent with the perception of Nazis in the real world. He is the perfect foil to Captain America as he is his complete opposite. Erskine does an excellent job describing the contrast as part of his explanation to Rogers of why he was chosen for the super soldier procedure. Erskine admits that Schmidt was the first man to try the serum. However, it was not ready and failed: “The serum was not ready… but more important, the man. The serum amplifies everything that is inside, so good becomes great; bad becomes worse.” While the serum magnifies the good in Rogers, it intensifies the evil in Schmidt. One man is pure good while the other is pure evil.

The SSR learns more about Schmidt and his intensions once they capture his lead scientist, Armin Zola (Toby Jones). During the interrogation from Colonel Phillips, Zola notes “Schmidt believes he walks in the footsteps of the gods. Only the world itself will satisfy him.” When Colonel Phillips asks Zola whether he realizes Schmidt is nuts, Zola responds “The insanity of the plan is of no consequence… because he can do it.” Moreover, Zola discloses that Schmidt’s target is everywhere. At the beginning of the film, Schmidt uncovers the Tesseract. As we will discover in the Avengers, it is a source of unlimited power. Accordingly, Zola designs weapons that are powered by the Tesseract. Schmidt’s ultimate goal is to create weapons of mass destruction with the Tesseract. He plans to destroy every capital in the world that does not submit to him. His targets include the capitol of his own country, Berlin. It proves Schmidt believes he is above all other men and all nations. However, Captain America, his team, and the SSR are able to delay Schmidt’s plan with their assault on Hydra that destroys all their bases except for the main base. Accordingly, they launch one final assault to prevent Schmidt from flying weapons of mass destruction in his jet planes to the United States that are intended to annihilate the eastern seaboard.

The final battle scene of the film is very well done. It features some great moments. My two favorite at the end include Colonel Philips. As he enters the Hydra base, a Hydra agent runs down the hall and begins to shout “Cut off one head, two more shall…” Before he can finish his statement, Colonel Philips shoots him dead with a shotgun and calmly says “Let’s go find two more!” The second moment is when Agent Carter finally kisses Rogers before he faces the Red Skull in a final confrontation in Schmidt’s jet. After the kiss, Rogers looks at Philips with a face that suggests “Did you see that?” to verify it was real and not a dream. Phillips gives a hilarious response by noting “I’m not kissing you”. In the final battle between Captain America and the Red Skull, the Tesseract is hit by Captain America’s shield and becomes unstable. The Red Skull tries to hold the unstable cube but seemingly vaporizes him into thin air. Although Captain America assumes the Red Skull is dead, it is clear to the viewer that the Red Skull is transported to another realm or planet and will return one day. Although the Red Skull is gone, Rogers is faced with a difficult decision. He can crash the plane in the middle of Atlantic or risk the weapons on the jet killing a lot of people if it reaches the United States. However, it is not really that difficult of a choice for him. He is a true hero and always ready to sacrifice himself for the betterment of others. Nevertheless, it is a heartbreaking moment when he tells his decision to Agent Carter over the radio. As shown earlier in film, they both were hoping to dance with the right partner after the war. Of course, the right partner is each other. Rogers asks for a rain check on the dance. Although they know Rogers is likely descending to his death by purposely crashing the plane, they talk through the logistics of a future date and Agent Carter teaching him to dance. Agent Carter sheds a tear as she listens to the radio transmission cut out as the plane crashes. Even the usually emotionless Colonel Philips visibly shows his sadness for Agent Carter and respect for Rogers’s sacrifice. It is a touching end of a great story.

Of course, Captain America does not die. He is simply frozen and kept in suspended animation for 70 years. He is found and reanimated by S.H.I.E.L.D. to bring him into the fold for the modern day Marvel cinematic universe. Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) will recruit Captain America for the Avengers and he plays a crucial role in the Avengers movie.

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