There weren’t many trailers that caught my attention this week, but I just couldn’t pass up the first preview of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. First this exchange:
Black Widow: “You doing anything fun Saturday night?”
Captain America: “Well, all the guys in my barbershop quarter are dead, so no. Not really.”
LOVE
This looks pretty good so far. I had my issues with the first Captain America, but I’m actually really excited to see this one. I’m looking forward to seeing more of Steve Rogers dealing with the 21st century, not to mention working with Black Widow for SHIELD. (I have to be shallow here and mention I kinda can’t stand Natasha’s new hair. Steve’s hair is longer than I’d expect, but I kind of like it. The Winter Soldier’s hair needs some damn work. Okay, shallow talk over.)
I’ve never really read Marvel Comics, and I’ve been trying to avoid spoilers like crazy, so I don’t have any idea who Robert Redford is playing, nor do I want to. (I mean, I guess he could just be the SHIELD head honcho he appears to be, but . . . do you really get Robert Redford for that? I suspect something else is going on.) I’m mostly mentioning it because every fiber in my being is telling me not to trust him, at least from this trailer. But I suppose that could be incorrect.
Also, the scene in the elevator? Kind of badass.
I have high hopes for The Winter Soldier. I mean, you try not to expect too much, but sometimes that’s just not possible. Here’s to hoping I like this one more than The First Avenger.
My Geek Blasphemy 
The fact that Black Widow is in this is making me consider seeing it (probably as a rental) but I wish she’d get her own movie instead of just appearing in other people’s. Preferably with Hawkeye.
I’d probably see this movie whether Black Widow was in it or not, but I’m definitely happier that she is, and I’d be up for seeing a Black Widow feature film. Actually a Black Widow/Hawkeye movie sounds like an excellent idea to me. Of course, that’s kind of my thing, though — I always like seeing stories where our heroes join forces. When Tony Stark and Bruce Banner have a Science Bros. movie, THAT is when my little fangirl heart will know true joy.
I hate Black Widow. Having her and Hawkeye in the Avengers movie at times made the suspension of disbelief a big difficult – which might seem weird, but the thing is I have less of a problem with characters like Hulk, Thor, and Iron Man than with the idea of powerless people somehow also able to go toe-to-toe with aliens that are themselves able to go toe-to-toe with Hulk, Thor, and Iron Man.
Black Widow: “You doing anything fun Saturday night?”
Captain America: “Well, all the guys in my barbershop quarter are dead, so no. Not really.”
This actually really sucks. Captain America doesn’t joke, and there’s no way he was ever in a Barbershop Quartet. Suggesting he was seems to suggest a lack of familiarity with the time period, like they got the Cliff Notes on the 1940s. (Never mind that there are still a great many people born in the 1920s who are still alive.)
Yeah, I have to pretty much disagree with you on almost everything here. I kinda get where you’re coming from, but I really like Hawkeye and Black Widow. Especially Black Widow, who I enjoyed well enough initially but have to come really like a lot.
Also, while I can’t really argue historical accuracy — I wouldn’t know the first thing about it — the idea that Captain America should be completely humorless, honestly, I don’t even get why that would be appealing. I’m not saying he should be handing out one-liners left and right, but if he really couldn’t joke, like, ever, I’d find that immensely boring. That’s actually exactly what I was worried Captain America would be like before I saw the movies. (And maybe not every guy he knew is dead, sure, but I bet it would feel like it. I don’t take issue with that at all.)
It seems strange to fear they’d stay true to the character.
Well, if his character sucked, than yeah, I’m glad they changed it.
Captain America was my favorite of the pre-Avengers character films: Iron Man was solid, though a bit stunted; The Incredible Hulk was a pure formula; Thor wasn’t as weird as I had hoped. But Captain America was shockingly compelling, especially since I never had much love for the character. Visually, it was gorgeous, heavy with the nostalgia for pre-war notions of good and evil, and despite the film’s length, I reached the end ready for more which, to me, is a sure sign that along the way, someone did something right. Plus the downbeat ending, reminiscent of The Empire Strikes Back, felt absolutely necessary.
Plus it sold me on Chris Evans. His performance in Sunshine hinted at some serious chops and his scenery-chewing role as Johnny Storm in the abysmal Fantastic Four movies showed he could carry a film. Captain America just clinched it for me. He wasn’t my choice to play that role but now, I can’t imagine anyone else doing it better.
I haven’t seen the trailer yet and, traditionally, I haven’t been all that excited about the Marvel sequels (especially when they switch directors like this) but your review counts for a lot so I’ll be looking forward to this one.
I think Iron Man is definitely my favorite of the pre-Avengers movies. I also like Thor, possibly because I had not terribly high expectations when I first watched. (And because I LOVED Hiddleston’s version of Loki.) The Incredible Hulk is easily my least favorite.
I like Captain America, though I found some parts of the film frustrating. I do, however, very much like Chris Evans in the role. I think he’s better than people give him credit for. I’m looking forward to trying Snowpiercer. (And I need to try Sunshine again. I had mixed feelings on the first go-around, though again, I liked Evans in it because it was very different from the work I’d seen him do at the time.)