Captain America: The First Avenger

I think I'm going to hide in Asian cinema for a while after this crap. I don't know why America is trying to mix the impossible lately. Suddenly the cinemas are full of sci-fi westerns and war fantasy action flicks. I'm turned off by the red monster that disrupted the rather excellent retro atmosphere (kudos to Hayley Atwell's make up). The tiny and determined kid becomes a super-powered idol rolling out one badass line after another. But was the invincible and mostly cheesy shield really necessary? 2.5 stars. (2011-08-16)

It's exactly as stupid as the trailers seem to indicate, BUT the film knows it and is able to make fun of itself with good timing and not take itself deadly seriously (especially the propaganda passage in which the Captain sells bonds is yummy). The problem is, alongside the self-irony, Johnston's film doesn't offer much. Indeed, it is a hearty return to the 1990s, when the comic book hero was 100% form and no content. And unfortunately, there's a piece missing of the directing heart that Brannagh used to save his colleague Thor. Johnston is able to do a solid trick show, he artfully evokes a retro atmosphere (the semi-forgotten World of Tomorrow came to mind), the actors are apt, and Tommy Lee Jones has great catchphrases. It’s no wonder that time passes, the smile rarely grows into a scowl, and the Captain fulfills his mission to tap it into the timeline of the other Avengers. My impressions are stuck somewhere in the neutral zone - no disappointment, no bang, just a solidly treated product that just confirms my impression that The Avengers won’t be good, certainly not with such a crazy scattering of style and mood. P.S. the dubbing was terrible. I suspect that three high teenagers dubbed the whole thing. (2011-07-22)

Fun, full of exaggeration and featuring the excellent Tommy Lee Jones, but also straightforward and with disgusting Czech dubbing to boot. It also works mainly as a mere performance of the Captain, necessary for the Avengers, so the start in the first half is quite lengthy. The film feels a bit like a prologue. The excess of German weapons and equipment is immense. But it was worth waiting for The Avengers teaser. (2011-07-22)

It’s almost impossible to evaluate it objectively. It’s a film full of excellent lines, details, camera sweeps, several dialogue scenes, and a beautiful chemistry between the main characters. It’s slightly naive, and gradually turns into self-parody, but I couldn't help but feel a certain fragmentary and inconsistent mix of styles. Sometimes the it doesn't know what it wants to be, so it throws in everything just to be sure. A bit like combining Tomorrowland and Indiana Jones. I didn't enjoy the action and the visual effects were average, except for a few exceptions – I expected much more in this regard. Visually, the trailer was much more captivating, which is quite amusing in hindsight. But it's not all bad. Hayley Atwell is a first-class babe who will make a career out of this role, and the final scenes with the bomber are visually stunning - I haven't seen such mix colours in a long time. (2011-08-14)

He came last, but when things get worse, be sure that he will be standing at the front line. Steve Rogers stayed somewhat on the sidelines throughout the Avengers journey, but in the end, to my great surprise, it is precisely him who got under my skin the most. His loyalty, bravery, and naivety in the most positive sense, combined with his style of fighting, are simply unrivaled. When the dark Red Skull or the self-sufficient Agent Carter join, there is nothing left but to applaud. Marvel won this war, and I gained a hero who has been appearing on several t-shirts to me for almost a decade since the filmed origin. (2011-08-13)