Captain America: Winter Soldier
Jun. 3rd, 2014 02:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ericadawn16This is my sort of professional review:
http://www.yourhighwayinthesky.com/2014/06/captain-america-finds-the-winter-of-his-discontent/
I tried to be good about not overtly spoiling stuff. The rest of this post is going to have spoilers EVERYWHERE!
SPOILERS
So, I definitely love how it's been pointed out time and again how Sam gets the traditional romantic interest plotline whereas Sharon is more of a recurring subplot thread. I have nothing against Sharon but this movie was about work and I liked that. It felt like we got more of their day to day lives than any other film before this. Yes, I enjoyed Agents of SHIELD from the start so I enjoy the little things most would call boring.
I also liked the subtle ways they let us know that while Steve doesn't express it in the same way that Tony did, he also has PTSD and his own demons. I missed his drawing. I wondered whether he had done any since Avengers happened.
Natasha's fossil line, I loved it...I would love it more if she's saying it with the knowledge that's she's almost as old but that's a complaint for later in the post.
When Steve jumps without a parachute, I always laugh because I'm thinking of the blooper of Chris Evans trying to get his parachute on fast and smooth and failing miserably.
My brother wanted more with Crossbones. I was never a big Crossbones fan so I was okay with this. I also loved the contrast of his fighting in this compared with Captain America: The First Avenger. I remember watching that film with my nephews and actually being pretty shocked at some of the stuff he does. Winter Soldier throws a man through the turbine engine because he's the "bad guy" but Steve did the same thing in the first movie and it was okay because it was a Nazi/Hydra? Really?
So, while Steve may seem ruthless, he does seem to be making an effort not to actually kill anyone or do it without a lot of suffering for the other person...I sometimes have problems telling if a person was simply put to sleep or dead. I had this trouble in the pirate Crossbones.
There was excellent comparison of Steve vs Natasha. However...
Sitwell...
I knew about this ahead of time so when every else laughed, I fumed. By the third viewing, I was able to smile but I was still thinking...SHIELD doesn't negotiate with terrorists?? You're a freaking terrorist and all that time YOU PRETENDED TO BE PHIL'S FRIEND!
Because of course, my main objection with most things is how it affects Phil, Loki, Clint, etc.
I loved the elevator scene with Steve and Nick and Steve's a level EIGHT! Which means Natasha must also be a level eight since she was seven when the Briefcase Set was released...anyway, this is further confirmation that levels are further compartmentalized which is why Phil didn't have access to his own file until Nick allowed it. However, I also spent the elevator scene wondering if Nick could still be Marcus...then, AOS came along and blew that all to pieces.
*sigh*
Hmm, high ranking SHIELD official that we've never heard of...convenient. At least it is Alexander Pierce so it is a proper comic book character and Robert Redford is perfect for this sort of character.
I legitimately cheered when Nick asked about the flying capabilities because if Lola can fly, Nick would definitely trick out all his vehicles to fly. Sharon mentioning her aunt was probably just a nod to her comic book history. I'm kind of torn because it is comic book history to have her be Sharon Carter and be related to Peggy but it would also be good for Steve to be able to fully let go and fall for someone totally different. I also love that he does still listen to the oldies...I wonder if he catches Lawrence Welk on PBS, I spent many a Saturday Night watching Lawrence Welk followed by British comedies.
Okay, you have a severely injured guy and you take him to regular hospital?
Because that's what it looked like, not even Walter Reed or something.
Obviously, a regular hospital makes it easier to pull a switcheroo but do they really not have emergency infirmaries? Especially since Fitz WAS sent to a pseudo SHIELD facility apparently? And then there's also that place they took Skye to originally?
Yay, cuteness undercover at the Apple store! I also love how matter of fact she is. I found the nagging at his love life a little weird. I suppose she could be trying to train him how to fit in better when you're WAY older than you look, but more likely, it's that thing that happens when a person is in a blissfully happy relationship but their significant other is away and they NEED a vicarious love life to feed on until their person comes back.
I see you sterling silver cubic Zirconia arrow that she wears in 90% of the film!
Okay, yeah, I HATED that Zola said she really was born in 1984.
I get that it's pretty awesome to do all those things without super powers, how she had to work hard like Clint and that's a good message but...
Why do the guys get to have all the super powered fun?
There was Maya who appeared to be immediately killed off after possibly being exposed to Extremis.
There was Pepper who was awesome but the credits were basically, And then we fixed her. FUCK THAT!
Again, why do only males get to have super powers later in life?
If Skye has super powers, it's simply activating what she was already born with so I don't think we'll get a super powered heroine with the origin story and everything until either Wanda or Jessica Jones.
I can also believe that 1984 was a lie that Zola didn't know about but the movie seems to ignore Comic Book Natasha's high healing factor. It's the same ignorance shown in X-Men: Days of Future Past about Mystique. I actually got oldest nephew quite upset about how much they left out of Mystique's character about her capabilities and also Kitty's Lockheed because dammit, LOCKHEED PEOPLE! LOCKHEED! You're giving me a raccoon, now give me a dragon.
*tries to relax*
I suppose it really is up to each viewer whether Winter/Bucky killed Howard and Maria Stark. For maximum tragedy, I tend to think he did.
Considering they even had Natasha stress earlier in the film the importance of backups, I really can't believe that Zola wouldn't have backups somewhere especially when he has USB ports? The way technology is by now, wouldn't he fit on the largest USB possible? Tiny external hard drive at the most?
This movie has improved Iron Man 2 even more for me. Whenever Stearns is on screen, I get to yell, "Get him, Tony! He's HYDRA!"
Smarmy bastard.
Doctor Strange mention!
I'm still not sad when Sitwell dies. I feel like I should be, but I'm not and whenever I watch Thor, I still tend to yell at him. Plus, it's been pointed out how he was basically the ONLY Latino/Hispanic character they had?
Ugh, Bucky, so angsty, so full of meaning, SO GOOD except...
She doesn't really know him except for bullet scar...again no healing factor...
he doesn't know her.
ugh
I know, I understand not wanting to complicate things for the audience after setting her up with Clint but...
comics
At least we have fanfic.
Abed!
I'm now not entirely unconvinced that Troy actually had to go away because Hydra needed him.
This part makes me a little uncomfortable because it reminds me of the debate from Clerks. Did Luke commit murder by blowing up the Death Star? Does it not count because they were all part of the Empire? Did Lando commit murder by blowing up the second? That time it would have been a lot of construction crews and independent contractors.
Was it really fair for Nick to assume everyone on those Helicarriers were Hydra? Especially after the scene in the control room with Sharon?
I always have problems with soldiers dying like that. It's one of the few things I didn't like about Transformers.
Aww, the #42 quintjet returns...and is promptly stolen by Bucky.
Except for you Alan Dale, you will always be the bastard who killed Owen Harper!
Yay, Jenny Agutter...whenever I see her, I have Richard Coyle's voice in my head from Coupling saying her name. I can just picture Steve and Jeff debating her hotness in that scene. Steve would probably claim that she was an older woman now and he was father and all and Jeff would be like, No, that was totally HOT!
I hope she appears again since she didn't die.
I was also confused the first time I saw it about who was where. Actually, it took me three times to figure out who was where and who did what and when.
On the third viewing, I finally caught Tony Stark in New York at the AVENGERS! Tower. However, I didn't spot anyone else that everyone else claims they saw. I also felt that having Tony so close made it more confusing about why he wasn't involved. Even if he still doesn't have replacement suits, he's Tony freaking Stark. You really think he wouldn't want to help out his friends?
We know Bruce was a target but he wasn't listed there so was he off somewhere with Pepper?
Yay, WANDA! PIETRO!
Dear Smithsonian...you might want to be on the lookout for suspicious men in jackets and ball caps!
I was really hoping for a credits scene with Hawkeye. Then, I was hoping for a One-Shot with Hawkeye. Now, we're not even getting a one-shot.
:(
http://www.yourhighwayinthesky.com/2014/06/captain-america-finds-the-winter-of-his-discontent/
I tried to be good about not overtly spoiling stuff. The rest of this post is going to have spoilers EVERYWHERE!
SPOILERS
So, I definitely love how it's been pointed out time and again how Sam gets the traditional romantic interest plotline whereas Sharon is more of a recurring subplot thread. I have nothing against Sharon but this movie was about work and I liked that. It felt like we got more of their day to day lives than any other film before this. Yes, I enjoyed Agents of SHIELD from the start so I enjoy the little things most would call boring.
I also liked the subtle ways they let us know that while Steve doesn't express it in the same way that Tony did, he also has PTSD and his own demons. I missed his drawing. I wondered whether he had done any since Avengers happened.
Natasha's fossil line, I loved it...I would love it more if she's saying it with the knowledge that's she's almost as old but that's a complaint for later in the post.
When Steve jumps without a parachute, I always laugh because I'm thinking of the blooper of Chris Evans trying to get his parachute on fast and smooth and failing miserably.
My brother wanted more with Crossbones. I was never a big Crossbones fan so I was okay with this. I also loved the contrast of his fighting in this compared with Captain America: The First Avenger. I remember watching that film with my nephews and actually being pretty shocked at some of the stuff he does. Winter Soldier throws a man through the turbine engine because he's the "bad guy" but Steve did the same thing in the first movie and it was okay because it was a Nazi/Hydra? Really?
So, while Steve may seem ruthless, he does seem to be making an effort not to actually kill anyone or do it without a lot of suffering for the other person...I sometimes have problems telling if a person was simply put to sleep or dead. I had this trouble in the pirate Crossbones.
There was excellent comparison of Steve vs Natasha. However...
Sitwell...
I knew about this ahead of time so when every else laughed, I fumed. By the third viewing, I was able to smile but I was still thinking...SHIELD doesn't negotiate with terrorists?? You're a freaking terrorist and all that time YOU PRETENDED TO BE PHIL'S FRIEND!
Because of course, my main objection with most things is how it affects Phil, Loki, Clint, etc.
I loved the elevator scene with Steve and Nick and Steve's a level EIGHT! Which means Natasha must also be a level eight since she was seven when the Briefcase Set was released...anyway, this is further confirmation that levels are further compartmentalized which is why Phil didn't have access to his own file until Nick allowed it. However, I also spent the elevator scene wondering if Nick could still be Marcus...then, AOS came along and blew that all to pieces.
*sigh*
Hmm, high ranking SHIELD official that we've never heard of...convenient. At least it is Alexander Pierce so it is a proper comic book character and Robert Redford is perfect for this sort of character.
I legitimately cheered when Nick asked about the flying capabilities because if Lola can fly, Nick would definitely trick out all his vehicles to fly. Sharon mentioning her aunt was probably just a nod to her comic book history. I'm kind of torn because it is comic book history to have her be Sharon Carter and be related to Peggy but it would also be good for Steve to be able to fully let go and fall for someone totally different. I also love that he does still listen to the oldies...I wonder if he catches Lawrence Welk on PBS, I spent many a Saturday Night watching Lawrence Welk followed by British comedies.
Okay, you have a severely injured guy and you take him to regular hospital?
Because that's what it looked like, not even Walter Reed or something.
Obviously, a regular hospital makes it easier to pull a switcheroo but do they really not have emergency infirmaries? Especially since Fitz WAS sent to a pseudo SHIELD facility apparently? And then there's also that place they took Skye to originally?
Yay, cuteness undercover at the Apple store! I also love how matter of fact she is. I found the nagging at his love life a little weird. I suppose she could be trying to train him how to fit in better when you're WAY older than you look, but more likely, it's that thing that happens when a person is in a blissfully happy relationship but their significant other is away and they NEED a vicarious love life to feed on until their person comes back.
I see you sterling silver cubic Zirconia arrow that she wears in 90% of the film!
Okay, yeah, I HATED that Zola said she really was born in 1984.
I get that it's pretty awesome to do all those things without super powers, how she had to work hard like Clint and that's a good message but...
Why do the guys get to have all the super powered fun?
There was Maya who appeared to be immediately killed off after possibly being exposed to Extremis.
There was Pepper who was awesome but the credits were basically, And then we fixed her. FUCK THAT!
Again, why do only males get to have super powers later in life?
If Skye has super powers, it's simply activating what she was already born with so I don't think we'll get a super powered heroine with the origin story and everything until either Wanda or Jessica Jones.
I can also believe that 1984 was a lie that Zola didn't know about but the movie seems to ignore Comic Book Natasha's high healing factor. It's the same ignorance shown in X-Men: Days of Future Past about Mystique. I actually got oldest nephew quite upset about how much they left out of Mystique's character about her capabilities and also Kitty's Lockheed because dammit, LOCKHEED PEOPLE! LOCKHEED! You're giving me a raccoon, now give me a dragon.
*tries to relax*
I suppose it really is up to each viewer whether Winter/Bucky killed Howard and Maria Stark. For maximum tragedy, I tend to think he did.
Considering they even had Natasha stress earlier in the film the importance of backups, I really can't believe that Zola wouldn't have backups somewhere especially when he has USB ports? The way technology is by now, wouldn't he fit on the largest USB possible? Tiny external hard drive at the most?
This movie has improved Iron Man 2 even more for me. Whenever Stearns is on screen, I get to yell, "Get him, Tony! He's HYDRA!"
Smarmy bastard.
Doctor Strange mention!
I'm still not sad when Sitwell dies. I feel like I should be, but I'm not and whenever I watch Thor, I still tend to yell at him. Plus, it's been pointed out how he was basically the ONLY Latino/Hispanic character they had?
Ugh, Bucky, so angsty, so full of meaning, SO GOOD except...
She doesn't really know him except for bullet scar...again no healing factor...
he doesn't know her.
ugh
I know, I understand not wanting to complicate things for the audience after setting her up with Clint but...
comics
At least we have fanfic.
Abed!
I'm now not entirely unconvinced that Troy actually had to go away because Hydra needed him.
This part makes me a little uncomfortable because it reminds me of the debate from Clerks. Did Luke commit murder by blowing up the Death Star? Does it not count because they were all part of the Empire? Did Lando commit murder by blowing up the second? That time it would have been a lot of construction crews and independent contractors.
Was it really fair for Nick to assume everyone on those Helicarriers were Hydra? Especially after the scene in the control room with Sharon?
I always have problems with soldiers dying like that. It's one of the few things I didn't like about Transformers.
Aww, the #42 quintjet returns...and is promptly stolen by Bucky.
Except for you Alan Dale, you will always be the bastard who killed Owen Harper!
Yay, Jenny Agutter...whenever I see her, I have Richard Coyle's voice in my head from Coupling saying her name. I can just picture Steve and Jeff debating her hotness in that scene. Steve would probably claim that she was an older woman now and he was father and all and Jeff would be like, No, that was totally HOT!
I hope she appears again since she didn't die.
I was also confused the first time I saw it about who was where. Actually, it took me three times to figure out who was where and who did what and when.
On the third viewing, I finally caught Tony Stark in New York at the AVENGERS! Tower. However, I didn't spot anyone else that everyone else claims they saw. I also felt that having Tony so close made it more confusing about why he wasn't involved. Even if he still doesn't have replacement suits, he's Tony freaking Stark. You really think he wouldn't want to help out his friends?
We know Bruce was a target but he wasn't listed there so was he off somewhere with Pepper?
Yay, WANDA! PIETRO!
Dear Smithsonian...you might want to be on the lookout for suspicious men in jackets and ball caps!
I was really hoping for a credits scene with Hawkeye. Then, I was hoping for a One-Shot with Hawkeye. Now, we're not even getting a one-shot.
:(
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2014-06-03 07:50 pm (UTC)1. Natasha's continual need to set Steve up on a date annoyed me.
2. No mention of Hawkeye anywhere, and Natasha's necklace wasn't enough.
3. I don't think they did a good job telling the audience who Sharon really was. I only saw it once, but I don't recall them ever calling her Agent Carter, only Agent 13. So to a non-comic book fan (or anyone who doesn't read the internet), I think she might have come across as just a random SHIELD agent. But this is just my opinion.
And one thing about Marvel:
1. No Hawkeye one-shot makes me sad :( BUT OMG!! Agent Carter the series!!!!! *dies*