Let me start by saying that I really enjoyed this movie. It is now my favorite Marvel film since the original
Iron Man. I know that we have been inundated with superhero movies for the past 5+ years, but this one does stand out. It is also now part of the rare category, where I consider the sequel superior to the original. Other examples being
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Aliens and
Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Many consider
Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back superior to
Episode IV - A New Hope in the original
Star Wars trilogy, but nothing quite compared to the originality, excitement and pure fantasy of the first one released, for me.
Now, back to
Captain America. We have already brought Steve Rogers (played by Chris Evans) into the modern world in the first installment. While he is continuing to adjust to this unusual circumstance, there are events in the present that need his immediate attention. I don't usually like to go deep into the plot, why take away the surprise. Let's just say there is a fairly easy to follow plot, a not too over-the-top villain or two, plenty of action sequences and some solid performances. Some of these include Robert Redford, Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johannson. Also, Sebastian Stan as The Winter Soldier himself is a little different and effective.
I was particularly impressed that the action scenes did not (or did not seem to) consist mainly of CGI effects. There seemed to be plenty of real cars, sets and explosions in use. This tends to add to the realism, or as close as you can get in a superhero movie. I also liked the addition of Anthony Mackie as a new character. Through the course of the story, bonds are formed, and this also lends itself to actually caring about these characters. The overall scores on
www.rottentomatoes.com also agree that this sequel is superior to the original. Try to see it on the big screen if you get a chance. Grade: A