Road to Avengers Endgame | The best and worst of Captain America: The First Avenger

Rogers then meets German refugee Dr Abraham Erskine who gives the boy a special serum which transforms him into a super-soldier with stupendous physical strength. But Erskine is killed and Rogers is engulfed in the shady world of Nazi offshoot Hydra, an organisation that is a much bigger threat than the Nazis themselves.

Five best things about Captain America: The First Avenger

Chris Evans in a still from Captain America: The First Avenger.

Chris Evans as Steve Rogers

Chris Evans is superb as Captain America. Considering all evidence, Captain America should be a self-righteous bore, but he isn’t thanks to Evans’ nuanced performance. Steve Rogers is given a sympathetic treatment that he rarely got in comics. Steve Rogers redefines masculinity by making it more warm and compassionate, and not simply a show of puffed-up biceps.

Secondary characters

The First Avenger has a solid lineup of secondary characters that help complement Steve Rogers. Hayley Atwell is charming and sassy as Peggy Carter. Make sure you watch the TV series based on her character if you liked her. Tommy Lee Jones as Chester Phillips provides much-needed humour in what is a decidedly un-Marvel film. Stanley Tucci also gives a short but fine performance.

Aesthetic and feel

The First Avenger is one of the unique MCU films and that is not just because it is set in the past. It is also due to its distinct aesthetic especially colour palette that makes it singular. The film has lots of grey and sombreness to reflect the times, which makes the movie immersive.

A poster for Captain America: The First Avenger.

Action

The First Avenger actually has decent action, though some effects and CGI look dated now. But battle scenes are still enjoyable.

Soundtrack

Alan Silvestri’s score is simply outstanding in the context of the film. But, sadly, not really independently listenable. But in the film, it packs a punch.

Two not-so-great things about Captain America: The First Avenger

Chris Evans as Captain America in 2011’s The First Avenger.

Red Skull

Hugo Weaving’s character could have been a good villain perhaps, had it been given more room to breathe. Weaving is capable of a lot, but here his performance was hampered by not just criminally limited screen time that did not allow proper development, it was also his weird accent that did not sound believable at all. Also, he was not particularly threatening, even with decent red prosthetic makeup.

Other issues

Although the film was plotted well, some things felt rushed. Cap was too hasty to assemble the team to take on Red Skull. The beginning is pretty dragged out. The relationship between Cap and Peggy is sweet but underdeveloped.