Ok, I have officially seen my first modern Super-Hero movie, in the long stream of movies that has been coming out about them recently.
When Captain America came out last year, I wanted to see it, but never thought I would actually get the chance to see it. So when we were in Colorado ( yes, I went back to Colorado! ) our friends had rented it, so we got to see it.
So, here goes.
Steve Rogers is a wimpy skinny kid from Brooklyn in WWII. He wants to join the army, to help in the war, but due to his physical condition of being skinny, wimpy, and otherwise *not* army fit, he is turned down five times under different names all for the same issue.
The army however is trying a new "super soldier project" where they take normal people, and then alter them to make them real life super men.
One scientist who worked under Hitler, is heading up this project, and he picks skinny Steve to join the army, if he is willing to be in the super-project.
Steve is confused, but agrees.
Steve is put throughthe super - zapper, and goes from Steve Rogers, wimp, to Steve Rogers, Super Soldier.
He is put in a bond-sales program at first, selling bonds as an American icon. Things go fine until his friend is captured by the dreaded Hydra - Hitler's science and technology department, which is turning out weapons that are decimating the U.S. troops.
Captain America puts his muscles and kind heart to the test, and take on the Hydras HQ - alone.
Steve, after rescuing the whole unit, makes a team of the best men, and helps to take down Hydra, compound by compound.
The Good:
Captain America is humble. That stands out so clear through this movie. When he was wimpy, he had no power, and therefore respected power, and didn't abuse it when he had it, since he was always the one who got beat up by all the bigger guys who held their man-status by how well they could beat up smaller guys who crossed their path. Steve is chosen because he is wimpy, and "his heart is Good" and is chosen over
stronger men in the unit, because he knows the proper use of power.
Over and over again, he is humble, quiet, and composed. Not a loud, foul-mouthed hero who wants to take all the glory and glam for himself. No-sir, not him. Humble, quiet, but confident.
It also shows that one man who isn't afraid of what happens to him and selflessly serves others, can do more than he or anybody else thought he could.
I honestly became a fan of Captain America the person, even if the movie did have issues.
Over and over again, he is humble, quiet, and composed. Not a loud, foul-mouthed hero who wants to take all the glory and glam for himself. No-sir, not him. Humble, quiet, but confident.
It also shows that one man who isn't afraid of what happens to him and selflessly serves others, can do more than he or anybody else thought he could.
I honestly became a fan of Captain America the person, even if the movie did have issues.
The Bad:
The villain, the Red Skull, is another super that got "supered" who was another plain human, but wanted power, and got super-ed with a "bad" heart. The super-process merely amplifies your qualities - Captain America was good at heart, and got super-good at heart, Red Skull was bad, and got super bad. It was the failure in making a good soldier, that made the scientist make Captain America.
So, we have some screwy beliefs as to the nature of man - but this Hollywood. *sigh*
Some things kinda disappointed me though. This movie felt rushed. It could have easily been a 3 and half hour movie, but they rushed the plot, the characters and the action, to make it a shorter movie than it could have been. It had so much potential to be longer, and have rich characters with background, but it was rushed so some of the figures seemed shallow and weak, and some of the action was chaotic and rather confusing.
When Steve is selling war bonds, the dancing girls with him are in need of more clothes - to put it mildly. I had to look away on most of the sale scenes.
The main lady in the movie is a drill sergeant basically, and is mostly a feminist. Boy, in most of the movie she was annoying.
A pistol-toting sharp-shooter, a 'don't-get-in-my-way' mentality, with a military uniform to boot.
I have to give her one credit though. Even though she went with Captain America on a few of the ending missions, she doesn't ever really fight like the rest, but just sorta tags along for the ride. I guess you might could call that a good thing.......
BUT. There is a whole section of scenes where she stands in the street and takes out crooks on the run with her pistol - while most of the other men (soldiers no less) were conveniently safe.
So, all in all, a feminist character.
And of course - war movie, cussing. It is generally only by one foul-mouthed general, but still, it is there.
Kissing scenes - *sigh*. No comment.
Oh, and a few moments of crude humor.
Overall, all things considered, I am kinda sad to only give CA 2.5 stars. I was hoping it to have been better, and it had so much potential to have been better, but those few things made it less than it could have been.
I would have a hard time recommending it, because of the immodesty.
I do however like Captain America the person.
When Steve is selling war bonds, the dancing girls with him are in need of more clothes - to put it mildly. I had to look away on most of the sale scenes.
The main lady in the movie is a drill sergeant basically, and is mostly a feminist. Boy, in most of the movie she was annoying.
A pistol-toting sharp-shooter, a 'don't-get-in-my-way' mentality, with a military uniform to boot.
I have to give her one credit though. Even though she went with Captain America on a few of the ending missions, she doesn't ever really fight like the rest, but just sorta tags along for the ride. I guess you might could call that a good thing.......
BUT. There is a whole section of scenes where she stands in the street and takes out crooks on the run with her pistol - while most of the other men (soldiers no less) were conveniently safe.
So, all in all, a feminist character.
And of course - war movie, cussing. It is generally only by one foul-mouthed general, but still, it is there.
Kissing scenes - *sigh*. No comment.
Oh, and a few moments of crude humor.
Overall, all things considered, I am kinda sad to only give CA 2.5 stars. I was hoping it to have been better, and it had so much potential to have been better, but those few things made it less than it could have been.
I would have a hard time recommending it, because of the immodesty.
I do however like Captain America the person.
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| This may be the comic-book version of him, but boy, I really like that type of Hero. |
Interesting. What do you think of the whole "superhero" concept?
ReplyDeleteWell, it has to be handled delicately, as I see it. The modern world tends to like super-heroes because they (the world) are discontent with who they are and what they can do, and the figure of an ordinary person who gets super-powers and can all of a sudden do spectacular things, appeals to the majority of the world.
DeleteAs a Christian, I get a whole 'nother message. I see a normal person, who has some abilities, and gets thrown in circumstances where he has to use his abilities to help others. He is tempted to use them for his own gain, but uses them for the good of others.
We as Christians can learn a lot from that, in the sense of being self-sacrificial with our talents, time and belongings, and not hold onto them for our personal ends.
At least, that is what I take away from 'supers'.
I think we can't idolize supers, but we do need to recognize that they often portray character traits that we would see as good.
There is also the danger of falling into the mindset that we can't do anything to help anybody if we aren't something special. We need to recognize that we need to do what is right, no matter if we are super, squeamish or squashed. Our circumstances never dictate morals, which could be mistakingly gotten from the 'super' movies.
So in summary, I just see supers as normal people who have different abilities, and are placed in situations where they use those abilities for good.
Thank you for your review David, this is the first honest review I have read on this movie, and the first one to say anything negative about it.
ReplyDeleteI have a great concern about "Superheroes", it seems that Satan is preparing the world for the anti-christ, for they often have a common thread, the world is in shambles, and along comes this man with special powers that saves the day. I don't think hollywood does anything by accident, and "superhero" movies are no exception, just something to think about....
God Bless,
Flame of Jah
Hmmm. Interesting point. I guess it could very well be that. Obviously as Christians we view things differently than the rest of the world, so I tend to view movies in a different light than the maker intended to, sometimes for the good or the bad of the movie. Thanks for telling me though! I will definitely keep an eye out for that in my movie watching.
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