This past summer I worked my way back through all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies up through Avengers: Endgame. While it was a lot of fun, one thing struck me, which I thought back when the movies first came out: Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the best of those twenty-two films.
There are many things to love about the second Captain America movie. For starters, it’s a spy thriller, which is one of my favorite genres. But it’s not just a middling spy thriller, it’s a really good one. As the stakes and tensions rise, you as the viewer are left wondering just where everything is going to turn out. It seems like anything is possible. And when the shocking reveals are made, you’re left in awe.
Speaking of those, the twists and turns in the movie are supreme. There’s no other MCU installment which takes you on such a wild ride, except maybe Avengers: Infinity War, especially when it comes to the revelation that a large portion of SHIELD is in fact secret Hydra agents. What’s more, that and the other twists have long-lasting ramifications for the MCU, altering the trajectory of multiple movies afterward.
The introduction of Sam Smith as Falcon is wonderful. Right off the bat, it’s established that he’s a man of integrity who has a sense of humor but also a deep sense of loyalty. He becomes almost an instant ally of Captain America, following him into the belly of the beast, something we see him do repeatedly in later movies.
In The Winter Soldier, we get to know Steve Rogers and Black Widow better. Their characters become more three-dimensional or well-rounded as we see the support system on which they rely peeled away, revealing all of their human complexities. For example, we enter the movie perceiving Natalia Alianovna Romanova as a duplicitous individual who only watches out for herself, something which is played up in the first several scenes, especially during the ship rescue.
However, when things take an unexpected turn and Nick Fury is assassinated, Black Widow shows her true integrity under pressure. Instead of just being a secretive double agent, she adheres to higher principles. Later, we learn more about her past and why she’s so dedicated to the truth and freedom. While Captain America at first thinks she can’t be trusted, he quickly realizes that besides Sam Wilson, she’s the only person he can actually rely on.
The pacing in Captain America: The Winter Soldier is perfect. As each act closes, there’s a shocking twist that hooks you further into the narrative, keeping you engaged. There’s a good mix of high-octane action sequences and smart dialog so you don’t get tired of either. And the ending is loaded with nice payoffs, rewarding you for sticking through it.
As always, the action doesn’t stop with the credits. There’s a mid-credits scene which teases the introduction of Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch in Avengers: Age of Ultron. The end-credits scene shows Bucky at the Smithsonian display for Captain America and the Howling Commandos, indicating he’s getting his memory back, foreshadowing his return.
If you’re looking to rewatch any MCU movies, I would put Captain America: The Winter Soldier at the top of your list. It has everything you need for a fun time, plus it impacts the overall MCU storyline in tremendous ways.
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Images via Marvel Studios
Steven Symes 