Patriotic fervour

THE Marvel universe is expanding at a rapid rate and now with the addition of Captain America there are more comic-book heroes on the big-screen than ever before.

It seems like Marvel has taken a liking to the retro vibe and, as with X-Men: First Class, this movie is an original story set in the past. To be more exact, it takes place during the Second World War, a time when free Europe was locked in battle with Nazi Germany.

America joins the war effort and enlists ordinary men from all over the country to help fight the good fight. The criteria for national service isn’t too challenging, all you have to do is be physically fit and eager to serve your country.

Unfortunately for Steve Rogers he only meets one of the demands. He’s patriotic and fearless but he only weighs about as much as Kate Middleton and looks as though a strong gust of wind would blow him over.

Regardless of his physical constitution he is determined to join his friends on the frontline, but after being rejected at every enlistment station in the country his chances look as slim as he does.

However, after a chance encounter with Dr Ersine (a genius scientist working for the US government) he is chosen as the candidate for Project Rebirth, an experiment that transforms him into a muscular super-soldier.

Once he becomes Captain America he puts on a costume which bears an American flag motif and arms himself with an indestructible shield which can also be used as a weapon.

The effects are what you would expect from a Marvel movie … breathtaking! From the explosions to the character’s incredible metamorphosis, everything has been crafted with exquisite detail.

The US government decides that despite Rogers’s newfound abilities he would be best suited as a propaganda mascot, sent across the States to bolster support for the troops.

However, across the pond, a Nazi scientist with delusions of grandeur known as the Red Skull (Weaving) is planning to overthrow every world power, even Hitler himself, using a mystical cube of unimaginable power.

Weaving does a passable job as the villain in this movie, although he lacks the necessary depth to make the role his own. He says the evil lines and chuckles the evil laugh but I just didn’t ‘buy’ it.

Rogers, meanwhile, is in Italy performing in a show for the troops but when he finds out that his childhood friend has fallen behind enemy lines and has been captured by the Skull’s secret sect (HYDRA) he sets off to save the day.

Of course, the story wouldn’t be complete without a love interest, enter Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). Peggy is a no-nonsense lady with a refined dignity and class who ends up falling for Rogers’s charm even before he bulks up and dons the superhero costume. Atwell is great at showing more than one dimension to her character and portrays just the right mix of sassy and tough.

Their budding relationship, however, takes a backseat to his duties and sense of urgency to stop the Red Skull before it’s too late. Evans does a great job with his role as the first Avenger and seems to have fun playing the part. Interestingly, this is not his first outing in a Marvel movie. He previously played Johnny Storm in the Fantastic Four, a cocky character with a cheeky charm very different to Captain America.

This just goes to show his range, one minute a modern childish playboy, the next a humble gent from the 1940s… uncanny!

He has a likable demeanour and delivers his lines with conviction … even if the lines are occasionally a little cliché.

He manages to make you empathise with the character and brings him to life in a way it’s hard to do outside of a comic’s pages.

As with all Marvel movies, creator Stan Lee makes an obligatory cameo in this film that will surely delight comic-book nerds across the globe. It’s almost become a ‘Where’s Wally’ type of game, similar to the way Alfred Hitchcock used to feature in his own movies.

Although most of Captain America transpires in the 1940s, it is book-ended by modern-day scenes that set up The Avengers, a movie compilation of superheroes which has been referred to as the Holy Grail of Marvel movies, set for release next summer.

As with Thor, Ironman 2 and The Hulk, this film ends in a manner that sets the scene for The Avengers and leaves audiences eagerly anticipating its release.

Showing in Cineco, Seef II, Saar and Al Jazeera Cineplex.