CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
PG-13
143 minutes
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Writers: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Mark Millar, Joe Simon, Jack Kirby

CAST
Iron Man…Robert Downey Junior
Captain America…Chris Evans
Hawkeye…Jeremy Renner
Falcon…Anthony Mackie
Ant-Man…Paul Rudd
Black Widow…Scarlett Johansson

CIVIL WAR?

One look at the title, and you know what it’s about: the American Civil War. The Avengers reenact the Battle of Gettysburg, as a team building exercise, but they never get to reenact anything. Before the fake battle begins, Loki and his intergalactic minions open a wormhole, and the Avengers are transported into the real Civil War. And this time the right side will win. No, hear me out. I mean if the South won, Lincoln doesn’t get assassinated. Honest Abe retreats to Toronto. And the Confederacy would get their own country, for a while anyway. Before killing themselves, through bar fights, incest, and slave rebellion…right around 1870. At which point, Lincoln moves back to the states, to sew together the tattered pieces of old America; because that’s how history works. To my surprise, CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR wasn’t about the American Civil War. Which goes to show that you can’t always get the gist of a film from the title alone, like NAKED LUNCH. Sometimes it’s best to watch the trailer.

THIS WAR DOESN’T SEEM SO CIVIL

I might as well start with the things I didn’t like. The fight scenes were frequent, and lengthy. Generally, I don’t mind fight scenes, but do they have to be so long. I can suspend disbelief for short bursts of time, but overly long fight scenes make you realize your watching a cartoon. I can now envision a future where actors become obsolete. And CGI people star in their own two-hour fight scene.

HAWKEYE…WHAT’S HIS DEAL?

It’s not Jeremy Renner’s fault, but of all the Avengers, Hawkeye is the least compelling. He shoots arrows, accurately…that’s it. If things took place in Middle Earth, and Jeremy Renner were Orlando Bloom, then I’d find Hawkeye’s antics more impressive.

LAST WORDS

At this point, you may have the impression that I didn’t care for this AVENGERS movie, but that’s not the case. I was never bored because I never had a chance to think about what was going on. Nonetheless, CIVIL WAR is still a solid, BM…I mean, solid, B-movie. Sharp humor, and an interesting cliffhanger, push this into I-wouldn’t-mind-seeing-this-again territory.

Final Verdict: 81 out of 100

Captain America: The First Avenger

PG-13

125 Minutes

Director: Joe Johnston

Writers: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Joe Simon, Jack Kirby

Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Tommy Lee Jones, Hayley Atwell, Hugo Weaving, Samuel L Jackson

One of the oldest of Marvel comics.The first issue being released in March of 1941. For all you history buffs, that was during the Second World War.

Steve Rogers, a short, puny man. Born during the Great Depression. He grew up without a father, and his mother died when he was 18. He has tried to enlist many times under many different aliases. He is magically transformed into a superhuman.

Seems like a comic book version of Audie Murphy WWII hero/actor. 5 feet 5, inches, and 110 pounds, comparable to Steve Rogers (before he grew nine inches and gained a hundred pounds).

I loved him in that Nutty Professor movie.

Red Skull (Weaving), Adolf Hitler's head of advanced weaponry, whose own plan for world domination... (you get the picture-it sounds like every comic book you would ever read). This 'Red Skull' guy is the main villian, well him and the rest of Germany.

The villan looked like a red version of the of ‘The Mask’.

No, not Mask (1985).

The Mask (1994).

The Mask, with a hint of Skelator.

Red Skull seemed cartoonish, but considering it is based on a comic book, that does not seem like a legitimate complaint.

Like most people, I like watching Nazis get killed. There is plenty of that, almost on par with World War II.

Tommy Lee Jones had the most developed (and entertaining) character. Lately, he has been playing a similar character in every movie, but that is not necessarily such a bad thing.

Most of it was entertaining, but do not expect anything more than entertainment. Subplot and character development, are far from exceptional. Impressive CGI and special effects, and surround sound—that will rock your world. In short, this film is full of pazazz and flashy things. I recommend seeing this at a movie theater.

Spoiler Alert !?

Captain Planet America will return in The Avengers in the present day. Mark your calendars, May of 2012.

There seems to be a lot invested in The Avengers franchise. Doesn't Samuel L. Jackson have anything else going for him? He is taking this roll way too seriously.

Final Verdict: 80 out 100