Captain America: The First Avenger

Release Date: July 22, 2011

Watch Date: August 25, 2024

“After being deemed unfit for military service, Steve Rogers volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, a superhero dedicated to defending America’s ideals. Captain America leads the fight for freedom as the ultimate weapon against evil. When a terrifying force threatens everyone across the globe, the world’s greatest soldier wages war on the evil HYDRA organization, led by the villainous Red Skull.”

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   Whether or not Bob is happy about it, and he’s not, Captain America is the best Avenger. But Doc, you might be saying, isn’t Bob American? Shouldn’t he love the star spangled man with a plan? You’d think so, but apparently he’s dodged every Captain America movie, and just thinks he’s kind of boring.

   Well now we’ve made him sit down and watch it, and by the end he was actually a little emotional about Steve and Peggy’s story. So you know what? I win.

   I may have said this before, even this month, but my mom had two Marvel comics in her possession. A lot of The Fantastic Four, and a couple of Captain America. And I grew up loving them both. But Captain America? In the issue she had, he woke up from under the ice, or remembered waking up from under the ice, and then fought a giant ice worm! Why? Who knows. But he did, and it was bad ass. I am also a morning person, and do my best work fresh after waking up.

   Plus, his movie starts in World War 2, and I know I’ve mentioned this before, I love movies that take place in the 30s and 40s, especially in the wartime setting. The people who lived through that time truly were part of the Greatest Generation, and their stories tend to be greater than most. Besides, how often does humanity clearly fight a war that it is good vs evil? Not often. But that one? Yea, you can call it as you see it.

   Plus, I love historical fiction, and that’s also what this is. Realistic setting, absolutely unrealistic plot, and that’s awesome too. Red Skull? He’s just enough of a Nazi to fit in, and to have his plan make sense in the context of the time period, but he’s his own fun thing. He could work on the Hydra salute though…it’s probably the stupidest one I’ve ever seen.

   Cap is a good person. Truly. He cares for the little guy. He just wants to help. And does he make mistakes? Of course. Can he be rash in his pursuit of justice and fairness? Most of the time. But ultimately he wants to do good. He wants to see the oppressed be freed. He’s a good guy. And maybe that’s not as exciting as Thor or Stark’s story arcs, with their constant selfish urges, but Cap has his own issues – a lack of self confidence, a naivety, and now he’s a man out of time. Does the hero America invented still appreciate the direction his country is headed? Who knows, but I’m excited to find out.

   Captain America is the best Avenger, and he has the best movie. I’m not going to go as far as to say he has the best trilogy, because trust me, he doesn’t. But on this one? His origin film? I don’t think it can be beat.