The Highest Rank.

Captain America.

You know sometimes you get a superhero movie that is good, like Thor, or Green Lantern. Sometimes you get one that is great, like The Dark Knight, Hulk and Spiderman 2, and still sometimes you get something incredible, like Watchmen, Superman 1 and 2 or even Tim Burton’s Batman, and I am proud to put Captain America in that category.

He was always my favourite Marvel character, until Sub-Mariner came along that is, but my love for him never left (strange that my 2 fave Marvel characters were the only ones from the 40s – well not strange if you know me, I don’t much like new characters).

I collected Cap’s issues as a kid and still have those comics today. I also collected his current stuff before Steve Rogers death that is, and I actually collect his Essentials (black and white reprints) and I even own every Cap comic on DVD that I purchased from Amazon. So needless to say I love Cap.

There have been 5 live-action Cap movies. The first was a Serial/Chapter Play which I never saw but would buy. The second and third were made for TV movies and they were cheesy, but as a kid I loved them, even though Cap’s suit was awful in part one, the second one had a better suit – I recently got those on burned DVDs in bad quality, but whatever.

Then in the 90s they did a Cap film that started off really really good. Red Skull was FINALLY in it and he looked wicked. Well that movie got boring and only picked up in the end, and even though everyone hates it, I still liked it. But this new movie is something that I think will bring the geeks and regular joes together.

This is a Dark Knight moment and in fact, I like it much more than Dark Knight.

This time around Cap is in the 40’s during WW2 and fighting the Nazis. Steve Rogers wants to join the army but is way to small and skinny. That doesn’t stop him from trying again and again, but he is always turned down. He just wants to do his part. While attending a local fair he meets up with a doctor who overhears his conversation with Bucky Barnes (Cap’s sidekick in the comics) about how Steve wants to serve his country and all that.

The doctor asks him “Do you want to kill Nazis?” and he replies “I don’t want to kill anyone.” And then he goes on about doing his duty etc. Right there at that line I knew this was going to be one of the best superhero movies of all time.

In my early post “Counting down to Cap” I mentioned that Chris Evans was cool and I really liked his interview about the character. Well he was just phenomenal in this role and I was totally with him the entire time. What a great performance and I promise you that ALL will get behind him. I almost cried a couple of times during moments of courage that he showed. You hardly get actually good people in superhero movies now. Take Iron Man, yes Tony Stark is funny and all that, but I want to see a good person who wants to do what is right become a hero. Cool anti-heroes and rebels are fun, but Cap has to be the good natured man who only does what is right because it’s the right thing to do!

This isn’t a joke people, this is a real movie with heart and respect for the genre and the character they are portraying.

There are several great scenes that pay homage to the comics (you actually see Cap comics being sold!) and you even get to see the serial being filmed! So they are saying that Cap was real! And his comics and movies were real too! How brilliant is that!!!!!

Plus for a good part of the film he wears the EXACT comic costume! Only later when he becomes a solider does he change it.

Also the Red Skull is in it A LOT! He looks normal for the first half though, but once he reveals his face, he is Red Skull for the rest. The action scenes are great and the effects are amazing (note that Chris Evans has been turned into a 90 pound weakling, when in fact he is much taller and ripped!).

Everything in this movie fit with me, I don’t think it’s just because I am a Cap fan. Take note that my number one fave is Superman, and I LOATHED Superman Returns, so I am not going to say a movie is great if I don’t think it is, not matter what (unless it’s JCVD or Godzilla – hahaha)

People please go support this movie and see it in theatres, don’t wait for DVD or for rental. This movie has to beat that piece of rotted shit Transformers. This movie has heart and soul and it really gets you excited about comics and fantasy and just good movie making. Oh and as a duh, please stay till the end credits for an Avengers Trailer!

Actually my only negative point is that I want another Cap solo movie – as I don’t hold out much hope for Avengers – but we shall see. At least we’ll get a group hero movie for once.

Long live Captain America.

5/5 – I would give higher if I could.

J-Man.