Captain America: The Winter Soldier

"The price of freedom is high, and its a price I'm willing to pay."

The first time I watched this, it was the most astounding film I had ever seen (I was 12 at the time) and it is what made me love Captain America in the first place. I got fully introduced to what kind of character he is and what makes Steve Rogers a hero and this film is one of the best and most important in the entire MCU that fully changed how we saw the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

This was a sleek, spy thriller combined with common superhero styles that makes this film a unique type of superhero film that gives you edge of your seat action, a harrowing plot twist and a heart breaking climax. This was the Russo Brothers first outing into Marvel and they decided to do it in style and this success led them to directing the one of the biggest films in the history of the film industry.

The film follows Captain America adjusting to his new life in the 21st century and he begins working for SHIELD to try and recover his purpose in life, but he soon uncovers a major conspiracy that leads him to face the Winter Soldier. The film takes place after the events of the Avengers, so the world is a changed place and Steve has to navigate this new world, which he is still unfamiliar with, while also maintaining his mantle and standing up for what's right.

This is also the first time we properly see him and Black Widow establishing their relationship in the team and how well they work together as teammates, that would prove invaluable in the future. It was great to see them working together and how Widow helps Cap integrate into modern society and deal with his past.

We also get to see Nick Fury in style and he steals every scene he is in, This film is really the only Marvel film where we get to see the real Nick Fury. He is a ruthless, composing figure of spy craft and he makes sure that everyone knows it, he was such a force to behold in this film that you cannot help but applaud Jacksons performance and dedication to the character.

We also get introduced to another hero in Marvels arsenal, the Falcon. We all know from the comics that he is a very close friend and ally of Caps and even takes over his mantle of Captain America (which we saw years later) but this film really brings life to the character. Mackie brought charisma and charm to the role as well as representing a modern day soldier who wishes to still fight for something he believes in. He is like Cap in many ways (except he can fly) and it provides a good dynamic for the duo in this film and Falcon was great fun to watch and the writers really established him as a key character in this film.

Then we have the Winter Soldier himself, I did have the plot twist spoiled for me but if anyone read the comics, you could see it coming a mile off. He was a mystery for most of the film until near the end of the second act when the main plot twist was revealed, then he came out and gave hell to our characters. He was such an imposing force for Cap to face and it made the final fight personal for Cap as he tried to save his friend, which made the ending so powerful.

The way this was made was brilliant. I loved the drama, the action, the thriller dynamic, it just felt like I wasn't just watching a typical CGI superhero film, but I was watching a film that had a lot of thought put into how they were going to tell the story and how they were going to begin experimenting different subgenres in the film.

The reason why this is one of Marvels most finest films is because its grounded and more down to earth, therefore becoming more relevant to the real world. There was no aliens or monsters tearing down the city like normal, but instead there were hidden factions fighting each other for control then someone gets thrown into the middle of it all and has to find his own way out. Everything was carefully planned out so the directors could give the audience an edge of your seat experience, which is what any director wants from their films.

This film is unique because of how different it is compared to other Marvel films, which gives it its own flare and spotlight and becomes more recognisable in an ever growing franchise. The reason why I love this film is because of how daring it is to go off the formula and create something new and adventurous, which is what you want to see when watching a film.

Of course, I can't write this review without mentioning that infamous elevator fight. I was gobsmacked when I first watched it, seeing Cap take out all those baddies in such a small space really shows how powerful he is. Even with 20 guys, you've got no chance against Captain America. You might as well turn up with an paintball rifle and see what that does.

The directors wanted to show how far Cap has come since he came out of the ice and what better way than to show his skills against highly trained secret agents in an elevator with one arm clamped to the wall. It was incredible how all the choreography was planned and executed and how all the shots were taken to show a truly authentic fight scene.

The same goes for the highway fight between Cap and the Winter Soldier, they were both so fast in their attacks, we couldn't keep up with them. The choreography was brilliant and fast and made the audience feel fully engaged with what was going on, The amount of work that was put into those two scenes are breath taking and its what made this film so successful.

This film changed the MCU, thanks to SHIELDs collapse, and created the vulnerable world that the Avengers had to protect in years to come. This was ground breaking, exciting and emotional for anyone who is and isn't a Marvel fan, you should still watch this because its a great action film to watch on a normal Saturday date night or Friday family film night.

After watching this, I became fully invested in Marvel and for the next 7 years, Captain America became my icon because of how well he was portrayed in this film. The directors showed him as a shining example of what is right and what a hero truly is and it was great to see Cap come into that role and turn himself into a cinematic legend.

This film should be widely regarded as one of the finest superhero films ever made, if it isn't already, and I want there to be more films like this so we can have a break from the fun Marvel flicks and have more grounded and serious and emotional films that can keep audiences rooting for more.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is available on Disney+ and on DVD