Preview – Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The ninth instalment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (starting with 2008’s Iron Man) is gracing the screens later this month and it will have great significance as the lead up to The Avengers: Age of Ultron which is set to hit the cinemas next summer. Unlike the breakdown of the Guardians of the Galaxy, I have previously done here on Headstuff, the characters are familiar if you are up to date with one of the most exciting series of action movies to hit our screens for the last decade. The powers that be at Marvel and Kevin Feige have crafted an art of the superhero blockbuster and they are not slowing down.

In 2011 Marvel released Captain America: The First Avenger, introducing to the new Marvel fans (many on the back of the Iron Man and Thor success) to an old favourite in the comic book world and the personification of all things patriotic, Steve Rogers. Steve started off as a scrawny teen who wanted to serve for his country during the turbulent times of WWII. Due to his small stature and multiple health problems, he is denied the opportunity to go to war – this is until he signs up for a scientific programme to create “super-soldiers”. After becoming the desired beef-cake statue of all things Americana he heads off to war and gets to work. The film ends with him diving a plane into the Arctic to save everyone in America (obviously) and waking up to discover he’s been asleep for nearly 70 years.

Cap returned to our screens the following summer in the Oscar-nominated, box-office-record-breaking and universally loved The Avengers. As part of the epic gathering of superheroes, Captain America’s fan base grew solidly and the announcement of a solo sequel was only a matter of time.

At the helm his time around are the sibling combination of Anthony and Joe Russo. The two first hit the scene in 1997 with their independently financed Pieces. Steven Soderbergh was so impressed with their debut work that he offered to produce their next venture (along with George Clooney) Welcome to Collinwood. They have directed both pilots and many episodes for TV’s Community and Arrested Development. The pair are taking the big-screen-action-blockbuster on for the first time and it seems to have gone pretty well; they have already been signed up to direct the third untitled instalment of the Captain America series due to be released May 2016 (going head to head with the Man of Steel sequel).

Writing collaborators Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, return to take on the second of the series after the success of the first. Since The First Avenger the duo have put the pen to paper for Pain & Gain and Thor: The Dark World. No strangers to the Marvel world, this team will be in the make-up of the Marvel Universe for many years (or at least, in my opinion, should be).

Chris Evans returns to sport the iconic red, white and blue shield of Captain America and I think he’s been a great Rogers so far. There is the whole comedy side of his character that I like as well as being able to handle himself physically. Sammy L. Jackson (not Laurence Fishburne) is again reprising his role of Nick Fury. He looks to get himself into a bit of bother in the trailer so it could be an interesting film from his perspective. Robert Redford takes time away from being awesomely silent at sea to slum it with the Marvel men and if this calibre of actor/director gets involved, there must be something special in the project. Redford will portray a high ranking leader of S.H.I.E.L.D.

New-comer to the Marvel party is Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker, Pain & Gain) who will don the wings of Falcon. An ex-paratrooper, Sam Wilson now works with veterans suffering with PTSD. It is on this level that he and Rogers find a bond. Mackie, on getting the role, excitedly said, “He’s the first African-American superhero. It makes me feel all the work I’ve done has been paying off. I have a son, nephews and nieces, and I love the idea that they can dress up as the Falcon on Halloween. They now have someone they can idolize. That’s a huge honor for me.”

The reaction to Scarlett Johansson, leather-clad, jumping around and doing the splits in the Avengers seemed only fitting and we are graced with Black Widow as the supporting hero for the sequel. Returning to the screen as Natasha Romanoff, Johansson will give balance to the movie. Her life as a spy and operative for S.H.I.E.L.D. has made Romanoff a liar at heart, whereas Rogers is all about truth. She is ultra-modern and Cap is from the 40s and still trying to get to grips with the new world’s views.

The ‘new world’ is something that will make for an interesting point of reference throughout the movie. In the 40s, good and bad was black and white. In today’s political warfare, yesterday’s enemy is tomorrow’s ally. We have our lives tracked and monitored and the reasons of those in power may seem morally or ethically skewed (even moreso) to someone from a bygone era.

Obviously the main antagonist is the titular Winter Soldier; however we have two other punching bags for the Cap, Falcon and Widow to get their hands on. Savate (French kick-boxing) master, Batroc the Leaper, can be seen in the extended trailer and he is being portrayed by UFC goliath (and one of my all-time favourite MMA fighters) Georges St-Pierre. That should make for an amazing fight scene. Frank Grillo (Warrior, The Grey) will also make his Marvel debut as the Red Skull operative and gun wielding thug Crossbones. I am assuming these characters are for high-action-filler (although Crossbones has a significant future in the Captain America comics) before the real shit hits the fan when the Winter Soldier enters the fray.

In the comic books the Winter Soldier started off as a modern-day taboo role, a teenage side kick. Stan Lee has talked about how they never really liked using teenagers as, a real hero wouldn’t put a young kid in danger. Batman was just a dick I guess.

In the movie version James “Bucky” Barnes is portrayed as Rogers’ friend and of similar age. Bucky heads to war and is presumed dead when Cap finally shows what he is made of and manages a heroic mission behind enemy lines to rescue his long-time friend. While chasing down Red Skull’s head science officer on a high speed train, Bucky gets blasted from the train and falls to his apparent death. He falls, in fact, into a freezing river and picked up by Hydra operatives. He has lost an arm and his memory but the scientists of Hydra attach a bionic arm and brainwash him into a killing machine. He is also injected with a similar serum to that of Cap’s making and so possesses vast speed, agility and strength. From the trailer we can see he is a worthy adversary for Captain America and the action featured looks great.

So now for my two cents once again on what I feel this film may bring to the Marvel Cinematic Universe:

There are many things from the trailer that raise several questions and story lines from the comic books that can be developed after. Possible vague spoiler alert (it’s just what I think might happen).

We can see a body covered up in a hospital with Black Widow and Captain America distraught standing over them. So who died?  We see in the trailer that Nick Fury’s Humvee gets flipped by a cool magnetic-explosive-projectile-thing, and it seems to be him on the surgeon’s table also. However there is a scene with him looking pretty beat up but very much alive.  It could be an unfortunate end to newbie Falcon; however he is spotted in what looks like a funeral scene, so I doubt it’s him either. Maybe a S.H.I.E.L.D. member – Romanoff looks very broken up, more than Cap. As she has been working for them for years, they are the only real family she has got.

Chris Evans, who will be reprising his role as Captain America, has recently delved into the world of directing with 1.30 Train set to be released later this year. He has stated in interviews that he might step back from acting and focus more on the new calling in Hollywood. If this is the case, it will open up the possible storyline of Bucky AKA the Winter Soldier taking the mantle after the assassination of Rogers. In the comics, Bucky gets his memory back and, filled with guilt for all the wrong he has done, joins the other Avengers to do right by his past. As always, Marvel movies do not take all the leads from the comics, but it would be an interesting storyline.

The mid-scene clips at the end of Cap 2 (one directed by Joss Whedon) have been leaked. If you want to find out what’s going to happen then click here.

I looked – I shouldn’t have, but I just “needed to know”, you know?

Captain America is out now, and has been reviewed by Paddy O’Leary.