Perhaps the highest compliment I can pay "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is I need not follow up, "It's pretty good..." with, "...if you're into that sort of thing."
With rare exceptions ("The Avengers," "The Dark Knight") comic book movies face the same basic problem: If the audience can't sing along to the hymns, they just better hope the music's good. Now "The Winter Soldier" joins that flock as a movie made for both super and casual fan, devotee and novice. Those (unlike me) who know these stories will likely eat up this movie's expansion of the Marvel universe, as forthcoming characters, plots, and general sequel hopes are laid with aplomb. And the rest of us plebeians? We're still greeted with a relentlessly entertaining flick, one that largely eschews the Jason Bourne quick-cutting trough in favor of clean action sequences, deftly blending the preordained Marvel mayhem with a parable of political paranoia not far removed from 1970s thrillers built around the public's inherent distrust in the government because C'MON.
Look, no one's gonna mistake it for a lost work of John le Carre - "Tinker Tailor Soldier S.H.I.E.L.D." The subtext ain't exactly subtle. Simply having subtext in a movie such as this, though, is a cause for mild rejoicing. We're talking about a comic book movie; as with online dating, expectations are meant to be adjusted. "Not exactly smart" doesn't automatically rule out "not exactly dumb."
Two years removed from the events of "The Avengers," this sequel finds Steve Rogers (Chris Evans, nailing the Captain's square charm) living in Washington, D.C. and still working for S.H.I.E.L.D. After a successful mission rescuing hostages on board one of their vessels, Rogers nonetheless feels troubled about a mysterious side mission conducted by fellow agent Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson). His digging into the matter leads him down a rabbit hole of enormous helicarriers designed to preemptively eliminate threats, the shady intrigue of senior S.H.I.E.L.D. official Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford, providing a direct link between this movie and "Three Days Of The Condor"), and HYDRA, a secret organization playing to the classic theme of creating chaos to maintain peace.
If there's one strength and weakness to be said of "The Winter Soldier," it's that screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, with directors Joe and Anthony Russo (helmers of some classic episodes of "Community" and "Arrested Development") almost forget they're making a Marvel movie...until they don't. If you believe in auteur theory, Marvel sides more with "auteur for hire" theory. Got your own vision? Want to bring your unique touch? Marvel welcomes you with open arms! Just don't forget, buddy - it's their world. You're just laying a few of the bricks.
Now firmly in Phase 2 of their cinematic plan, Marvel clearly doesn't intend to regress in this universe created by their hand, and you can sometimes feel the gears creaking around "The Winter Soldier" as the Russos, for all the creative freedom granted by a mega non-sitcom budget, must adhere to the Master Plan.
Still, as textbook film-as-product goes, you can't get much more textbook awesome. Not outside "The Avengers" has a Marvel movie popped with as much joy to be on over 3000 multiplex screens. You know the drill by now. Opening action scene to set the mood. Witty banter. Friends or foes who might not be who they seem. Seemingly insurmountable setbacks. Massive "chaos supreme" closing action sequence where you picture the city's poor maintenance crew tomorrow, gazing upon the carnage as their lip quivers.
It's a chain restaurant concoction. But who among us doesn't sometimes crave Chili's? Their shrimp tacos are underrated.
The greatest trick pulled by "The Winter Soldier" and the Russos is making it all feel seamless. If "The Dark Knight" was commonly known as a Michael Mann crime story about men in capes and make-up, "The Winter Soldier" does the same with 70s spy thrillers, and yet it plays admirably coy about it. Stephen King wrote that if your subtext is any good, you shouldn't try to make it happen; it should just be there. "The Winter Soldier" tries exactly as hard as it should.
As directors creating two competing tones - political paranoia and ass kickery - the Russos expertly weave them through each other. You never catch the movie saying, "There's our lesson for the day, now how 'bout these pyrotechnics?" The story emerges convincingly from the action and, even more impressive, the action emerges convincingly from the story.
How ultimately fitting that Marvel saved this story of distrust in government for Captain America. Despite this movie's obvious tonal parallels to "The Dark Knight," Christopher Nolan operated in full "This is our world as it is" mode. No games, no gloss. "The Winter Soldier" skates close to that territory before returning to "This is our world as we'd like it to be" - Captain America might brood, but not for long. He begins as a hero who operates with complete boyish trust in the powers that be because they're the powers that be, and when he learns his initial mission on the freighter might have secret motives, his main shock is he wasn't told.
That's what makes him and "The Winter Soldier" so oddly compelling. Batman can't be surprised and he can't be corrupted. When Captain America becomes disillusioned with the modern state of his country, though, we believe it. And through his eyes, the movie sells the theme of paranoia that might otherwise come off as trite.
When I sat through the closing credits, it wasn't merely to pretend like I understand whatever inexplicable teaser they attach. It was out of respect.
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