Patriotism is difficult to portray in this day and age.\u00a0 Especially in America.\u00a0 It\u2019s not so much that people hate America or hate being American (lots of people do but that\u2019s always going to happen so its not relevant).\u00a0 It may be that nobody\u2019s done anything that all of America can get pissed off about in awhile (like bomb Hawaii or fly an airplane into the New York skyline).\u00a0 But these days, even when someone unites us in indignation, there\u2019s a different feel.\u00a0 It seems like everyone is all part of a sub group and that\u2019s what they identify themselves with that instead.\u00a0 They\u2019re not American, they\u2019re liberal or conservative or libertarian or progressive.\u00a0 So every reaction is tempered by these group\u2019s respective agendas.\u00a0 When dickheads stole planes and flew them at the world trade center, we were temporarily reunited as one America by our indignation and horror.\u00a0 But soon, we divided along ideological lines and started quibbling about nothing.\u00a0 Which can be a little disheartening but when you think about it, that\u2019s the beauty of this place.\u00a0 We are all different, we are mostly assholes, and we are all here.\u00a0 In short we all deserve each other.\u00a0 The character Captain America in all his unfashionable, blatant patriotism is actually the perfect modern day hero for a movie.\u00a0 That\u2019s because the main theme behind him is actually something that spans all the divisive bickering groups that inhabit our asshole melting pot.\u00a0 The message is: Quit your bitching and help someone.\u00a0 That\u2019s something we all need to hear.<\/p>\n
Steve Rodgers (the titular Capt) isn\u2019t allowed to help anyone.\u00a0 He\u2019s a loudmouthed idealist who is heartbroken that he is 4F (ineligible for military service) during WW2.\u00a0 He\u2019s determined and selfless and all he wants to do is help, but he\u2019s almost a midget and has a long list of physical ailments that make his options limited.\u00a0 However an enterprising scientist (Stanley Tucci) notices that Steve wishes he were more powerful, but only so he could be of more help.\u00a0 Stanley invites Steve to volunteer for an experiment designed to create a super-soldier.\u00a0 In his native Germany, Stanley had previously tried this experiment on an elite soldier (Hugo Weaving) and was horrified by the results.\u00a0 Stanley believes his technique must only be used on the selfless as the power will corrupt anyone else.\u00a0 And Steve is most certainly (and believably thanks to the great job by Chris Evans) selfless.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not particularly a Capt America fan.\u00a0 I usually find the Avengers kind of stupid (though I enjoyed the Ultimates).\u00a0 I think this film was excellent.\u00a0 Especially considering how easy it is for this character to come off as hokey or lame.\u00a0 Hugo Weaving might have the best German accent I\u2019ve ever heard from a non-native speaker.\u00a0 Hayley Atwell plays a British operative.\u00a0 There have been a bunch of effective portrayals of female soldiers in film; but I\u2019ve never seen a better \u201dboy, I will break your damn jaw” look from any of them.\u00a0 Hayley has it down.\u00a0 Tommy Lee Jones plays Tommy Lee Jones (which is always a treat).\u00a0 The tie-ins to the other marvel properties don\u2019t feel forced and are actually pretty cool.\u00a0 Oh and stay after the credits for an Avengers trailer.\u00a0 Oh and don\u2019t see it in 3-D.\u00a0 3-D is pointless and stupid.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Patriotism is difficult to portray in this day and age.\u00a0 Especially in America.\u00a0 It\u2019s not so much that people hate America or hate being American (lots of people do but that\u2019s always going to happen so its not relevant).\u00a0 It … Continue reading