First of all, I need to admit that this movie is an extremely easy sell for me. Cap has been my favorite hero for years, since childhood, so seeing him up there on the big screen was pretty fantastic. That said, I'd argue that this film holds up well for anyone.
Joe Johnston makes some choices that really make this seem like an old timey movie. The flashbacks to the Red Skull's rise to power made me laugh with glee every time a new image of Hugo Weaving filled the screen. When Cap punches out guards (which he does several times) the shot is quickly followed by that guard being yanked through a cracked-open doorway, like an old cartoon. And Chris Evans is earnest and kind-hearted in the lead role. So yes, there is some cheese or camp here, but I'd argue that it fits perfectly.
Chris Evans and Hugo Weaving are wonderful in the lead roles. It is fun seeing these two arch-nemesis as they just discover each other; they have no idea how much they will despise each other in the future. And the conclusions for both characters work well, I'm certain we will see the Red Skull again.
The supporting cast is also quite good; Hayley Atwell was great as Peggy Carter, and Tommy Lee Jones as Chester Phillips is full of amusing asides. Toby Jones gets a tease of what the "real" Arnim Zola might look like (one of a few good Easter eggs mixed through the film). Stanley Tucci steals the show as Dr. Abraham Erskine. The good doctor always had an important role in the comic, he is so much more important in the film. Tucci brings such a sense of responsibility that he can't help but be a huge influence on Chris Evans' Cap. It's another example of those instances where the films are actually better than the comic!
My only gripe, if I have one, is that the level of technology of the 1940s is very rarely present (at least on the Nazi side). Hydra is throwing around auto-tracking laser beams, stealth bombers, body armor, all sorts of modern goodies. The Allies have a few more limitations, but that level of tech makes the movie seem a tad less dated than it should.
Good
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