L to R: Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) & Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) in Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier. ©Marvel.CR: Zade Rosenthal.
By LYNN BARKER
Front Row Features
The second of the superhero films focusing on the World War II hero is out for you Tuesday, Sept. 9, to take home. We check out “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”
This action-packed yet character-driven superhero adventure brings back Chris Evans as Steve Rogers (a.k.a. Captain America). Once a wimp engineered as a super soldier during the war, Rogers is preserved and awakens in current times. In “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” the stranger-in-a-strange-land tries to forget his past love Peggy and lost friends and attempts to fit in. He also discovers enemies inside the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization for which he works. Whom can he trust?
Teamed with “Avengers” partner, hot Natasha Romanoff/Black Window (Scarlett Johansson), “Cappy” meets war vet and PTSD counselor Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) while on a jog in the park and the guys hit it off. The new team, along with “boss” Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), battle a remnant of the evil Hydra organization working inside S.H.I.E.L.D. Captain Rogers will be reunited, in a very unexpected manner, with his childhood pal Bucky Barnes whom everyone thought was dead.
Special Blu-ray Extra Features
The “Captain America: Winter Soldier” Blu-ray contains some fun extras. Making-of featurettes cover action choreography, break down an amazing car chase and include commentary by Sam Jackson, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, producers and co-directors Anthony and Joe Russo. “Baddie” Sebastian Stan reveals that he was so into his “Winter Soldier” character’s action that he carried around a prop. “Friends were making fun of me for playing with my plastic knife,” he says.
In a short extra, Anthony Mackie, who plays Falcon, would satisfactorily finish a stunt and yell, “Cut the check!” The man believes in getting paid for a good job. In “Steve Rogers Notebook,” we get the inside story on all the lists that the man out of time made to help bring him into the 21st century. Evidently, the bucket list of notes varied depending on where in the world the film was showing. Interesting.
Deleted and extended scenes further flesh out the storyline and fill in a few story blanks. Fans always go for a good gag/blooper reel with funny line flubs and on set malfunctions. Veteran actor Robert Redford, who plays a senior leader in S.H.I.E.L.D., is hilarious in a couple of these.
Audio commentary over the film with directors Anthony and Joe Russo and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely is really excellent. They cover everything from how 1970’s conspiracy movies influenced the story to casting decisions, revealing more on the story and characters, the directors’ shooting styles, editing, music and even a few hints on where Cappy might go next. This is one commentary worth a listen to enhance your home entertainment experience.
Film grade: A-
Blu-ray grade: A
