Posted by jayray in
My wife and I saw Captain America: The First Avenger last night. Most importantly, it passed my first test for a movie: the Was I Entertained? Test. That is the test that determines whether I spend the next few paragraphs telling you what I liked about the movie or what I didn’t like about it. I was definitely entertained, so here goes.
Here is what I did not like about the movie. It failed another of my tests for a movie, the Particular Element That is Just Too Cheesy to Overlook Test. Every time the menacing, red face of super-villain Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) graced the screen, I couldn’t help thinking of Jim Carrey. I don’t want to be the over-critical critic who picks everything to death. I just had a difficult time not expecting Red Skull to roll out an over-sized tongue and howl like a wolf while watching Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) dance in a night club. He just looked a little to much like Jim Carrey wearing the mask in The Mask, and I didn’t like The Mask. That is the only thing I didn’t like about CA. I hope that doesn’t ruin Red Skull for anyone else. I hope it does ruin The Mask and Spider-Man 3 (which also reminded me way too much of The Mask) for you.
The so-so parts of CA. I’m never quite convinced by the really hot, beautiful lady who is the commanding Army or Police officer. I have seen a few hot female police officers and hot female soldiers in real life, so I know they exist. It’s just a little too convenient that Peggy Carter and Steve Rogers aka, Captain America(Chris Evans), get to work so closely together at that particular time of their careers. I’m glad they didn’t get Mindy Sterling (Frau Farbissina from Austin Powers) to play Peggy Carter, but I just wasn’t completely convinced. Furthermore, CA also needed Atwell to pass my Hot Leading Lady test. Is it obvious that I’m really torn on this one? Secondly, there were a couple scenes when Chris Evans didn’t look real with the pre-scientific-experiment-transformation scrawny body. The last thing that struck me as not so good, but not so bad about CA: Captain America’s team of international soldiers, for reasons I can’t comprehend, reminded me a little too much of Hogan’s Heroes. I love Hogan’s Heroes, but Chris Evans is no Bob Crane! Or is he?
Now to the good stuff. This is why you will also love Captain America: The First Avenger. Any movie that stars Samuel L. Jackson or Tommy Lee Jones as a cop, soldier or any other person in charge is entertaining in my book. 
CaptainAmericahas both! Now THAT is a recipe for success. The only recipe for success better than Samuel L Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones I can think of would be Ann Hathaway and Scarlett Johansson, but I digress. I digress for success! I digressed again. Either way, CA totally passed my Samuel L. Jackson or Tommy Lee Jones Test.
Captain America has plenty of humor, enough to pass my Humor Test. It has plenty of awesome action! It has very likable characters. I really wanted Captain America to win. I really rooted for Peggy Carter and Steve Rogers to end up together, not quite as much as I rooted for Jim and Pam to end up together but way more than I rooted for Sam and Diane to end up together. I just never cared for Diane. I digressed again, didn’t I? Damn, you Diane! Dr. Erskine (Stanley Tucci) is great as the lovable, quirky but charming, brilliant scientist. I even like Dr. Zola (Toby Jones), the creepy, head of evil scientists in Red Skull’s evil organization Hydra. He’s so creepy, but so endearing. Just like Uncle Fester without the light bulb.
Additionally, I just love super hero movies, so I’m easily entertained. I loved the Captain America television series as a kid. I think this movie kinda gave a nod to the series. It would be a spoiler, so I’ll save that for later. (Maybe Jay will let me add that part later, after everyone has had a chance to see it. Jay will hopefully ask me what it is, because I will probably forget it. Jay?)
I may have been to paralyzed by awesomeness, but I didn’t notice any deep, profound messages in this movie. Dr. Erskine picked scrawny, little Steve Rogers for the experiment because of his courage and because of his inner strength and character. Peggy Carter falls in love with Rogers for the same reasons.
Finally, it passed my Good Ending Test. So that I don’t spoil it for you, all I will say about this is that it passed my Good Ending Test towards the end of the movie. Don’t read anything into that one way or the other. Or the other. Just go see it while you can see it on a big screen.
Tell ‘em Shayne sent ya. If you don’t like CA, tell ‘em Jay sent ya.
We here at jaylikesmovies.com would like to thank our very special Shayne Seymour for his entertaining and thoughtful review of Captain America: The First Avenger. We sincerely hope he treats us to more reviews in the future. Especially ones we agree with.
Hey, I really like this Shayne guy!