So, we've had two shots of Iron Man and Hulk, a recent outing with Thor and cameos from Nick Fury, Black Widow and Hawkeye, and the final piece of the jigsaw has finally entered the foray. That's right, one of the most significant characters in the Marvel Universe, Captain Amerixa finally has arrived on the big screen. Possibly one of the toughest heroes to bring to the film stage, the Cap is a big favourite in the Marvel universe and his entrance was one hugely anticipated by fanboys. But was his transfer to cinema a successful one?It's 1942 and the Nazis are in full force trying to take over the world under the orders of one Adolf Hitler. But secretly there is another notorious villain looking to seize power, Johann Schmidt aka Red Skull (Hugo Weaving in his familiar evil persona) has assembled his own army, under the organisational name Hydra. Redeeming a powerful blue cube, Schmidt suddenly possesses an immense power, one that could end the war with one sudden attack.
Luckily for the Americans they have their own plan in action, involving a very familiar name of Howard Stark, who has had a hand in creating a super soldier serum for one lucky applicant. That man happens to be the puniest possible soldier but one who has the determination and honour to match 1000 men, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans). Once injected with the serum Rogers becomes a one man wrecking machine, ripped, incredibly agile and extraordinarily more powerful than any other man.
At first, Rogers is seemingly unappreciated by those around him and is just cast off, only to tour as costumed hero Captain America, with his job being to rally the troops and ensure that their spirits are kept to the highest possible degree. Eventually love interest Peggy Carter and Stark come to realise that the Cap is needed to lead the forces from the front and take down Red skull for good. The Cap soon assembles his team, including Dum Dum Dugan, and heads to infiltrate the HYDRA base. It is a race in time to stop Red Skull before he unleashes the full potential of the crystal, can the Cap prevent the impending armageddon or will they all perish?
At first glance, Chris Evans seemed a little bit of a sceptical choice for Marvel's First Avenger but once on the big screen and fully into the boots of Steve Rogers it seems odd not to have him in the famous outfit. Commanding and ultimately believable, he brings a great charisma to the character and works remarkably well with his co-stars, especially in the film's first act where we first experience the Cap's origins. In addition, the supporting cast are to die for, with the likes of Hayley Atwell, Dominic Cooper and an outstanding Tommy Lee Jones (delivering perfect one liners throughout) all playing their parts with ease.
Ultimately, with several references to the extended Marvel universe, this specifically is the film that sets up the impending Avengers movie and this is possibly where the film lacks slightly. With a villain in possession of the power cube featured in Thor it feels as though the Cap's battle with nemesis Red Skull is only a miniscule thought in the mind compared to setting up a pathway to enter into the world of Nick Fury and his team of incredibles. Maybe a little more effort into the main story of HYDRA and Cap's battle with red Skull wouldn't have gone amiss but essentially this is a summer blockbuster worthy of your attention.
Film rating: 4 out of 5 stars
The lowdown: The Cap's introduction into the Marvel film franchise is a welcome one and with performances of a high calibre and plenty of action to keep you awake this is a success story, albeit not to the standard of say, Iron Man. Good summer fun and a brilliant set-up for 2012's Avengers.
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