Movie Review: Captain America (The First Avenger)

Well, I said I'd start doing movie reviews, didn't I? ;) Well, here I am with one! And I did say I was going to try and keep it to better known ones, so I decided to start with a Marvel movie (which btw, is possibly the best one, and every Marvel person should see it). *to self* Shush! Don't give an opinion before you've even started the review! *clears throat innocently* Ahem. Anyways, I am reviewing Captain America: The First Avenger, the first Marvel movie I ever saw (I was going to just review Civil War, but I figured it would be best to review all of them in their proper order). I know most people here will have probably already seen it, but there must be at least one or two people who haven't and may be looking to, so I'll still go on. :) And for anyone who is at all looking to watch any Marvel movie, whether they mean to watch them all eventually, or just watch one, this is the one. For anyone at all wanting to see Marvel at its best, most touching, and most innocent age, see this movie.

Who were the characters? How were their relations in the plot?
First and foremost, there was Steve Rogers. A skinny kid from Brooklyn trying to enlist in the army to help in the war. While WWII raged, he was always seeing people everywhere give up their family, possessions, and lives to help. He didn't want to do any less. The only problem was that he was not altogether too healthy. He was a skinny, far too often ill guy, and every time he tried to get into the military one way or another, he got pushed out. No matter how many times he re-submitted his name, he just wasn't allowed to fight, and it was a cross for him.

Okay... I'm just realizing how long I was ranting about Steve... Uh, don't get the wrong impression... There were other characters too! :P There was Bucky Barnes. Steve's amazing, popular best friend. Bucky was the best, most back-you-up-when-it's-really-hard kinda friend there ever was. He was pretty handsome, and fairly strong, though, so it was another reminder to Steve of his own helplessness when Bucky was allowed to enlist in the army. Then there was Howard Stark. *sighs and shakes head smilingly* While I have never been a fan of his son,Tony Stark, also known as the Iron Man, Howard Stark was a lovable character. He was the plum-craziest, try-anything guy in the whole movie. He was very intelligent, and not remarkably and inconceivably childish and arrogant like his son. (so, am I reviewing the characters of Captain America, or of Avengers...?) The other character were Peggy Carter, an amazingly strong character (and not the typical, overhyped strong female character, but truly strong). She was one of the many bright spots in the movie to be sure. And also one of the reasons the ending is so sad... :( Ahem. Anyways, avoiding spoilers, there was also a general-guy whom I can never get the name of for the life of me. Very sarcastic, straight-to-the-point fellow. Frustrating at time, but mostly likeable. There's the cool German doctor Steve meets, whom I won't say much about on risk of spoilers. There was also Steve's amazing team later on, but I don't remember any of their names, really, and they weren't in it as much as the previously mentioned, so I'll leave it to a better reviewer with a better memory. :P Then there were the villains. Actually very formidable villains at that. Dr. Zola and the Red Skull. Nazi villains in movies are usually the most formidable, but the Red Skull even went above that standard. He was quite amazing at recovering from losses...in fact, uncannily so.

How was the plot?
The plot was absolutely amazing! Stupendous. And it revolved around Steve, a bit of super-soldier serum, and a war that needed won. Brilliant, huh? I'll elaborate a bit more, I suppose. ;) So, like I said before, Steve Rogers is this scrawny kid who wants to give his life to his country and the world's needs. So he tries to get again. And tries again. And tries again... Until, one time, before he tries, he and Bucky are having this conversation concerning how much Steve wants to help save lives by fighting in this war, and someone heard it. Not just anyone, either. A secret project military doctor who values heart and virtue in a soldier hears him. He gets chosen for a secret project, given the only existing super-soldier serum, a physically enhancing formula, so he can help win the war, and it all goes up from there. For fear of spoilers, I shan't say much more on that subject. ;)
Romance?
The romance was soooooooooo sweet and cute! And sad... :( But, the romance in it was amazingly clean. Especially for a modern movie. Really, the most that happened in it was when Howard Stark's show was shown, and he leaned over and kissed one of his chorus girls. But that was a very small moment, merely for the illustration of Mr. Stark's character, and it neither lasted long, nor was much elaborated on. Steve's romance was the best. Especially how he almost got jealous (not quite, because Steve is too good to get really jealous) of Howard. It was so funny. Especially when him and Howard became practically best friends (after Bucky, of course!). It was so funny how they would both puzzle over the ways of Steve's girl. And Steve was always waiting for someone. It was kind-of the thing for the romance in this movie. He was wanting to dance. Who was he waiting for? The right partner. And she came along. Unfortunately, well... I won't say any more there either.

Comedy?
The comic relief was, well, relieving when you think of the other Marvel movies. Marvel is notorious for very strained comic relief in movies, but this movie did not have it. The comedy was, for the most part, clean, clever, and even romantic at times. It was very fitting, and never put in a strained spot where it didn't belong. Sometimes it was cracks about Steve's height or build pre-serum. Sometimes it was cracks about how much bigger he was post-serum. Sometimes it was cracks about him in comparison to the villain, and sometimes it was just him and Howard being befuddled by the mysterious ways of women (a.k.a., the mysterious ways of Steve's eventual girl, Peggy). The comedy was decidedly not annoying, and the only problem I had with it at all was the occasional comic relief from Steve's team members, whom I didn't find quite as amusing as Steve, Bucky, Howard, or Peggy. But that was just me, I assure you.
Hidden gems?
 Well, for one, it had the rare gem of movies and books nowadays of having an incredibly virtuous and selfless hero. He was there, not for himself, or against the Germans, but for his country and the world. It displayed truly lovely romance, too. The kind that makes you sit back and wonder why any other type of romance is ever even portrayed in Marvel, or any action films at all, for that matter. I guess the greatest thing about the movie is that is was so innocent. Maybe a first-time watcher of it might not think so as much as me, but if you watch other Marvel movies, and then come back to Captain America, then it really is the top of innocence for superhero movies. Clean romance, clean humor mostly, clean plot, and mostly clean costumes too.
Not so great things?
Well, the only thing I can really think of in it that might particularly bother the watchers immediately is the whole part with Steve's show. He goes on this show for a while with a bunch of girls, and he tries to get people to buy war bonds while the girls sing, and it's a bit weird. I love the song personally, but the costumes the girls wear are typical forties showgirl outfits, and so not my favorite thing, but not the worst that comes, I suppose. But, other than the usual kicking line things, which are really dumb, they didn't do anything out of place for the innocence of the movie. They were just a little weird is all. Really, that's the only immediate thing I can think of that might bother someone. Oh, well, okay. The language is pretty mild in it, especially compared to other Marvel movies, but it is an action movie, and has a few swear words in it. Not too terrible, but just enough to notice it. Other than those things, the movie was amazing.

Costumes? Effects? Soundtrack?
The costumes were amazing. Very WWII-ish, and super awesome. Steve's Captain America outfit is super awesome, despite what the Allied soldiers in Italy may say. And of course, who couldn't love the olive drab of WWII? It's great, isn't it?! And then all of Peggy's outfits were relatively modest and very pretty and 40's-ish. The costumes were quite believably WWII. The effects I couldn't really care less about, frankly. As long as the video quality is good enough that I can see what's going on, I don't care. And it's not that old a movie, being only a few years old, so it's special effects and video quality were clear and very well-done. The soundtrack is sooooo American-sounding, it almost makes you feel like Captain America listening to it! It's so cool. It's super patriotic, and it really does enhance the movie even more.
Ending?
Sad, sad, sad!!! Very sad! :( Like, actually make you cry sad! I was so disappointed with the movie makers after this, my first Marvel movie, that I thought there was not even going to be another one. I thought, if they ended this one like this, there's no way they would make another. :( I was wrong. I won't give it away, in the unexpected case of there being someone in the audience who hasn't seen it, but will just tell you that it'll make you cry. :'(
Any other notes?
While I might not let, say, a six-year-old watch it (depending on the six-year-old) because of violence, there was no gore or inappropriate behavior/comedy, so I would allow a fairly large watching crowd with this one. My one note might be that your heart will die and your soul be smashed when you see the ending. That is all. :)
So, what do you think? You seen this movie? You planning on watching it if you haven't? Sound good at all? If you have seen it, do you think I did a good job reviewing it? Tell me Steve/Cap is your favorite character in it, please!!! :D