Culture

Rating: A

There have been moments in the past decade when the abundance of superhero movies became tedious. With everybody rushing to join this trend, there were years where all we got was origin story after origin story. Now, however, I feel we have entered the golden age of the genre, as we are finally seeing the fruits of the now-established characters. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the embodiment of this, not only acting as undoubtedly one of the best superhero films ever made, but also as an exciting forerunner of the calibre of content we can expect from the Marvel universe in the coming years.

Perhaps the greatest feat of Winter Soldier is the way it simultaneously, and to great effect, tells a story that is focused on Captain America, while also creating a narrative that is firmly grounded within the expanded universe, affecting it and being affected by it. This idea of an expanded cinematic universe is such a new idea that I did not expect to see it handled with this level of mastery so early in the game.

The Russo brothers were a strange choice to direct this kind of blockbuster, considering that their past credits only include indie films and the TV show Community. However, it was a risk that paid off. The directors’ skills are evident as they make large sections of dialogue and character development feel natural and engaging amongst the obligatory action sequences (which are the best I’ve seen in recent years). Whether it was a fight scene, a car chase or large-scale action montage, you will be treated to some superbly conceived and executed carnage.

A new standard has been set for superhero films with Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Hopefully this marks the end of the genre’s slump, and the beginning of an exciting, varied and innovative period.