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Ah, Winter Soldier: the movie I was cool on and then, after a trademark change of heart, fell in love with.
This is definitely a top 5 or 6 superhero movie, alongside greats like Superman: The Movie, Spider-Man 2, and The Dark Knight.
The Russo brothers knocked it out of the park here, with focused, efficient direction built on a politically-savvy and intelligent screenplay by Markus & McFeely. The action choreography is some of the best in the MCU (in fact, I'd say its only real rival is Civil War, another Russo bros. production). The street shoot-outs are especially good -- and remind be of Mann's work in Heat. You never, ever get lost in the chaos of battle, and practical sets and special effects are blended together smoothly.
As good as the action is, the drama might be even better. Cap is a conflicted man here. We see him as unable to lead a life outside of war, reluctant to give away freedom for security, and protective of those closest to him. There are so, so, so many tender little character moments here, from Cap dealing with Peggy's Alzheimer's, to his brotherly affection for Sam ("on your left" is such a perfect line), to his conversations with Black Widow on his stalled love life.
Speaking of Widow, Markus & McFeely finally give her a character worth having. In all these MCU movies, Widow plays the part the plot needs her to play. Here, we start to see a window into her personality: mercurial, proud of her ability to survive regimes and political winds but regretful that no one truly trusts her. The little road trip scene with she and Cap is one of my favorite parts of the movie. You get the sense that maybe she wants to be closer to Cap, but doesn't think she deserves it.
Supporting cast is great here. Redford as Pierce is one of the better MCU villains -- not saying much, I know -- and newcomers Mackie, VanCamp, and Grillo hold their own, and then some.
Obviously, the emotional linchpin of the movie is Cap and Bucky, and the chemistry there is outstanding. Characters are defined most of all by their decisions, and 1) Cap's decision to die rather than fight his best friend; and 2) Bucky's decision to rescue the man he's ordered to kill says everything about their bond.
Music is surprisingly good in this one, too. Not something I usually notice in these Marvel flicks.
I really can't say enough good things about the movie.
I can, however, say some negative things.
The mid-movie twist STILL ruffles my feathers. Zola is written in the first Captain America as a brilliant scientist who was, essentially, working for HYDRA for a pay check. Here, he's treated like a true believer. I still don't fully buy it. It's also around this part of the movie that the previously perfect pacing of the film slows down for a lot of exposition. What else? There's some dodgy CGI here and there, most notably with old Peggy. The final helicarrier battle isn't as effective as the close-quarters elevator fights or the intense urban shoot-outs (I think the Russos are better with small-scale action) and it goes on just a little too long. Finally, for a movie called The Winter Soldier, the character is almost an after-thought. Of course, we know that that arc will be continued in Civil War.
8/10
Updated rankings:
GREAT
1) Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2) Iron Man
GOOD
3) The Avengers
4) Iron Man 3
DECENT
5) Black Panther
6) Captain America
7) The Incredible Hulk
MEDIOCRE
8) Iron Man 2
POOR
9) Thor
10) Thor: The Dark World
